Page 23 of Changeling
“That all you got?” I goad him. His facial expressions alone are worth teasing him for.
He flips the beater so it spins in the air, then catches it precisely by the handle with a smug glimmer of amusement. “Shush before I try this beater out on your backside.”
Using my best bedroom voice, I ask, “Is that a promise?”
“It’s a threat,” he says with laughter in his tone. “Your knack for getting into trouble is appalling.”
I put my weight on one leg and cock the opposite hip. “Someone should probably beat me for it.”
He looks away. Too far. Ah well, the flirting was fun while it lasted. Besides, my ability to weave puns around beating was waning anyway.
The conversation veers to the mundane. We agree the weather is nice, fall is approaching, and soon my scarf will come in quite handy.
When all the curtains have had the same treatment, we fold them to be carried back inside.
“Thank you for the assistance,” he says, one stack of curtains in his arms. “If you’ll give me those”—he indicates the second stack—“I can take it from here.”
I go to add the pile to what he already has in his arms, but he’s so much taller. He bends as I stand on my toes, miscalculate, and stumble into him.
He catches me with hands at my waist, the curtains smushed between us. I mumble anoofagainst his chest.
“Easy, Sebastian,” he rumbles, his voice low.
I gaze up at him as I right myself. His sparkling blue eyes are focused on my mouth.
All he’d have to do is lean down, and we’d be kissing. My lips tingle with want.
He lets go of my waist and gathers the messy curtains, keeping them from falling as he takes a shuffle-step backward.
I sigh. It’s wishful thinking that he’d want to kiss me anyway. He may not hate me, but he won’t allow himself to like me either.
“Sorry, tripped.” I back away. “Guess I should get going.”
“Have a good night,” he says over the curtains, turning to head back inside.
I finger the scarf at my neck, lucky to count Rizpah for a friend, even if we have a slight communication barrier between us.
I must do something to thank her. Breathing in the lemony scent, I grin as an idea springs to mind.
“Dominus?”
He stops. “Hmm?”
“Is there an apothecary in Pest?”
Concern flashes in his gaze. He steps toward me. “Yes, why? Are you ill?”
“No, not at all.” And is that relief I see now? I try not to appear surprised. “I only wanted to fetch a sprig of lavender for Rizpah. Perhaps it would make a good addition to her honey-lemon drink?”
The smile he grants me sends a pleasant fizzing low in my spine.
“I think she would like that. The apothecary is just past the market, down toward the docks on the right. Can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.” I return the smile and force my feet to walk, promising myself not to dwell on flirty conversations with grumpy incubi.
CHAPTER7
Dominus
