Page 10 of Handcuffs and Hexes

I found myself being lifted up into Liam’s arms and carried up the stairs.

“Hey! I can walk.”

“Too late,” he said. “It’s more work to let you down now.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Doesn’t have to,” he said, dropping me off inside a bathroom that didn’t look like it got much use.

He rummaged through the cabinet and produced a towel, a new toothbrush, and a travel-sized tube of toothpaste.

“When you’re done, go to the room without the skull on the door.”

Then I was alone for the first time since my short reprieve in the hospital room. I looked at the woman in the mirror. Eww. I looked like hell warmed over. I couldn’t believe that those two hotties just witnessed me at my very worst. Not that anything could happen between any of us. For one, they were a couple, and I’d be a third wheel. And not to mention it was utterlyunprofessional, though I was pretty sure that neither wizard nor demon cared about professionalism.

Still, I hated anyone seeing me so weak. Them especially.

The blend of rustic and industrial continued into the bathroom, although it was softened by several lacey ferns in pots hanging from the ceiling. I reached up to check if they were real, and they were. One of them must have a green thumb. I couldn’t keep anything alive at my place.

I jumped into the shower, making it quick as to not give either of them a reason to check on me. I felt a million times better when I came out. The rod where I had draped my uniform was empty, but I hadn’t noticed anyone coming in. I glanced over at the large shower with its glass door. Whoever it was had gotten an eyeful.

I decided I was too tired today to fight that battle. Besides, they were probably not interested in someone like me like that anyway. I was fit, at least enough for my job, but I was no siren. And these two? They looked like the type who wouldn’t settle for anything other than perfection.

I brushed my teeth but found no hair dryer, so I did my best to dry my hair with the towel before stepping out into the hallway. Sure enough, I found the door with the skull on it. That must be the master bedroom. It was just this side of tacky and totally Seth.

I found Liam inside the other room. He had dropped his human guise and was now every bit the demon he was, complete with red skin and pointy horns. He’d also dropped his clothing. I stood there, jaw dropped at the expanse of buff,naked demon skin in front of me. His horns arched from his temple majestically, and his webbed wings folded behind him, unignorable behind his back.

I tore my eyes away, hoping he hadn’t noticed me completely ogling him.

He held out a sheer and silky black shirt. It was barely there, so wispy it probably wouldn’t leave much to the imagination. Had he found the thinnest shirt in Seth’s wardrobe?

“This one should fit you.”

I held onto my towel. “Just leave it on the bed. Um, where are my clothes?”

“Inside out and washing on cold.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

He frowned at my still-wet hair. “You can’t sleep with wet hair. You’ll catch a cold.”

“That’s an old wives’ tale,” I said, even as I realized that he was probably centuries old and believed things like that.

“Then I’m an old wife. Let me help you.” Instead of putting the indecently thin shirt down, he approached with each hand on the shoulder of the shirt. When he realized I wasn’t going to give up my towel, a third shadowy arm appeared from behind him to grab my only piece of protection. With one fluid motion, the towel was gone, and I was standing there clutching at nothing.

A grin crossed his face as he took me in and he licked his lips, his forked tongue darting out just long enough for me to see. I realized how stupid I’d been for thinking Liam was the safer of the two. He was a demon. And right now, I was alone with said demon.

More ghostly limbs appeared and grabbed my wrists. My heart sped up and my stupid, stupid body decided that instead of fighting, it should get turned on. Massively. Traitor!

Damn it! What the hell was wrong with me? First Seth and now Liam? Neither were available. They were so cute together, and I was not a homewrecker, no matter how hard they flirted.

But all he did was lift my arms over my head and pop on the shirt, which only had buttons on the neckline placket, over my head.

“Sit,” he ordered, pointing to the chair. “I will dry your hair.” I hesitated because my heart and expectations had been flip-flopping so much today that I no longer knew what to think or how to react. But he just sat me down, produced a blow dryer from out of nowhere, and got to work.

I was all relaxed and sleepy again by the time he was done. I found myself being tucked under warm blankets, my hair dry and fluffy.

“Good night, Babygirl.”

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