Page 37 of Devour

Am not.

Rhory didn’t say anything else and yet—and a possessive soft dom top, at that.

I… should not have heard that. Even though I had been looking right at Rhory and he didn’t so much as mutter a word, I heard him clear as day. So much so I panicked for a few seconds, wondering if Rhory actually spoke aloud or not.

Rhory rubbed under his nose and looked at me. “Are you okay?”

My options were limited. I could admit I was freaking out, which I did not want to do at a dinner with friends. Or I could say I was fine, and raise a red flag with the one person who almost always could tell when I was lying.

I chose neither. Blanked my mind out to the best impression of static I could muster and sipped my water. Additional panicking could happen after dinner.

Owen turned and muttered something to Asher before giving him a quick parting peck and leaving the booth. Rhory very much watched him walk away with interest.

Hard no, I warned him. Even though it should go without saying, I didn’t want him filling himself on my friends. Friends were off-limits. Owen was not a friend, but he was my friend’s boyfriend. Hard no.

“Owen thinks he left his glucose meter in the car,” Asher said while gesturing over his shoulder to the exits. “He’ll be right back.”

“You two go ahead and catch up,” Rhory said while already sliding from his seat. His parting gesture for me was a very distinct and treacherous grin. “I’ll be right back, too.”

Rhory, I swear, if you feed on him, I’ll cut you off until you can learn to behave.

“And I promise I’ll be good,” he not so subtly whispered at me before he headed to the bar. And yes, I watched him like a hawk the entire time.

“When will you two admit you’ve got the hots for each other?” Asher chuckled.

“Never,” I said, without missing a beat.

“It’s been—what—four years of constant flirting and sheer denial by now?”

“Five going on six,” I corrected. “We met on your birthday but didn’t really become friends until much later.”

“Eli, you’re not even looking at me while you speak.”

Well, then I had to tear my eyes away just to prove him wrong. “I am.”

“How come I never know what you’re thinking?”

I shrugged. Not knowing a friend’s thoughts seemed normal. A demon taking up permanent residence in my head was not.

“Rhory gets you.” Asher stretched his sentence as if I could somehow misunderstand. “I swear, every time I’m with the two of you it’s like—” Before he said more, he lost his nerve and stirred the straw in his ice water.

“It’s like what?” I asked, mostly to indulge him, but also to satisfy my genuine curiosity. It wasn’t often I couldn’t understand what my friends were trying to say and, honest to goodness, I had no idea what Asher meant right now.

“It’s like I’m not even here.” Asher sighed. Instead of his eyes remaining downcast, he looked at me and smiled. “You two get on the same wavelength, and the entire time it feels like you’re having a conversation the rest of us aren’t a part of.”

And I… did not know how to respond to that. He wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t think Asher noticed, nor did I consider how our relationship looked from the outside.

“Oh, shit.” Asher laughed. “I’ve never seen you blush before. This is great.”

“I’m glad you think so,” I grumbled.

“Do you really think the guy with a boyfriend is going to heckle you for being so obviously in love? Even if it’s with Rhory?”

“That’s not it,” I quickly objected. “Rhory is in love with being Rhory. And I’m a deacon.”

“Deacons can marry.” Asher reminded me of this with a sly grin.

“Deacons cannot be in same-sex marriages when the church doesn’t recognize it.”

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