Page 50 of Heart of a Witch
She shook her head. “It’s not just tonight. I’ve had a bad run of things lately.”
“Right.” I was an idiot. “Your parents dying, of course.”
She fell quiet.
“Do you smoke?” I asked, to fill the silence.
“No, but feel free to.”
I pulled out a cigar and lit it with a match. The temporary illumination of her face made my heart skip a beat. “Have you been crying?”
She wiped the skin around her eyes. “No.”
“Sorry, it looked like it.”
“I haven’t been.” She kicked her shoes off, curling her legs up against her chest. “Why has your day been so terrible? I heard about your newcareer.”
“Yeah.” I held my breath, then took another swig of scotch. I didn’t want to talk about it, no less with her. “Where are your snakes tonight?”
“Right here.” Hissing sounded, and something touched my leg. I jolted back. “Shit.”
She laughed, leaning forward and sucking back a couple of breaths. “It was me. They’re at home.”
I chuckled, then laughed harder. “I won’t pretend I wasn’t scared.”
“At least you didn’t scream.”
I put a finger up. “I was close.”
I couldn’t see her expression, but I wished I could. “You looked beautiful earlier. I should have said.”
“Thank you.”
“Seriously, I’ve been thinking about that dress ever since.”
“Only the dress?”
Was she playing with me? “I was trying to be polite.”
She hit my arm, then laughed and pulled the bottle from my hand. I took another puff of smoke from my cigar, closing my eyes for a moment. “We can just stay out here all night if you want.”
Her tone softened. “Why do you want to skip out on your own ball? Don’t get me wrong, I get it—I hate parties—but you don’t seem like the type who does.”
I paused, swallowing thickly. She wouldn’t understand even if I did tell her, and what good would it do if she did? Nothing was going to change my situation. “It’s nothing to worry yourself about.”
“I want to listen. I’m bored, and you make for okay company.”
I smirked. “You’re relentless.”
“A little.”
I tapped the ash from the end of my cigar to the ground. “I’m stuck doing something I don’t want to do.”
“Do you mean being a hunter?”
She was quick. “Yes.”
“Why are you stuck?”
