Page 51 of Sigils & Spells

He grinned, what I knew to be a charming and disarming weapon of his. It did nothing other than remind me that I had fucked up last night. I never should have slept with him. My self-esteem made some pretty epic mistakes at times.

He reached across the table and stole the pickle spear I had pushed to the side of my plate.

“If you didn’t tell him, how did he know we had sex?”

“Ew.” Darren made a face. “You make me sound so cheap and base.”

I continued to glare.

“What? You’re serious? I didn’t tell him a thing. Maybe he was making a good guess.”

“Maybe I saw you leave together.”

Spit turned into a deadly weapon and forced its way down my windpipe, choking me. I hadn’t heard or seen Merle come in. I glanced over my shoulder and there he loomed. Ramsey skulked behind him.

Darren slid farther into the booth. “Oh, do join us. This is going to be an interesting conversation.” His grin had mischievous agent of chaos plastered all over it.

My insides plummeted. This was not going to be fun.

“What are you doing here?” Merle asked. I couldn’t get a read on him, he was keeping his emotions very much in-check.

For a split second, I was glad I had left the road dirt all over my tights. Maybe he would feel bad for me? Maybe I was being an idiot.

“I am basking in the wit of Darren while feeling clever and smug about eating a brat with sauerkraut and a cold beer in the humorously named gastro-pub called The Cellar, which is ironically located on the second floor. And you?”

“We’re having a lunch meeting. I picked this place because I didn’t think—” Ramsey shut up after a quick glare from Merle.

Ramsey had obviously picked The Cellar because he didn’t think anyone but students would be around. And for some reason, Merle didn’t need us to know they were avoiding us. Or me. I was pretty sure it was just me.

“Hey—” Darren started to complain, finally realizing that I had slipped in an insult to his intelligence. He pointed the pickle spear at me before taking a big bite. “Look, man, I didn’t know there was anything between the two of you.”

“There isn’t,” I said as I started to scoot out of the booth.

Merle stood at the end of my bench seat, preventing me from moving.

Darren looked at the two of us. “This looks like there is something between the two of you. Y’all need to figure it out. You might as well sit down, Merle.”

I turned on Darren. “Oh, thanks, when did you become a celebrity therapist?”

Merle pushed me over with his hips as he slid in next to me. “Really?” I complained.

“Hey, I thought we—”

“Looks like you and me get to go sit at the bachelor’s table.” Darren cut Ramsey off. He grabbed his burger with one hand and smacked Ramsey on the shoulder a few times before grabbing his drink and leading the other man away.

That manipulative two-bit so-and-so. I huffed through my nose and settled back onto my side of the bench seat.

“Darren is right, you know.” His voice was quiet and low. It made my insides twirl around. Most of the conversations I had with Merle were in regard to his research. But that didn’t make my reaction to the sound of his serious voice any less sexually charged.

I gulped. “How so, Dr. Armitage?”

“There being something between us.” He twisted and put one elbow on the table.

“What’s between us is professional, researcher and archivist assistant. If there was anything more, do you honestly think I would have gone off with Darren? Darren wouldn’t have even risen to my bait.”

“Darren is—”

“Darren is a lot of things, but there is honor among thieves. He may not have respect for a woman’s autonomy, but he does have respect for a man’s. And he would never proposition a friend’s girl. So, based on that logic, there’s nothing between us.” I couldn’t look at him. I wanted him to refute my reasoning. I wanted him to make some grand gesture where I ended up crushed to his chest, his lips on mine.

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