Page 51 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“Why do you hide your aura?” He leans back in his seat.

I nibble the inside of my cheek. “People can use it to help them interrogate you, gleaning information from its changes. I hide mine for my protection.”

He swaps the salt and pepper shakers around on the table then lines them up perfectly again. “You need to stop investigating this.”

I shake my head. “I’ve already told you I can’t. I have a responsibility to find Mary Conway’s murderer.”

He surveys the world outside, and his features tense. “Then you’ll work with Jed. He can help protect you.”

I bristle. “I don’t need one of your goons. I can handle myself.”

He narrows his eyes. “What about today? Would you have survived the Renevate attack?”

I go quiet. “Fine, but we need ground rules if we’re going to work together.” The waitress arrives with our food. Archan doesn’t look the least bit surprised I ordered for him. Damn, he’s beginning to see order in my chaos. I’ve ordered us the same, except my chiliburger is extra spicy. The waitress looks between us.

“Hey, honey, who’s extra hot?”

Archan gives me a wicked grin. I roll my eyes as my stomach rumbles. “That would be me,” I say, blushing as I take the plate from her. She slides the other plate in front of Archan and tops off our coffee. My mouth waters at the smell, and I close my eyes. When I open them, Archan is studying me.

“What?” I ask.

“You don’t hide the pleasure you find in the small things.”

I pop a crispy, salty french fry in my mouth. “Food is no small thing.”

Ignoring him for a few minutes, I take the bun off the top of my burger and place it on a paper napkin. I eat the pickles first, enjoying the crunch and relaxing with each bite.

On my last forkful of bacon, I glance at Archan. “So, ground rules.”

I look at his plate; he’s eaten all of his food and is watching me with amusement. One, he likes the food? Two, how did he eat that fast?

As if answering my thoughts, he says, “I don’t eat fast, you eat slowly.” I’m about to chew him out (pun intended), when he points toward my deconstructed burger.

“It wasn’t a criticism—you savor your food. You like tasting each individual flavor.” I study his face. Nobody has ever gotten that without explanation. I pop a few more french fries in my mouth. If I’m eating, I can’t announce anything stupid like, “You’re the only one who gets me.” Although, it might stop him from flirting with me when it appears I’m proposing marriage. Who am I kidding? He’d pop out a diamond ring and challenge me to do it, and me being me, we’d be married in Vegas before the night’s over by Elvis with a gut.

“The rules?” he prompts. His knee brushes mine under the table, and I immediately glare at him. I brush the excess salt off my fingers over my plate.

“These crazy touches—they need to stop.” I point my finger to the floor through the table.

He gives me a sardonic look. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, unless I ask for them.” I drop my head in my hands, as the rumble of masculine laughter surrounds me. “Real mature, guys,” I mutter.

Archan pulls one of my hands off my face, giving me a soft smile. “Not even I can force chemistry to exist where it doesn’t. If you’re affected, it’s because you want to be,” he purrs. Heat burns my cheeks.

“So whatcanyou do?” His eyes glitter with unspoken desire. “I don’t mean… ugh… I mean do you have any power other than driving me freakin’ crazy?”

“With your temperament, I’m not sure that skill is owned solely by me.”

I point at him. “You’re avoiding the question.”

He sighs and glances around at his men before settling his gaze back on me. “I can heal.”

“Like Duncan?”

Archan’s head snaps to my best friend, who glares at me. I shrug, it’s not like they don’t know he’s a warlock. They saw him fighting demons with magic, for God’s sake.

“What about the weird warmth thing?” I ask, trying to break the intense three-way stare off.

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