Page 46 of A Wolf After My Own Heart
“Don’t worry,” she said fervently, waving her lightly bandaged fingers, and while it wasn’t especially funny, it eased the tension a bit. “Your offer of shelter is especially considerate given that I…crossed a line earlier.”
“That’s the euphemism, huh?” But between one heartbeat and the next, Lila was tired of needling Garsea. She wanted everybody settled and sleeping so she could settle and sleep. Because there was a lot of stuff to do tomorrow, and she’d bet that the others had no idea just what they had to look forward to. Not to mention, she could be a suspect. Sheshouldbe a suspect: new in town, crazy-prepared, ladders and buckets all over the place. If they hadn’t gotten that far in their thinking just now, they would soon enough. “Well, if you’re not staying, toodle-oo.”
Oz, who had been sighing over the state of his clothes, looked up as Garsea headed for the door. “Tomorrow morning?”
“I’ll bring the pastry.”
“Yeah, but what are you bringing for everyone else?”
“Har-har.” But there wasn’t any bite to it, and out the door she went.
“Right. Well.” He looked up hopefully at Lila. “You never gave me an answer. About dinner.”
“Possibly because I mashed my mouth down on yours.”
“Oh. Right.”
“Jesus. You’re blushing.”
“The hell I am,” he snapped. “Uh. Sorry. Long day. Could I borrow a spare toothbrush? Or even just yours? I’m not picky.”
“Yuck. I’ll see what I can scrounge up for you and the rest of your wild bunch. I’ll dig up some more pillows, too,” she added, nodding at the couch.
“Lucky fella,” Macropi teased. “Sleeping on two couches in one night.”
Oz grinned. “Charmed life, Mama.”
Chapter 20
Hot, and getting hotter, and her eyes her eyes were streaming and she had no idea how bad the smoke could get and everything was fine five minutes ago and now she couldn’t see and couldn’t breathe and Mama was going to be SO MAD but maybe she could grab some of the mags, maybe even the little bookshelf just inside the living room that was stuffed withPeopleandUS Weeklyand it was worth trying, sure it was, but she couldn’t she tried and she lost her grip and when she tried to scoop up the smoldering magazines she was scooping up fire she was holding fire and it felt like a zillion bees were stinging her arms at once and she had to put them out she had to kill the bees every last one and and and
“Lila?”
and and and and and and
“Time to wake up, Lila.”
* * *
And there weren’t any bees. There was only Oz, the antithesis of bees.
(antithesis of bees? you need more sleep)
Oz was leaning over her, and she swore she could still feel it where he’d taken her by the shoulder to gently shake her awake. It should have been terrifying, waking in a strange place to a strange man looming over her in a darkened bedroom. She should have smelled phantom smoke and assumed her hair was about to catch fire. Instead, she was so relieved to have escaped the nightmare she could have kissed him, and the only thing she could smell waseau de Oz.
Which was a terrible idea. Top ten of terrible ideas, right up there with all the record clubs she’d joined as a kid and eating undercooked chicken.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice.
“Relieved and mortified is how I am.” She rubbed the imaginary smoke out of her eyes. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I was brushing my teeth and thought—you sounded like—are you sure you’re okay?”
She didn’t answer.
“Am I freaking you out? I don’t want to freak you out.”
She sighed. “Hovering over the bed like a hot Vincent Priceisfreaking me out, so sit down already.”
