Page 35 of Zoe

“You really are unbelievable,” she said, pushing up from her chair and stalking towards the kitchen counter.

“Why thank you,” he said, reaching down for his joggers and yanking them back up. “I think I made my point.”

Zoe turned with a large carving knife in her hand and noted how he swallowed hard. “Time to make mine,” she said, her eyes flaring with a wicked look that made him swallow again.

“That’s not…”

“Sharp?” Zoe asked. She grinned. “I think it’ll do the job.”

“Now, hold on,” Billy said with a burst of nervous laughter; after all, she could be totally nuts – what did he really know about her?

“But, I thought you wanted me to get a good look?” she said, playing it as innocently as she could but with a touch of madwoman about her. “I can see it better if it’s detached, don’t you think?”

“Hell no!” Billy roared, mentally shielding his manhood with a plate of steel, but not having one, his hand would have to do.

Zoe breathed in and sighed. “Did you think showing me your wiggle would do much?”

“I thought it was funny,” Billy said.

“Are we in a frat movie?”

“No,” he said, raising his eyebrows as he lowered his chin.

“There you go then,” she said, and with a fist full of magic, she pulled her arm back and threw the knife right by his head and into the dartboard, where it hit a twenty.

Billy heard the thud of the knife and turned to find it perfectly embedded in the slot. He drew a breath, said a quick thank you to anyone’s god who might be listening, and turned back towards her. “I knew that damn dart wasn’t a mistake,” he said.

“What can I say – I like to make my point,” Zoe said, pressing her lips together, but the smile still grew.

Billy gave a slow nod as he started toward her. “Well, we all like to make our point, don’t we?” he said.

Zoe eyed him with suspicion. She had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well for one of them. “I’d say give it your best shot,” she bluffed, shrugging.

By the time Zoe had blinked, he was scooping her against his body and bringing his lips down on hers again.

Determined not to melt – she melted.

~

Ted had spent the rest of the night giving Heather a wide berth and the evil eye, neither of which she minded. The vampire had her mystified; the man seemed to be keeping his distance now but still had a watchful eye on her and Maria.

On the other hand, Maria was oblivious to most things; drunk as a skunk and practically lying on the bar top by closing time, she was blissfully unaware of anything around her. Heather wrapped an arm around her, hitching her to her side. “Come on, lightweight, let’s get you home,” she said.

“Home? Oh, no, not yet, we’ve only had two,” Maria said.

“Two? That would make you more of a lightweight than I thought,” Heather said.

“Do you need my assistance?” Duncan asked, looking at Maria and frowning.

“I’ve got this,” Heather said, starting for the door.

“Let me,” Duncan said, taking the witch’s weight on the other side.

“She might puke on you,” Heather said.

“Will not,” Maria said. “I’m not sober enough for that.”

“Two, ha?” Heather said, chuckling.

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