"You're definitely not a dog," he said suggestively, not even trying to deny my stalker comment. "What's with your wardens getting all frisky in the ocean and leaving you unsupervised up here all by your lonesome?"
"I don't know. Time off for good behavior maybe?" I answered, smirking at him.
"I doubt that, but if you're serious, what are we still doing here? Let's blow this joint," he said with sudden excitement.
"Whoa, not so fast," I said, pulling my hand out of reach. "It came with some conditions."
"Of course it did. I wouldn't expect any less from a houseful of angels. Lay it on me. Do I need to arm wrestle each of them?"
"Ha, you're so funny. I guess you moonlight at some celestial comedy club when you're not stalking me."
"I did do a brief stint at one in Vegas in the mid-eighties. It was fun for a while, but humans have a fickle sense of humor. What's funny one day is lame the next," he said, sitting back down on the table.
"I was joking," I said, sidetracked by the idea of him holding a job like a human. "What other jobs have you done?" I asked intrigued.
"I dabbled in the movie business in the early nineties, but not aging made that a career that couldn't last long–even by Hollywood standards. I worked as a ranch hand in the sixties, but that got old pretty quick."
"Why even bother working?" I asked.
"Eternity has its draw backs, like boredom. You're the most interesting thing to come around in the last thirty years," he answered, winking at me. "Now, quit stalling. What are the terms of your parole?"
"They're really not that big a deal. Obviously, my aunt and uncle would like to meet you, which is reasonable."
"And?" he asked, seeing through my evasive answer.
"And they want you to stay for dinner," I answered brightly, going for a peppy cheerleader voice that just came out awkward.
"Oh, here we go. Is that all?"
"Um, Haniel will be at dinner too and we have to double date and there's nothing we can do about it if we want to see each other so just be cool okay?" I said in a muddled rush.
"We have to date with Haniel? What the hell?"
"No, no, not a double date with Haniel. We're going to double with my friend Lynn and her husband. Haniel is coming over for the dinner with my aunt and uncle," I clarified.
"You're serious? And Hannie agreed to this?"
"Sure," I answered, not admitting the complete truth that Haniel had grudgingly agreed to the whole plan.
"Riiiiiight. I'm sure Archie jumped right on board," he said sarcastically.
"Well, those are the rules. Take 'em or leave 'em," I answered abrasively. I drew the line at begging him. His kisses may make me melt like molten lava, but I'd be damned if I followed him like some lovesick puppy.
"I'll take them," he said, pulling me close in one swift movement.
"Good, 'cause you deserve a punch in the nuts for what you've been pulling," I warned as he dipped his head to my exposed neck.
"Why?" he murmured against my skin.
"You're always leaving me high and dry. Did you see my bathroom door?" I asked trying to keep my senses about me.
"Sorry, babe, but unless you want your aunt and uncle to catch us like this, I better head out," he said, looking at me with hooded eyes before nipping playfully at my lips. "I'll do your dinner thing tomorrow night if that's cool. It'll be entertaining to act like a human for a night," he added, dropping his lips one last time to mine and then he was gone.
Taking several breaths, I was relieved his kisses were still just as intoxicating and made my toes curl in anticipation. I wasn't acting like some fainting twit, was I? If so, I couldn't help it. His lips felt like a light rain on a peaceful day, sunshine on a cloudless day, a volcano waiting to erupt. They were everything I could never have imagined and everything I would've never thought to wish for.
I tried to shake the cheesy thoughts away, but one thing was abundantly clear. Fainting twit or not, I wanted more.
"Did you ask your friend about dinner?" Krista asked, coming up the stairs with water still dripping off her. It was clear by their somewhat guilty expressions that they had cut their nighttime swim short because of Emrys.