Page 13 of Dancing with My Elf
Nova narrowed her eyes. “You don’t really want to see that, do you?”
“Of course I do.” Gianna slapped her thigh. “I’ll out holler any of these bitches.”
“Please don’t.” Nova placed her fingers between her brows and shook her head.
“A little is fine,” Zoe added, “But don’t go overboard. We need to blend in, not trigger attention.”
Sebastian entered the house carrying overflowing recycled shopping bags. “Hey, Gianna. I didn’t know you were stopping by. I thought we were meeting up at your house later.”
Gianna walked over and welcomed him with a kiss. “Nova called me over. We’re concocting a plan.” She winked at me over his shoulder as if letting me know she was saving my hide by telling him now rather than later.
Sebastian scanned all of us in the living room. “Zoe.” He greeted her with a nod. They’d met before when he’d gone to rescue Gianna from the demons and sirens at the beach house.
“Hi, Sebastian,” Zoe replied.
A flash of unexpected jealousy zapped through me as he’d met her before I did. Wait, why did it matter? This puzzling lure to her confused me. It had to be some potent kind of lust.The only way to deal with temptation is to yield to it.I had that passage highlighted in my paperback ofThe Picture of Dorian Gray.Solid advice.
Sebastian returned his gaze to Gianna. “What kind of plan?”
“We’re going undercover to Lucas’s club tonight,” Gianna declared with an excited smile. “Isn’t that wild?
Sebastian blinked slowly. “Wait, what?”
“Undercover,” she repeated.
“I heard that part. What I’m wondering is why?”
She gestured in a circular motion. “Remember you telling me about the possible demon sighting at the club? Well, I volunteered to go back with them tonight since I might be able to recognize something.” She nodded with a satisfied expression. “Totally bad ass, right? It’s like we’re supernatural Charlie’s Angels.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened with pure shock before he blinked them back to normal size. “Are you joking?” He scanned the three of us as if seeking confirmation with amused grins.
I avoided eye contact, wanting no part of this conversation.
Gianna shook her head. “I wouldn’t joke about that.”
He crossed his arms. “You can’t do that, Gianna. It’s way too dangerous.”
Her excited expression vanished. She propped a hand on one hip. “I wasn’t asking for permission. Don’t sound like my father.”
He grunted. “You know I’m nothing like him.”
She tipped her head. “Except for the super overzealous protectiveness.”
Sebastian scowled. “Okay, fine, but that’s it. I’m not like him in any other way.”
She grinned. “I know. That would be—ewww.”
His frown remained. “You can’t walk into a situation where there’s a possibility of a demon. It sounds like a trap.”
“It’s the opposite of one,” she countered. “It’s better to face them prepared.”
Oh, hell. Is this what happened with couples—they argued overeverything?Sebastian now had this possessive, protective drive that clashed with Gianna’s independent streak.
Relationships were too much trouble. Too much compromise. Plain oldtoo much.
Count me out.
I glanced at Zoe. A worried expression marred her features. A sudden urge to defuse the situation rose.
