Page 24 of Bewitching the Dragon
“Well, I’m staying there too, so…”
Wait, that wasn’t a catch. That was—or could be—a very, very good thing. Away from Aunt Pacey’s disapproving glare and out of sight of the gargoyles that for some reason made Rahu uncomfortable and, frankly, just plain annoyed her, they might finally get to experience that kiss.
And maybe more.
“You’re telling me you have friends who want to rent a room to me, for free, based solely on your recommendation?”
“Um…yes.”
“I shouldn’t even consider this. It’s too weird. Too good to be true. Hell, too everything.”
He didn’t say anything.
“But you know what? There’s been a whole lot of weird in my life lately. And, honestly, it’s about damn time I did something entirely for myself. I’ve lived this incredibly sheltered life, even more so since my parents died, and it’s time I lived a little. So you know what? I’m in.”
“You are?”
She nodded firmly. “Yes. Definitely yes.”
***
She packed up her clothes, shoes, and toiletries. Rahu assured her she wouldn’t need anything else. She left Aunt Pacey a note because she was too chicken to tell her in person, and then she and Rahu loaded everything into her car and he gave her directions to an address in the lower Garden District.
They pulled up in front of the white-on-white mansion with fat pillars and a long, wide front porch lined with hanging ferns, and she whistled.
“Damn, you weren’t kidding. This place is big enough to be a hotel.”
“You’ll have plenty of privacy and you’ll be safe.”
She didn’t doubt him about the privacy. Or the safety, for that matter. “Well, let’s go have a look at my new digs.” She chuckled and shook her head. Seriously, her life had taken the most bizarre turn this past weekend. Here it was, Monday morning, and so far, it wasn’t getting any more normal.
She was okay with that.
As they walked across the white-painted wooden porch, a gorgeous woman with bronzed skin, smooth, dark hair, and curves that would kick up the heart rate of any man with a pulse opened the front door.
“Hey, Rahu,” the woman said, her husky voice practically a purr. Her gaze flicked Becca’s way, dismissed her, and then focused again on Rahu.
The hairs on the back of Becca’s neck stood on end, and it felt like electricity crackled along her skin as she glared at the woman who leaned against the doorframe and ate up Rahu with her eyes.
The door suddenly swung shut, the slab of wood smacking the woman in the face. She cried out and lifted her hand to her nose. Her fingers came away coated in blood.
“You broke my nose,” she said in a nasally voice.
Becca looked at Rahu. “Who did?”
Rahu placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her around the bleeding woman and into the house. The sense of—what the hell had that been? Jealousy?—instantly dissipated as the harsh electrical currents turned into a low, pleasant hum centered exactly where he touched her.
“Sorry about that, Maria,” Rahu tossed over his shoulder. “Why don’t you ice that?” And then he led Becca through a huge, whitewashed foyer to a curved, double staircase.
“Is she going to be okay?” Becca craned her neck, trying to connect with the bleeding woman.
“Yeah, she’ll be fine.”
“But she thinks her nose is broken.”
Rahu stopped walking and called out, “Maria, you going to be okay?”
The gorgeous woman stepped into view gingerly touching her cheek just below her right eye. The blood had been wiped away and her nose was only slightly swollen, although her eyes were turning black and blue, like she’d broken her nose hours ago instead of a couple of minutes.
