Yes, he certainly was deadly, to her legs remaining closed. “Is this the real you? Or is the red guy who you truly are?”
The grin vanished from his face and he leaned forward. His gaze shifted from her to the food court as his fingers tapped out a tune she didn’t recognize. “Don’t believe I can be both?”
A fair enough question since everyone had a light and dark side. “I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking. Novice here, remember?”
He sat back in his chair and damn if she didn’t want to crawl over the surface of the table and take up residence in his lap. Straddle him. Ride him. “The real me is red and horned, with a tail, wings, and scales.” His monotone gave nothing away. However, a hint of red tainted his irises. No. Not tainted. That word made him seem infected, and he wasn’t. Being a demon wasn’t a disease. It was who he was, and he had been nothing except nice to her. The angel had been an arrogant ass. Good demon. Bad angel. Up was down. Right was left.
“Cool. The red you... is sexy.” She smiled at the surprise on his face. Who knew demons had self-esteem issues? Oh no! His eyes went full red. That happened when he was about to turn. “I’m sorry. You’re not sexy,” she whispered, frantic to not have a demon appear in the mall.
His brow furrowed, and his already deep-set eyes took on a menacing edge. “Sexy one minute. Not sexy the next. You can’t take it back,” he growled low.
She leaned in and whispered furiously, “You can’t go red hulk in a public place.”
He threw back his head and laughed, a rich baritone sound that seeped into her bones and drew the attention of everyone with an ovary. “Only one part of me is in danger of going red hulk, sweetheart.”
Eden hadn’t blushed in years, didn’t think she could anymore. Her flaming cheeks told a different story. “TMI, and not my problem.” She went back to her books and her highlighter. “Though I do suggest you put on some shades until you get yourconditionunder control.”
Out of thin air, a pair of aviator shades wrapped around his face, making him sexier.Damn! I will not hyperventilate. Will. Not.“You do know there are people around you with eyes that can see you create things that weren’t there before?”
“Humans see what I want them to see.”
“Oh, really?” She glanced around, and yep, women still gawked at him. “So you want women to drool all over you? That’s why you’re here, looking like a T-bone steak in front of a ravenous crowd.” Damn it! Her stomach growled.Did he hear it? Please tell me he didn’t hear it.
Agone planted his elbow on the table and leaned in, all playfulness gone from his face. “I’m here for one reason. And I’m looking at her.”
Insides fluttering, she waited for the punchline, for the insincerity to bleed through, saving her from making a fool of herself. She looked away but couldn’t stay away. Moth, meet flame. Her gaze returned to his. “Slick line.”
“No line. The truth.” The chair scraped against the floor when he pushed back and stood. “Take your time believing it, but you will believe it.” He sighed and her eyes strayed to the T-shirt straining over his pecs. “My time is up.”
“What? Your time is up? What does that mean?”
“Go home. Get some rest. Tomorrow. We train.”
“Excuse me? Train what?”
“Train you.” Then he vanished, taking the demon dictionary with him.
Sullen, Eden sank in her chair. Talking to Agone gave her a headache. Training for what? She didn’t like the sound of that. And what did he mean his time was up? It was noon. Who put a time limit on a demon?
Chapter 9
“Why take the book?” Eden grumbled, heading to the parking lot. “Paid seven bucks for that book. Seven hard-earned bucks. It won’t stop me. Ever heard of Google? Try taking that and see if no one notices.”
She fished her phone out of her pocket and called Harry. “Hey, where you at? I wanna grab some sushi from the place by the mall.” Her words strung together as one run-on sentence.
“I’m still home, still in my jammies, chillin’. No clients until five.” Which meant she was not about to put a bra on and trek out for sushi. “But you can bring me a spicy tuna roll.”
Eden sighed. “Fine. I can do that.” She dumped herself into her car and drove to the Japanese restaurant on the other side of the mall parking lot. Soon she was headed back to the apartment with a dragon roll, shrimp tempura, and Harry’s spicy tuna roll.
The fifteen-minute drive home took an extra fifteen because of an accident on the highway. A semi left two cars mangled and traffic eking by in the right lane. She parked in front of her building. Balancing the food, her book, and purse, she rang the doorbell. No answer. “She picks now get in the shower.
Eden unlocked the door and pushed it open. Cold air slapped her.How low did she turn the air to? I’m not paying the electric bill this month if she keeps this up.
Running water from the bathroom confirmed her suspicions. Harry was in the shower.
“Hey, Frosty. Food’s here.” Eden dumped her purse and the book on the floor and the food on the breakfast bar. She checked the thermostat. The air was on, but not running. It didn’t need to be when the temperature was sixty. “Anything over a hundred bucks on the electric bill, you’re paying.”
She wanted a cold beer but changed her mind when a hot toddy would be better. “Are you going through menopause?” she shouted, and laughed at her lame joke.