“It was a compliment,” protested Laire.
“Oh sure, I understand. I can see why someone as flat as you would be overwhelmed.”
Laire’s scowl was immediate, and indicative that maybe not many people responded to her in kind. “I’m perfectly proportioned.”
“Yeah, for a board.”
“Can we catalog physical traits another time?” Fallon said, reaching out and pushing Laire back down into the couch when it looked like she was going to do a takedown. To Nalah she said, “You need to contact him as soon as possible.”
Nalah rubbed her arms to bring some warmth to her now cool skin, a swamp of memories chilling the flesh in an otherwise warm apartment. “You don’t know him. He’s not going to agree to this. He didn’t-” her voice cracked and she paused, clearing her throat. “He didn’t help me with my brother’s situation, even though I asked him to. So all this arguing and angsting is over something that’s not going to happen.”
“Maybe not, but let’s say we tried, huh?” To Laire she said, “Time to go.”
Without a word – another rarity for the tiny mage – Laire rose from the couch and walked toward the door with as much dignity as a banana could muster.
The door slammed shut the same moment Nalah spied the long yellow scarf. “Dammit Laire, pick up your shit,” she said under her breath, grabbing the item and heading to the door to stop the two Guild members. As she opened the door her gaze slid across the multiple locks.
Four. Five. Six…
And she swung the door wide to see him.
Chapter Four
‡
Esh’s massive body dwarfed the doorframe. His fire-lit eyes held her attention as they always had, not allowing her to look away, to back away – not allowing her a moment to think or reconsider or remember why shutting the door right now and pretending she had not seen him would be a very good idea despite the conversation not two minutes ago.
“Nalah,” he said, his voice good-whiskey-smooth and going down just as easy. “Let me in.”
“No.” The word slipped out, but there was no intent behind it. No closing of door, no backing away from temptation.
Not that either of those actions would have helped as he said, still calm, still easy, “Let me in or I’ll rip this fucking door from its hinges.”
When put like that… Nalah stepped back and Esh stepped forward, his presence too large in the tiny apartment, filling every corner and nook.
His eyes never left her, as if he was afraid that by looking away, she’d disappear again. She, on the other hand, did her best to look everywhere but at him, no matter that she felt his gaze on her, hot as flame.
Once again a hand wrapped around her wrist, but this time no disgust crawled through her at the sensation. The stroke of his fingertips over her inner wrist had her heartbeat go staccato and sparks flick along nerve endings. “How did you find me?”
“Had someone follow you from the match. How the fuck could you be so close and I never knew it?” His other hand wrapped around her neck in a gentle caress, and using his thumb he forced her chin up so their eyes met. “Why are you defenseless?”
“I can take care of myself.” The rejoinder was automatic even after the space of years, but the annoyance of that familiar argument was not enough to dull the return of sensations that were raw and deep and sharp.
Instead of answering, he began to stroke along her neck, his fingers taking in the curve of her cheek, the small cleft in her chin, his eyes drinking in every spot his fingers passed over. His head dipped lower, the temptation of those lips – gods, that talented mouth – coming ever closer.
Nalah jerked back, the motion so forceful it left her dizzy for a moment. No, no this was not what she wanted, no matter how her traitorous body responded. Five years ago, she left, for reasons that still existed.
She cleared her throat and turned to go into the kitchen, for space rather than overwhelming thirst. No time to think how to play this…this thing. And now Esh was here, and if there was one thing she could never do with him around, it was think.
“Why did you come to the match?” He had slipped behind her without her notice, bending over her, his large frame enveloping hers, hot breath in her ear.
She grabbed the counter in front of her to have something solid beneath her fingers. What made her think she could ever do this? Time hadn’t dulled a damn thing, not that she ever thought it would. “I wasn’t thinking when I came to the match.”
He closed in, his arms brushing the sides of her breasts, his hands resting next to hers. “Why did you come?”