Page 22 of Marcus-stiltskin

“Can I ask you a question?” I say as I stir a little bit too much sugar in my coffee.

He moves slowly across the room to Freddie K.’s food bowl, then rests a hand on the wall to balance as he leans down. “Only if I get to ask one, too.”

I smile. “Sure. I hope this isn’t rude, but aren’t the stairs hard on your leg?”

He fills Freddie K.’s bowl, then moves back over to the table, taking the chair next to mine. “They are, but I took your advice. Jacqueline got me in touch with a guy named Geir over at the mine. He’s going to come over and see if there’s a way to maybe turn part of the bay into a living space and maybe section this off into an apartment I could rent out for extra income.”

“That’s smart.”

“Now my turn.”

“Okay, Mr. Serious.”

“What do you plan to do after stripping?”

I sigh. “Have you been talking to Lugh about me?”

He smiles. “Maybe a little.”

“Can you tell him not to worry so much? It wasn’t too long ago he was growing flowers that looked like naked men.”

He nearly spits out his coffee. “He was doing what now?”

I laugh. “Next time you talk to him, tell him I said this works both ways.”

He shakes his head and smiles. “You know, he’s just looking out for you.”

I sigh. “Yes, but I’m a big kid now and he has three, no, four other people to look out for.”

He gets quiet for a minute, his eyes studying me as he takes another sip from his mug. “Is it really okay at the Wild Hare? Do you really feel safe there?”

I nod. “I do. The Lamar pack is really good about security.” I bump his shoulder playfully with my own. “You should come sometime.”

He laughs and looks down at his hands. “I don’t know if I–”

“Surely you’ve been to a strip club before,” I tease.

“I have, it’s just–” He doesn’t finish his sentence, but I can guess.

I just shrug my shoulders. “Your loss. We’re really good.”

He chuckles, “I have no doubt.”

I finish up the cup of coffee and stand from my chair. “Thank you for letting me clean up. I probably should get back.”

“You don’t–” he says, standing up too quickly, and losing his balance. I don’t have the quickest reflexes and he probably has a hundred pounds on me, so I do the only thing I can do and wrap my arms around him, pulling him close to me, hoping it will be enough to fight the pull of gravity. He may have lost part of his leg, but apparently that hasn’t stopped him from working out. He is completely built of muscle. He reaches a hand out for the table and steadies himself as he looks down at me. His eyes meet mine and I suck in a breath at the fire in them. Gently, he brushes the hair back from my face. His face is so close to mine, I could imagine him leaning down and pressing his lips to mine.

Instead, Marcus clears his throat and steps back. “I’m sorry. I was going to say, before I nearly fell on my ass, that you don’t have to go. I’d love for you to stay.”

And I’d love for you to stop fixating on my job, I want to say, but bite my lip. I look down at my hands. “Thank you, butI should get back. It’s my turn to hit the grocery store. Do you need anything while I’m there?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m good. Thanks for asking. Do you still have time to help out on Tuesday?”

Honestly, I have time to help out the whole week, with my hours cut at the Wild Hare, but I’m not sure I’m ready to see him again so soon.

I nod and try to smile. “Of course. What time do you want me over?”

“Will nine work?”

---