Page 2 of Resisting my Forbidden Fae

Daria tensed again, indicating he was right on the mark. She sat up and shook her head, then made a show of gathering her hair in her hand and yanking it up. He found himself ogling her back, where her top was lower than he had anticipated and exposed a good amount of shoulders.

“Who are you, and what did you do to my best friend?” he blurted out, realizing he had never seen her with only two flimsy scraps serving as cap sleeves that revealed her shoulders. Then his eyes strayed back to her hair, rolled into a bun as she pinned it in place, but with baby strands resting on the fragile nape of her neck—

She yanked on a jacket and tugged the hood up, cutting off the sight of her skin until she was back to her regular, covered self…the Daria he knew. The Daria he grew up with. The Daria who didn’t act all suspicious and dressed up. He straightened. “This isn’t girls’ night, is it? Youweregoing out on a date.”

“I didn’t expect you to come,” she said, ignoring his statement. “I know you are busy with your girlfriend and your new, fancy life.”

“Job. I think I’m getting an offer this week.”

At that, a smile genuinely lit her face up. “That’s nice.”

“Who’s the guy, Daria?”

The smile dropped. “It’s none of your business, Charlie.”

“You know mine. You know my girlfriend and my friends.”

“Actually, I don’t know your girlfriend that well because she’s the jealous type.”

“But—”

“And I haven’t seen you in three months.”

His mouth snapped shut, not realizing how long it had been. “You are right. I got busy.” There was a pause as he recalled the job applications, the constant struggle to stay away from his cousin’s brewing business…to make a name for himself away from his clan. Then his focus returned to her. “Now it’s time to catch up. The guy, Daria?”

The long-suffering sigh she emitted had him biting back a grin.

“Why do you want to know so badly?”

He shrugged. “You are my best friend. What if he turns out to be a serial killer?”

“That point’s moot now, isn’t it? I’m not going out on a date because I’m here.”

“So, either this place is far more important, or the guy isn’t that special. Which is it? If I’m being texted, I do need to know the details—shit. Hold on.”

The caller ID wiped off the humor from his thoughts as he answered it immediately, understanding that any delay was not in the books.

“Mr. Bennett, are you free for a short meeting in an hour?”

His heart picked up speed. “Where?”

“The office. It’s short notice, but you are the last of the candidates.”

He glanced at his watch. Close to seven. He calculated the commute in his head and knew it would be a close call, but there was no negotiating when it came to a possible job invitation, either.

“I will be there, Miss Ingrid.”

He hung up. Belatedly, he realized what he had done and turned to Daria, whose cloudy eyes were peering at him.

“Shit,” he repeated.

“Bad words won’t solve your dilemma,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I’m supposed to be here and keep you away from trouble.”

At that, she shrugged. “You are here to keep me company, just like old times. I called you last-minute, and they did the same. You don’t owe me anything—hey!”

“I do owe you another stakeout,” he said amid the hug he pulled her into. Her hair fell from its bun. He smelled honey and something floral and wondered who she put on the niceties for before deciding he didn’t have the time to brood over it now. “I have to go.”

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