Page 48 of The Minotaur's Valentine

“I should probably go home. The roads are clear enough.” Milo points to the snow plow moving slowly past the apartment.

I bite my lip. I don’t want Milo to leave.

Yes, I like my space, but our lives will keep us busy. Our time together will be the sweet spot.

And yes, I’m horny.

“We should eat dinner first,” I say. “It’s getting late. Will the Night Market be open?”

“Oh. Yeah, probably. All my stuff is still in the truck, too.” Milo points to a plain black pickup with a double cab and long, enclosed bed.”

I press close to him as we walk in the snow. I fit snugly under his arm, and he’s so warm. “Do you really make swords? And those big...” I grope for words, “those big Viking-looking axes?”

“Sure. I have a forge-slash-smithy at the house. It’s a good trade in Pine Ridge.” Milo pauses for a moment. “You know how they say like attracts like?”

“Uh. Yes?” No, I’ve never heard that, but I can understand it. I’ve heard something similar.

“Pine Ridge is brimming with magical energy. It attracts magical entities. Peaceful ones are welcome to remain here, but violence isn’t tolerated. However, a lot of magical beings don’t give a rat’s ass about that. A violent, soulless vampire will come to a small town and kill, then move on. We’re not willing to let that happen.” Milo snorts and warm steam billows into the air over my head. “If you fuck with someone in Pine Ridge, you pay.”

I shiver. It’s in a good way. My sweet, kitten-fostering, breakfast-in-bed-making Milo is so badass right now. “So the weapons are what? Deterrents?”

“And for extermination. Especially to the people closest to the campus and the members of the unofficial ‘Neighborhood Watch.’ Surprisingly, the bad actors like to stay near the human centers of Pine Ridge, like PR NYU. They think they won’t get caught with a bunch of dumb humans around. No offense.”

I smile. “None taken. But humans, like me, don’t see the danger right in front of us. We logic everything away.” When I think of all the little things that didn’t quite add up about Ricky... I shake my head. “Doc Peterson? Is he... special?”

“The most special. He brought you to me.”

“I mean supernatural. Something is off about him, but I—”

“He’s a Satyr.”

I blink. “Oh. Oh! That’s why he’s so good with freaked out animals! He uses his nature mojo, doesn’t he?”

“Got it in one.”

“I’m so dumb.”

“Why? Because you didn’t immediately assume that your boss was a mythological being?” Milo nudges me lightly (which is enough to send me staggering a few steps). “Don’t be hard on my girlfriend.”

Girlfriend. The word gives me a warm glow, but I also know I’m a bit of a hypocrite. If my mom were still alive, if I had any family I wanted to remain in contact with, would I be so cool about the possibility of dating a non-human?

“You okay?”

The wind sends another sharp cluster of snow down from the rooftops, and it stings my face. “Let’s get back inside. Stay for dinner. Stay the night.”

Milo beams.

I can’t lie to him. “Milo. I’m not such a great person. I know you think I am, but I’m not. You deserve to know the truth. If I— If I had any family, I wouldn’t be ready to tell them about us. I would probably want to keep our relationship a secret for a long time. I’m so sorry. You’re so brave and kind and—”

Milo’s shoulders are shaking. Is he crying? “Milo, please... Milo?”

He’s laughing. “Oh, Libby! Do you honestly think I don’t know that? I would ask you to take it slow if you had human family members who weren’t hip to the whole supernatural world. They could put you in a psych ward or come to Pine Ridge with a rifle and a bunch of cryptozoologists! And... I’m not that awesome, either. I’ll tell my parents about you whenever you say you’re ready, but my brother in Greece? Hell, no. Not yet. He thinks my human fetish is messed up. But you’ll grow on him.”

I bite down a smirk. “He’s in Greece. Not like he has to watch me making out with you.” My arms slide up over his shoulders and I latch my wrists behind his head. When he straightens up, I hang by my arms, my toes off the ground.

Snowflake kisses. “Grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner?”

“Cream pie for dessert?” He winks—although Milo seems surprised by his own daring.

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