Page 11 of Destined for Dreams
Cori couldn’t hold back the sigh of disappointment. She took the tissues and cleaned herself up while Bartol did anything he could to avoid looking at her. He wasn’t immune to her nudity, and she could tell it was all he could do to keep his gaze off of her. One by one, he picked up the articles of clothing she’d left on the floor. It was a good thing he kept this place ridiculously clean for a workshop or else her things would be filthy.
“I’ll need a ride—unless you want me to walk all the way to Mel’s house.”
He swung around, his golden eyes falling on her hazel ones. “How did you get here?”
“She dropped me off.”
He muttered something under his breath in some unrecognizable language. “That explains how you found me.” He tossed her coat over. “Put that on.”
Cori got off the table and drew it over her shoulders. Once it fully covered her, he braved getting closer to her again and pressed her knit cap onto her head and wrapped the scarf around her neck. It was sweet and intimate, despite the annoyance in his gaze.
“You should not have been out in the cold with so little on,” he said.
She licked her lips. “It was worth it.”
“This changes nothing.”
They’d just have to see about that. She knew things wouldn’t be worked out in a day, and she was prepared to lay siege until he forgave her and listened to all she had to say. Eventually, that would include convincing him to help Caius stop a demon. But everything had to be done one step at a time.
Cori drew on her gloves. “I’m cooking dinner tonight at Mel’s place if you would like to come—or any other night, for that matter.”
“Did you not just hear what I said?” he asked, giving her an incredulous look.
“You can’t blame a girl for trying.”
Bartol ran a hand through his brown hair. It was past his ears and almost as long as hers. She envied his hand for being able to touch it when she could not.
“Turn around,” he ordered.
She did as requested and felt a curl of contentment as he wrapped his arms around her. Trusting him, she let her guard down. Melena’s blood had given her a certain degree of immunity to magic. Cori had to concentrate if she wanted Bartol to flash her to another destination or else the nephilim form of transportation wouldn’t work.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded.
Power rushed over her, and in a whirlwind of colors, they zoomed through the distance between his workshop and Melena’s home in a mere second or two. Solid ground returned under her feet. Bartol continued to hold her, ensuring she did not fall. Flashing used to make Cori dizzy, but it appeared the recent changes to her body had strengthened her against that. Of course, she wouldn’t tell Bartol that when it meant she could enjoy him holding her a few seconds longer.
“I’m fine,” she said after it was clear he was starting to shake from their close proximity. He sacrificed more than he would say every time he got close to her, except during sex when hormones helped override his fears.
“Good.” He pulled back from her. “Now go put some damned clothes on.”
He flashed away before she could reply.
