Page 21 of The Lawgiver's Firebrand
ChapterEight
Ariwas wrong, of course. And the incubus proved it that afternoon. As she prepared to return to her apartment, Daire popped a question. Not the big one. An intermediary one, more in the form of a demand. “Move in with me,” he said.
A surprised Ari stood at the front door, knob in hand, ready to depart. Shocked, she froze. After a moment, however, she couldn’t pass up a jab at the arrogant incubus. “Why don’t you move in with me?”
Daire puzzled his brows. “Such an act would compromise my standing as a lawgiver, a position requiring a certain amount of prestige. And square footage.”
With a wicked glint in her eye, Ari continued to push his buttons. “My apartment is how real Aeternals live.”
“You prefer your tiny abode to my estate?”
Though she prepared a comeback, Ari couldn’t rib the incubus any longer. He looked too dejected. On him, it was not a good look. Besides, a housekeeper and cook combo? Tub big enough to drown a small army? Hot incubus to keep her warm at night? She wasn’t crazy.
Still, she had conditions. “If we do this, it will be an experiment. Nothing permanent.”
“An experiment,” he agreed, the cocky smile returning to his face.
“Yes. Experiment,” said Ari. “You just like me because I helped rescue your ass from a burning building.”
“Are you certain it was my ass you were saving and not other body parts?”
“Which ones?” No longer interested in opening the door to leave, she stooped to pick up a blade, which had been missed in the clean-up.
“Several. My sword and boys come to mind.”
“I like those body parts. Any plan to use them this afternoon?” She gave Daire’s shoulder a playful nudge.
He slipped the recently delivered T-shirt,sansbra, over her head. With both hands cupping her khaki-shorts-covered ass, he lifted Ari until she locked her legs around him. Bending, he drew a nipple into his mouth.
As it turned out, a kiss led to other things, and afternoon became night. It wasn’t until the following day that Ari left Daire’s estate to wrap up the case, request a short vacay, and pack up essentials in her apartment.
Once she unloaded her goods, Ari was busy transferring clothes to Daire’s dresser. “Are three drawers too much?” She slammed the top one closed and opened the second, eyeing Daire through his expansive walk-in closet doorway.
He lounged on the bed and turned to his side, his arm crooked, his head resting on his palm while he watched. “You can never have too many drawers for khaki pants, jeans, socks, or sports bras.”
“I might fill the drawers but need very little closet space. I only have a few sundresses. No slinky gowns or business suits.”
“You once had an elegant evening gown. I bought it for you.”
Daire unfolded from the bed with masculine prowess, opening a fancy wine grown and bottled in the ylven region of Aerilon. So he had said. Swaggering into the closet, which her entire apartment could fit inside, he delivered two glasses, handing one off to Ari. He retrieved the bottle, setting it on the bureau she was loading.
Ari raised her glass. “I did have an elegant gown.”
“You tore it up and got it very dirty, as I recall. Expensive. Designer wear.”
“Damn, incubus. I was fighting a fucking fire. And yes, I chose my words for the alliteration. I can do iambic pentameter verse with rhyme, too.”
“You are poetic.” He sipped, licking his lips after a swallow of wine.
She watched as his throat bobbled. Everything he did was sexy. “I am. Don’t forget it. We might have a rhyme-off someday or a poetry slam.”
Ari took a swill from her glass before she set it aside. To taunt Daire, she held the edge of a transparent, silky nighty between her thumb and forefinger, waving it in front of his nose.
He clasped his hand to his heart. “I may die just imagining you in it. And out. Not tonight. I have other plans.” He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.
“Wait. I want the wine.”
“The glasses, too,” he reminded.
