I wasn’t getting enough blood to my brain. You told me you couldn’t have any relationships because the demons would kill anyone you cared about. Then we got here and you already had a pack of condoms at the ready.”
“This is about condoms?” It was like she spoke another language that he didn’t quite understand.
“No, it’s not about condoms.” She swallowed hard and lowered her voice. “This is my own fault. I thought I’d be all right with this. You were up-front with me that you couldn’t have a relationship, but it’s easy to forget when I’m all tangled up in your arms. Now that I can think straight, I put two and two together. You avoid relationships , but that doesn’t mean you don’t have sex . ” She sighed, the fire fading from her eyes. “What I’m trying to say is I get that this was just a hookup for you, so we don’t have to snuggle and pretend it’s more than it was. I’m not that desperate.”
She moved around him and sat on her easy chair. Words escaped him. Part of him screamed to leave her there and just go to sleep.
But another, stupid, selfish part of him couldn’t walk away.
He stood in front of her, willing her to look up at him. “I’m not going to talk to the side of your head.”
She turned a little but made no eye contact. “Go wrap a towel around yourself or something.”
The corner of his lips quirked. “You were the one who took my clothes off.”
“Well, you need something on now.”
“Give me a break, Tegan.”
Her fiery gaze met his. “Fine. What?”
“I do have condoms in my car, and I have been known to have sex. I’m no saint.” Hurt etched her features. “But this is the first time I’ve ever been with a woman who knew about slaying demons, or about Laura, or my folks. I’m still trying to figure out how to make this only about sex. If it were just a hookup, I wouldn’t have to worry about demons targeting you.”
Tegan got up from the chair, but she didn’t make a move to touch him. “When you were staring at me earlier…I thought you were trying to tell me something, then I remembered the condoms at the ready and I thought…”
Something knotted in his gut. “You thought I was an asshole who fucks people who hire him.” She didn’t deny it. He shook his head. “Nice.”
Gabe went over by the bed and swiped his clothes up from the floor. Yanking on his sweatpants, he tossed the shirts in his duffel bag and moved around her to the chair.
“Guess I was wrong about no one sleeping in this chair tonight, but it sure as hell isn’t going to be my client .”
Hurt flashed across her face like he had slapped her, but she recovered before he could say anything.
“So I’m back to being your client. You said this wasn’t just a hookup.”
He shrugged and settled into the damned chair. “That was before I realized you pegged me for some kind of sleaze who preys on his customers.”
“What was I supposed to think?” She dropped her arms, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “We met two days ago and you told me you can’t risk a relationship, but you sure have plenty of condoms on hand.”
“Maybe you should have thought about that before you took my pants off.”
This time the hurt in her eyes didn’t flicker. It lingered, wounding him.
“Maybe I should have.” Tegan turned and walked back to the bed.
She lay down without removing her robe, resting on her side. He stared at her back, willing her to roll over, but she never moved.
It was for the best, but that didn’t make it suck any less. Holding her naked body in his arms, feeling her give herself to him, trust him, he’d never felt so amazing.
Like a goddamn superhero.
But they barely knew each other, and she had enough trouble with demons without his attention making her a bigger target. Better that she hate him and live, than…
He couldn’t finish the thought.
Chapter Nine
Tegan woke in a haze, grimacing when she sat up. The tequila and
“This is about condoms?” It was like she spoke another language that he didn’t quite understand.
“No, it’s not about condoms.” She swallowed hard and lowered her voice. “This is my own fault. I thought I’d be all right with this. You were up-front with me that you couldn’t have a relationship, but it’s easy to forget when I’m all tangled up in your arms. Now that I can think straight, I put two and two together. You avoid relationships , but that doesn’t mean you don’t have sex . ” She sighed, the fire fading from her eyes. “What I’m trying to say is I get that this was just a hookup for you, so we don’t have to snuggle and pretend it’s more than it was. I’m not that desperate.”
She moved around him and sat on her easy chair. Words escaped him. Part of him screamed to leave her there and just go to sleep.
But another, stupid, selfish part of him couldn’t walk away.
He stood in front of her, willing her to look up at him. “I’m not going to talk to the side of your head.”
She turned a little but made no eye contact. “Go wrap a towel around yourself or something.”
The corner of his lips quirked. “You were the one who took my clothes off.”
“Well, you need something on now.”
“Give me a break, Tegan.”
Her fiery gaze met his. “Fine. What?”
“I do have condoms in my car, and I have been known to have sex. I’m no saint.” Hurt etched her features. “But this is the first time I’ve ever been with a woman who knew about slaying demons, or about Laura, or my folks. I’m still trying to figure out how to make this only about sex. If it were just a hookup, I wouldn’t have to worry about demons targeting you.”
Tegan got up from the chair, but she didn’t make a move to touch him. “When you were staring at me earlier…I thought you were trying to tell me something, then I remembered the condoms at the ready and I thought…”
Something knotted in his gut. “You thought I was an asshole who fucks people who hire him.” She didn’t deny it. He shook his head. “Nice.”
Gabe went over by the bed and swiped his clothes up from the floor. Yanking on his sweatpants, he tossed the shirts in his duffel bag and moved around her to the chair.
“Guess I was wrong about no one sleeping in this chair tonight, but it sure as hell isn’t going to be my client .”
Hurt flashed across her face like he had slapped her, but she recovered before he could say anything.
“So I’m back to being your client. You said this wasn’t just a hookup.”
He shrugged and settled into the damned chair. “That was before I realized you pegged me for some kind of sleaze who preys on his customers.”
“What was I supposed to think?” She dropped her arms, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “We met two days ago and you told me you can’t risk a relationship, but you sure have plenty of condoms on hand.”
“Maybe you should have thought about that before you took my pants off.”
This time the hurt in her eyes didn’t flicker. It lingered, wounding him.
“Maybe I should have.” Tegan turned and walked back to the bed.
She lay down without removing her robe, resting on her side. He stared at her back, willing her to roll over, but she never moved.
It was for the best, but that didn’t make it suck any less. Holding her naked body in his arms, feeling her give herself to him, trust him, he’d never felt so amazing.
Like a goddamn superhero.
But they barely knew each other, and she had enough trouble with demons without his attention making her a bigger target. Better that she hate him and live, than…
He couldn’t finish the thought.
Chapter Nine
Tegan woke in a haze, grimacing when she sat up. The tequila and
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