Magic Strikes(48)
«Can I quote you on that?»
«Be my guest. I've worked too hard to be his passing fancy.»
I reached to put the folder back into my drawer and my fingers grazed an old paperback. The
Princess Bride. That night in Savannah, when he had almost kissed me, he'd been reading it, and
when I told him to leave, he'd said, «As you wish.»
A frown crossed Andrea's face. «So where does all this leave you? Are you going to disappear
for a while?»
I nodded. «I have to see this through, and I can't do it with Curran breathing down my neck.»
«Need any help?»
«Yes. I'm putting in a request to analyze some silver samples to the computer database. It might
take a day or two to process. If you could pick it up . . .»
Andrea waved her arms. «Of course I'll do it. I meant shoot-somebody type of help.»
«Oh. Not at the moment. But I'll call you if I need a bullet through somebody's head.»
«You do that. Try not to get killed.»
«Will do.»
We looked at each other.
«So how was it?» she asked. «Kissing Curran?»
«I can't let him kiss me again, because if he does, I'll sleep with him.»
Andrea blinked. «Well,» she said finally. «At least you know where you stand.»
I CALLED JIM AND LEFT THE OFFICE. I WOVE BACK and forth through the morning
traffic. Nobody followed me. Finally I stopped at a small fried chicken joint.
Glenda smiled at me. A plump woman with honey-colored hair, she'd once spent her nights
tormented by phantom snakes. It took a week, but I finally found the cause hiding out in her attic
and killed it. Now I got a smile with my chicken wings.
I held up ten bucks.
«You want a five-piece?» Glenda asked.
«Nope. I want to use the phone.» This was a conversation best had out of the office.
Glenda put a phone on the counter, checked it for the dial tone, and grabbed my ten bucks.
I called the Keep, introduced myself to the disembodied female voice on the phone, and asked
for the Beast Lord. In less than fifteen seconds Curran came on the line.
«I'm going into hiding with Jim.»
The silence on the other side of the phone had a distinctly sinister undertone. Perhaps he thought
that his kissing superpowers had derailed me. Fat chance. I would keep him from having to kill
Derek. That was a burden he didn't need.
«I thought about this morning,» I said, doing my best to sound calm and reasonable. «I've
instructed the super to change the locks. If I ever catch you in my apartment again, I will file a
formal complaint. I've taken your food, under duress, but I did take it. You rescued me once or
twice, and you've seen me near naked. I realize that you're judging this situation by shapeshifter
standards, and you expect me to fall on my back with my legs spread.»
«Not necessarily.» His voice matched mine in calmness. «You can fall on your hands and knees
if you prefer. Or against the wall. Or on the kitchen counter. I suppose I might let you be on top, if
you make it worth my while.»
I didn't grind my teeth-he would've heard it. I had to be calm and reasonable. «My point is
this: no.»
«No?»
«There will be no falling, no sex, no you and me.»
«I wanted to kiss you when we were in your house. In Savannah.»
Why the hell was my heart pounding? «And?»
«You looked afraid. That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for.»
Be calm and reasonable. «You flatter yourself. You're not that scary.»
«After I kissed you this morning, you were afraid again. Right after you looked like you were
about to melt.»
Melt?
«You're scared there might be something there, between you and me.»
Wow. I struggled to swallow that little tidbit. «Every time I think you've reached the limits of
arrogance, you show me new heights. Truly, your egotism is like the Universe-ever expanding.»
«You thought about dragging me into your bed this morning.»
«I thought about stabbing you and running away screaming. You broke into my house without
permission and slobbered all over me. You're a damn lunatic! And don't give me that line about
smelling my desire; I know it's bullshit.»
«I didn't need to smell you. I could tell by the dreamy look in your eyes and the way your tongue
licked the inside of my mouth.»
«Enjoy the memory,» I ground out. «That's the last time it will ever happen.»
«Go play your games with Jim. I'll find you both when I need you.»
Arrogant asshole. «I tell you what, if you find us before those three days run out, I'll cook you a