Page 46 of Feverburn

“Me too.”I broke the embrace, forcing a small smile.

He tilted his head from side to side.“No…you didn’t.”

“Why would you say that?”I asked with a little laugh while fishing out my keys.

“You just seem somewhere else, not in the moment. I like being around you, but I never reallyhaveyou.”

“You want me?”I asked innocently.

His face broke in a wry smile.“I think you already know that, darlin’.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to lead you on or anything. I was in a bad situation earlier this year.”

“Yeah, I heard. No offense, but I’m not like him. I’d like to show you that, but I get it if you’re not ready to date.”

I grasped for something resembling manners. “Did-do you want to come inside? I could maybe make you some tea?” I stuttered.

Jesus Christ, Rosie! Do you think he wants some chamomile right now? Like a fucking grandma?

He fixed the collar on his shirt.“Sure, that’d be great.”

As we walked through the back door, Kiszka came barreling through the hallway, singing me the song of his people. With a loud bark, he bounced a paw on Dane’s nuts, causing a groan that he impressively disguised. Out of pity, I pretended not to notice. From his office, Carson said something in Greek that called Kiszka back without even an exchange with us.

Opening my loft, I put the kettle on for tea. “Do you mind if I get into more comfortable clothes?”I asked, wanting to get out of the jeans I had been wearing all day.

“Nah, girl. That’s fine.”He sat on my loveseat and picked up a book on the armrest.“Do you read a lot?”

I plucked some yoga pants and a cropped Alice Cooper band T-shirt from my dresser. Walking into the bathroom to change, I yelled,“Kind of. I’m trying to get back into it. You?”

He yelled back,“I read Westerns like some old man. They remind me of my dad. I guess that’s kind of weird to admit out loud.”

When I exited the bathroom, he was reading the Tom Robbins book Carson gifted me. My instinct was toslapit out of his hands. Instead, I relaxed my shoulders and brightlysaid,“It’s not weird to read those because of your dad. That’s cute.”

“Cute. Right. What every man wants to be considered.”He smiled, putting the Robbins book down while I sat beside him.

I tried to turn on somecharm. I needed to soothe his ego; he had been kind to me and kept my secret about tattooing. I wished I couldforcemyself into liking him; he was technically attractive.

His eyes raked up and down my body.“I like your style. Oh! By the way, the tattoo healed well.”

“Can I see?”I gestured towards his chest.

He leaned back and pulled up his shirt. I smiled and stroked his pec, squinting closer at my linework. Dane leaned in, which snapped me out of the moment and how unintentionally flirty it was.

“That looks great. You must’ve followed my aftercare directions to a T.”

“I will always listen to you,”he said with a playful look as he put his shirt down and rested his arm on the back of the couch, surrounding me.

“Did you use the salve I gave you?”

He nodded and gazed at my lips, moving a piece of hair off my shoulder.“Yeah, what did you put in that stuff? It was straight-up magical.”

A nervous laugh puffed out of me. “Ah, I can’t give away my potions.”

He chuckled.“You really are witchy, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

His eyes searched my face as he began to lean forward tokissme. The kettle started to whistle, and I leaped up.

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