Page 12 of How Not to Date an Angel

“How’s the knee?” they asked, watching the demon adjust the mitt.

“The ice feels great,” he said, looking pleased with himself as he lounged back against the headboard, hands clasped over his stomach. “And the carbonara was really good.”

“Glad to hear it,” the angel said, and put the slim pillow on the bed. “Up,” they said, and slid it beneath the demon’s knee. Then they gathered his bowl and glass. “More water?”

The demon was staring at them, and the angel did not enjoy being under his spotlight like a bug beneath a lens.

“Did you give me your dinner? The one the human delivered?”

“I ate my portion while you were bathing,” Rami told him. “Not even I’m so angelic as to sacrifice all of my pasta. I’ll bring you some more water. Keep the knee elevated.”

The demon offered no more witty retorts as Rami did as they’d said. They were an angel of their word, after all. The night was wearing on them, and they looked forward to sleeping. Another necessity of the humans that Rami treated as a luxury. Maybe they’d wake up tomorrow and it would all be a dream.

They knew it wasn’t likely, but they could hope.

When they made their last ascension to the second floor loft bedroom, they were relieved, and placed the glass on the night table.

“Water. Now, I’ll be downstairs, but if you need anything else, let me know.”

“Where are you sleeping?” he asked, and patted the bed next to him with half-lidded, suggestive eyes.

Rami pretended they didn’t see.

“I’ll be on the couch, downstairs. It’s quite comfortable.” It wasn’t a lie, technically, but anywhere away from this demon had to be more comfortable.

“Aw, come on, now, I can’t take your bed,” Julian drawled. “Look how much room there is.”

“You can’t do much of anything with all your injuries,” Rami retorted.

“Don’t be like that,” Julian said, a teasing note in his voice.

“I’m not being any certain way except helpful,” Rami noted. “Now. Goodnight,” they said, and turned on their heel.

The demon let them go, blessedly, and Rami soaked up the silence of the lower level of their home, staring at the couch as if it was a challenge.

Itwascomfortable, if you laid a very specific way and placed the pillows in just the right position.

So that’s what they did, and they prayed for the demon’s healing and well-being, as well as more patience in the coming days.

They had a feeling they were going to need it.

Rami hadn’t thought they’d actually fall asleep, not with a demon in their home. However, next thing they knew, they were blinking their eyes open to the soft light of the morning.

They stretched, groaning softly, and arched their back to stretch out the ache that had formed over the night.

“Keep making noises like that and I can’t be responsible for my actions.”

Rami startled, pulling their arms down by their side and simultaneously attempting to sit up and locate the demon. The pillow beneath their hand slipped and they slipped with it, spilling onto the floor beside the coffee table.

For a second, they considered staying there and pretending the demon didn’t exist.

Instead, they pressed themself up by their hands and sat back on their knees, glaring at the demon who was standing by the stairs. His arms and ankles were crossed, casual as can be.

“How long have you been standing there?” Rami asked, a familiar heat rushing to their cheeks no matter how much they wished it wouldn’t.

“Long enough,” the demon said with a smirk. When he walked forward, it was with a limp, though the gash on his forehead seemed to be healed, his skin smooth and unblemished once again.

“You’ve healed overnight,” Rami noticed, and got to their feet. They picked their pillow and blanket up and made the effort to fold them and place them neatly on the edge of the couch.

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