Page 70 of Take the Sub and Run

Sofie shook her head. “It's not that I want to switch, but…well going with Colette, it was an adventure. And I’m tired of staying home. Of being alone.”

Sofie grimaced, aware of how foolish that probably sounded to Andrei, given what he’d witnessed.

“But I did want to learn how to steal something from a museum.”

Andrei closed his eyes, head dropping. “I know I'm going to regret asking this, but is there a specific reason?”

“Yes.” Sofie squared her shoulders. “I'm going to rob the Vatican.”

Landon started to laugh as Andrei switched out his bottle of water for another beer.

Sixteen

“Why did you sleep beside me?”

Andrei had heard her coming, so he didn’t jump when Sofie spoke from behind him.

Two of the playrooms upstairs had beds. Landon and Colette were using one, and he’d given the other to Sofie. The couches down here in the half-finished lounge were long enough for him to stretch out on, so that’s where he’d been attempting to sleep until he gave up ten minutes ago, opting to stare out the windows at the city lights in the distance. It was past the witching hour, and he’d taken comfort in imaging her upstairs peacefully sleeping.

She took another step, the swish of fabric only a whisper of sound. “Did hearing about what I am make it so you don’t want to do it again?”

At that he turned, heart lurching.

Sofie looked like some long-ago fairy queen with a blanket wrapped around herself like a cloak, her hair loose on her shoulders. Moonlight made her ethereal. A creature of light not native to this dusty mortal coil.

“What do you mean?”

“Before, when I woke up, you were in bed with me.”

Andrei shook his head. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Andrei arched a brow. “Do you think I nap beside everyone I arrest?”

Sofie’s posture softened. “Only the ones you’ve already had sex with.” She made a face. “Almost sex?”

He couldn’t handle talking to her about sex right now. Not when the night had his defenses down, and the reasons he shouldn’t, couldn’t take her into his arms seemed weak and mutable.

If he did touch her, kiss her, he might not stop until he was inside her. Then he’d be the first one to touch her in every way.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “It was inappropriate. I’d intended to sit beside you and wait until you woke up to talk, but…” He shrugged.

“If you were awake and watching my house, it means you didn’t sleep at all.”

“Not an excuse,” he said firmly, then relented a little. “But a reason.”

“And now?” She closed the distance between them.

Andrei, coward that he was, turned his back to her, facing the view once more.

He felt her hesitate and closed his eyes, hating himself as he waited to hear the sound of her retreating steps.

Instead, she moved beside him.

“What did you mean?” he said after a moment. “You asked if my knowing ‘what’ you are caused me to not want to do ‘it’ again.”

“Now you know that I am…damaged.”

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