himself doing things for her he’d never wanted to do before. All to please her.
The baggie in his pocket was a heavy reminder of that.
If she ever found out who he worked for, the atrocities he’d committed during the Great War—not to mention what he’d done to her husband—Eve would never forgive him. The thought alone made his stomach churn with anxiety. He couldn’t handle that.
Walk away.
Eve touched his sleeve, her brows bunched, a concerned gleam in her eyes. “You okay?”
Heat shot down his spine. The time to leave had passed a long time ago. It was already too late.
Chapter 10
E ve, go home.” Celeste came up behind her and smiled, her gaze flickering toward Cian. “You shift’s over. What are you doing here?” The last question was directed to Cian.
“Jeez, Cel, queen of blunt.” Eve bristled, not sure why she’d gotten aggravated at her sister. She turned to Cian with an apologetic smile. “What my sister meant to say was hi. Right?” She turned, narrowing her eyes at Celeste.
Her sister gave a quick nod, throwing her thick blond braid over her shoulder. “Just moody, sorry. Last customer was killing me. Some faux vamp looking for the perfect claw ring. Totally sent me on a wild-goose chase. I mean wild, like I’m digging through twenty cases, even had to grab some from the back room, and then when we found it, well…” Celeste rolled her moss green eyes, a perfect look of disgust on her face. “Wouldn’t you know the little wench was just looking . Ugh! I need an effing ciggy.”
Eve lifted her brows, sure that Cian couldn’t care less. Poor man, having to be subjected to her sister’s tirade. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Cel.”
“Yeah, me too, especially since I decided to quit cold turkey last week. Dammit.” Celeste turned, muttering to herself as she walked off.
Eve bit her lip, not even wanting to turn around and see the glitter of shock in his eyes. Celeste was so different outside of the shop, carefree, spirited, but get the chick in the shop and she became one raging ball of estrogen.
“I’m sorry that you had to hear that—” she said as she turned.
“Don’t apologize. Your sister did nothing wrong. Sometimes it’s nice to have an ear willing to listen.”
Her brows twitched, a soft smile playing at the corner of her lips. “That was nice. Thanks.”
He shrugged, glancing at the shelves behind her head. “Thanks for the”—he patted his pocket—“blood.”
She wrinkled her nose with a smile. “That was really hard for you to say, huh?”
He cocked his head, a tight grin on his face.
Why did that strike her as utterly adorable? He was so awkward. Shy even. This huge hunk of man, who just last night rescued her from a demon hell-bent on destruction. The disparity was so odd, she wanted to laugh, but she sensed that it cost him everything he had to even say that little bit. It made her warm up to him all the more.
“You’re welcome, Cian.” And because she couldn’t help it, she brushed her fingers over his shirt again. His gaze flicked to her face.
She didn’t want this to end. It was so easy being around him, but more than that, he made her feel something she hadn’t felt since Michael. Cian made her feel alive and hot and, if she was honest with herself, excited. Excited at the potential, the possibility of something slightly reckless. Being around him was like standing close to a live wire; she resonated with shocks and tremors of full-on, in-your-face lust. And while that was exciting, there was also the very real feeling that maybe there was more than just that. Maybe he’d be someone she could share things with, go to the movies with, and just hang out with. Someone other than her sisters.
There were no dreams of a romantic involvement, and the hot sex fantasy playing in her head was only lust. Not the spiritual connection she craved with a life partner. But being around him made her want to at least try to stop being the
The baggie in his pocket was a heavy reminder of that.
If she ever found out who he worked for, the atrocities he’d committed during the Great War—not to mention what he’d done to her husband—Eve would never forgive him. The thought alone made his stomach churn with anxiety. He couldn’t handle that.
Walk away.
Eve touched his sleeve, her brows bunched, a concerned gleam in her eyes. “You okay?”
Heat shot down his spine. The time to leave had passed a long time ago. It was already too late.
Chapter 10
E ve, go home.” Celeste came up behind her and smiled, her gaze flickering toward Cian. “You shift’s over. What are you doing here?” The last question was directed to Cian.
“Jeez, Cel, queen of blunt.” Eve bristled, not sure why she’d gotten aggravated at her sister. She turned to Cian with an apologetic smile. “What my sister meant to say was hi. Right?” She turned, narrowing her eyes at Celeste.
Her sister gave a quick nod, throwing her thick blond braid over her shoulder. “Just moody, sorry. Last customer was killing me. Some faux vamp looking for the perfect claw ring. Totally sent me on a wild-goose chase. I mean wild, like I’m digging through twenty cases, even had to grab some from the back room, and then when we found it, well…” Celeste rolled her moss green eyes, a perfect look of disgust on her face. “Wouldn’t you know the little wench was just looking . Ugh! I need an effing ciggy.”
Eve lifted her brows, sure that Cian couldn’t care less. Poor man, having to be subjected to her sister’s tirade. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Cel.”
“Yeah, me too, especially since I decided to quit cold turkey last week. Dammit.” Celeste turned, muttering to herself as she walked off.
Eve bit her lip, not even wanting to turn around and see the glitter of shock in his eyes. Celeste was so different outside of the shop, carefree, spirited, but get the chick in the shop and she became one raging ball of estrogen.
“I’m sorry that you had to hear that—” she said as she turned.
“Don’t apologize. Your sister did nothing wrong. Sometimes it’s nice to have an ear willing to listen.”
Her brows twitched, a soft smile playing at the corner of her lips. “That was nice. Thanks.”
He shrugged, glancing at the shelves behind her head. “Thanks for the”—he patted his pocket—“blood.”
She wrinkled her nose with a smile. “That was really hard for you to say, huh?”
He cocked his head, a tight grin on his face.
Why did that strike her as utterly adorable? He was so awkward. Shy even. This huge hunk of man, who just last night rescued her from a demon hell-bent on destruction. The disparity was so odd, she wanted to laugh, but she sensed that it cost him everything he had to even say that little bit. It made her warm up to him all the more.
“You’re welcome, Cian.” And because she couldn’t help it, she brushed her fingers over his shirt again. His gaze flicked to her face.
She didn’t want this to end. It was so easy being around him, but more than that, he made her feel something she hadn’t felt since Michael. Cian made her feel alive and hot and, if she was honest with herself, excited. Excited at the potential, the possibility of something slightly reckless. Being around him was like standing close to a live wire; she resonated with shocks and tremors of full-on, in-your-face lust. And while that was exciting, there was also the very real feeling that maybe there was more than just that. Maybe he’d be someone she could share things with, go to the movies with, and just hang out with. Someone other than her sisters.
There were no dreams of a romantic involvement, and the hot sex fantasy playing in her head was only lust. Not the spiritual connection she craved with a life partner. But being around him made her want to at least try to stop being the
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