Page 169 of Forced Vows

"She's fine. She's too formidable a beast to be bothered by something as inconsequential as a helicopter ride."

"Is that a catnip toy?" Róise asks.

I nod. "She likes them."

"I can't believe you're drugging my cat."

"I'm not drugging her." But I do have a hypodermic with a sedative in it on the off chance Pusheen didn't take to flying with her usual Queen of the World approach.

"Whatever. Why did you come?" Now, she's squinting at me like she's trying to read my thoughts. "Did you have a meeting with my uncle?"

"No."

"I don't understand."

"I haven't seen you in four days."

"So?"

Deflated ego, thy name is Róise. "So, I wanted to."

"Why?"

"How did your exam go?" I ask rather than answer a question I'm not ready to answer.

She wouldn't believe me if I did because she's not ready for the words either.

"Really well."

"You aced it." It's not a guess.

If Róise puts her mind to something, she will accomplish it.

"I hope so."

"You studied hard enough," Zoey pipes up. "Makes me glad that my job didn't require college. School is not my thing."

"It requires intelligence and skill to make it through the training program you're on. Allessio says you are doing well."

Zoey beams. "Thank you, boss."

"Don't thank me for the truth. It's not always so palatable."

"Don't ruin it by being a jerk now," Róise admonishes me.

"Telling the truth does not make me an asshole."

"I didn't call you that. I called you a jerk and yeah, sometimes telling the truth makes you nothing but an asshole." She grins, inviting me to share her joke.

I cup her nape and kiss her. Again.

She melts into me without hesitation and it takes all my formidable willpower to pull my mouth from hers.

I glance down at her feet. "I like the tennis shoes."

"I've got heels in my bag." She looks around, her expression turning panicked. "Where's my bag?"

Zoey holds up a tote bag stenciled in glittery pink with Actors do it in character.

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