Page 65 of Death Match

I went down the porch steps and stared at the car, not sure how to react to it. “Oh…wow.” I tried to force enthusiasm. I never took Cole for someone who drove a Toyota Corolla before. It was definitely odd. “But where’s your Jeep?”

“I traded it,” he replied, and I couldn’t help but notice the sadness touching his tone. Whether it was because of my lack of enthusiasm or the fact that he no longer had his Jeep, I wasn’t sure. “Didn’t get much for it since the thing’s seen better days—and by ‘much’ I mean nothing, by the way.” He let out a short laugh. “Pretty much had to beg the guy at the dealership to take it off my hands.”

“You could have kept it as a project or something if you wanted to. I told you that.” Why would he give up his precious Jeep for…this?

Wait. I stopped my thoughts. I had told him that? My words surprised me. Even though I had no memory of telling him such a thing, what I’d said hadn’t felt strange at all. If anything, it felt natural. Like the truth.

Had I hit my head before going to sleep last night? Why were things so screwy?

“I know,” he said. “But it didn’t make sense to keep it. And besides, this is more practical.”

Practical? When did Cole care about practical?

He opened the front driver’s door to show me the inside. Everything—from the seats to the carpets to the dashboard—were all a tan color. “What do you think?”

“It is…practical,” I replied, stealing his word for it. I couldn’t think of anything else at the moment.

Cole frowned. “You’re the one who was always harping on me for how raggedy my Jeep was.”

I held my hands out. “You’re right. It’s great. You’re going to look like a real businessman now.”

Businessman… That word sat wrong on my tongue, but I forced myself to ignore it.

“Oh God.” He ran his hand through his hair. “That scares me.”

I smiled. “Me too. But I’m sure you’ll beat this one up in time, too.”

He slapped a hand on the roof. “Ready to get breakfast? Give it a spin?”

I looked over my shoulder to the house, seeing its outside for the first time. It was one of the old Victorians near the city’s harbor, with a large porch, tall windows, and a sunroom, made of all glass, off the side. It was old with a few crooked shutters, some chipping paint, and wild vines that needed to be cut back, but it was still stunning in its size and charm.

It was perfect. The kind of place I could easily call my home.

“Jade?” Cole called to me again. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“Right.” I recovered quickly and shook off the stupor. “Yeah, me too. Let’s go.”

We climbed in and shut the doors. When Cole turned the key, the car roared to life. No ear-splitting whine or chugging sound like with the beat-up Jeep.

He glanced my way. “It’s been so long, I forgot what a car is supposed to sound like.”

I laughed.

After pulling out of the driveway, he placed his hand on my thigh and gave it a light squeeze. Eyes trained on the road, he didn’t put much into the act, as if it was a normal thing for him. My reaction, however, was a different story. I stared at his hand, and my entire body heated at his touch. He’d always had a way of making my insides ignite with the simplest of gestures. A look or a touch.

My imagination started to envision that hand traveling up and settling at the hottest part of me, in between my legs. When I peered up at him, he was glancing my way, too, with that devilish grin on his face.

There went my heartbeat. Off to the races.

And just like that, I forgot all about that uneasy nagging feeling, along with all the questions I still had. Somehow, I was with him—like with him, with him—and living normally in the city I loved. Why ruin it by picking it apart and looking for problems?

This is what I’d wanted, wasn’t it?

Suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter anymore.

After being seated in a booth beside the alter and countertop, I glanced around the diner, taking in all the things I loved about this place. Stain glass windows, gold-leaf paint, and religious effigies. Turning an old stone church into a diner? Was it blasphemous? Or just clever?

Either way, the food was delicious. And I always liked the irony of being here with a half-demon.

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