Page 38 of Dancing with My Elf
Chapter 8
Lucas
After I’d finished for the evening, I met up with Zoe. The yearning to see her again during the short time we’d separated surprised the hell out of me. This hadn’t happened to me before.
Zoe had melted against me in the club, now in her car, she fixed her gaze outside, keeping watch for any signs of the demon returning. While I attempted to do the same, my awareness of her was cloud high.
Hold her again,my dragon urged.
Knock it off, I scolded.
“That was an interesting performance,” she noted, her voice a notch higher. She avoided eye contact. Had I affected her that much?
“Did you enjoy it?” I teased.
“You sure know how to put on an act.”
“What if it wasn’t an act, Zoe?”
While I watched her, waiting for her reaction, heat still hummed like a caffeine high buzzing through my veins after that dance inside. I hadn’t meant for it to be so sensual. Once I had her in my arms, her scent wrapped around me, and the rest of the world disappeared. The applause that I’d craved didn’t matter. All I wanted was her.
Zoe bit her bottom lip as she appeared to contemplate something. She turned to me. “Ha, funny. You almost had me for a second.”
“I’m not joking.”
She searched outside. “I wonder if the demon was playing with us.”
Her focus back on work, it was clear she didn’t believe me. Could I blame her? No.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
“We’re always chasing their traces of dark magic. It’s like this is a game to them.”
I glanced at her profile, resisting the urge to touch the strand of hair that had fallen over her cheek to push it behind her ear. If I touched her, I’d want more. And more. And more…
Instead, I asked, “Is that how they operate?”
“In my experience, yes.” She frowned. “They revel in chaos and destruction. I’d do anything—anything—to stop those monsters. They’ve taken so much from my family. I won’t let them hurt anyone else.”
Every muscle in my body hardened as an urge to destroy any creature who caused her distress churned inside. I was a lover, not a fighter, which made this intense yearning for vengeance perplexing.
“Zoe, you’ve already done so much. You can’t work yourself until you collapse.”
She raised her chin. “I can’t let down my guard. Bad things happen.”
My heart panged. She was so determined not to let anyone else suffer the way her family did. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Zoe. Anything.”
She turned to me and tipped her head. “Although I might not have showed it yet, I’m really glad you’re here. I appreciate it more than you know.” She placed her hand on mine.
I stared into her hazel eyes and admitted, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Her lips twitched, and her cheeks turned an adorable pink. “Oh, stop.” She removed her hand as she brushed off what I said with a wave. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” I insisted.
“I can hardly believe that,” she scoffed. “Wouldn’t you rather be at the club with women throwing themselves—and money—at you?”
That had been the case, but tonight, she was the only woman who mattered. Although I didn’t understand it completely, I wanted to be near her.
