As the receptionist’s eyes shot back to me, and she realized we were together, I prepared myself for the same incredulous looks I’d gotten whenever I went out with Cade. Like I was somehow reaching above my allotted hotness level.
Uko was a thousand times hotter than Cade.
But instead of the scathing disapproval or downright dismissal, the receptionist reached a fist across the counter. I stared at it for a second until I realized she wanted me to bump it, then pressed my knuckles hesitantly to hers.
She grinned at me. “You go, girl,” she whispered out the side of her mouth. She made a look that was the universal expression forholy fuck is this guy actually real? Because that is way too much hotness in one package. Yeah, us women had a look for that.
Uko just raised an eyebrow at me, and I bumbled my way through getting a room. “Uh, a twin room, please.” My cheeks burned.
The receptionist, whose name badge said Kate, bit her lip and stared at her computer screen. “Looks like we only have queen rooms left at the moment. You may have to get separate rooms unless you are okay to share…?”
Uko shrugged. “I don’t mind sharing a bed with Elsie.”
My cheeks flared even redder, and Kate seemed to take stock of me and my slightly lustful looks at Uko, giving a little nod. “Well, would you look at that? All our queen rooms have just sold out as well. Luckily, I do have the honeymoon suite still available. It has a hot tub. We’ll give it to you for the same price as a normal room. What luck, am I right?”
I nodded and blinked my way through filling out all the details and collecting our room key, thanking her as we headed toward the bank of elevators. I looked back over my shoulder to see her fanning herself, then giving me two thumbs up. I couldn’t help but grin. She had it all wrong, but I appreciated the unofficial wing-woman.
Uko seemed pretty oblivious to the whole exchange, but completely fascinated with the idea of elevators. He pressed every button, tried to talk back to the automatic voice that read out the floors, and jumped up and down to see if it would make the car stop. That last one was especially terrifying.
Finally, we reached the eighth floor. Honestly, I’d never stayed in a hotel room bigger than a tissue box before, so when I opened the door into a room with a massive Cali king bed, a kitchenette and a polished black bathroom complete with a sunken hot tub, I actually squealed. Out loud.
Uko winced, but looked around the suite. “I believe this might be bigger than your home,” he said, but he wasn’t being rude. He also wasn’t wrong.
If I wasn’t with Uko, I would have just slid right out of my clothes and straight into the hot tub. Then I’d put on one of the fluffy robes that were folded neatly on the bed and ordered room service. But Uko didn’t have the luxury of time, and I wanted him to experience a life more exciting than sitting around naked, eating fried chicken on hotel sheets.
Besides, I hadn’t even brought my swimsuit. I could almost feel Kate’s disappointment in me from here. I cleared my throat. “I think you’re right. How about we drop this stuff and go get something to eat? You must be starving by now.”
I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate; before I discovered Cade balls deep in my manager, I guess. Today, the hangover had chased away my appetite, but it was back with avengeance. Probably all the thoughts I was having about a naked fried chicken feast.
“I could eat. Just let me do this first…” He burst into flames, and he was once again Uko the demon. Standing less than two feet away, I thought I would feel the warmth of his flames. But other than a tingle rolling across my skin, I felt nothing. However, this close, I could see the moving ink on his skin were actually some kind of sigils. Demon language?
I wanted to reach up and touch his horns, which I could now see weren’t as smooth as I’d originally thought. My eyes dropped down to his face, and my cheeks flushed when I realized he’d been watching me watch him.
“Can I touch your horns? Or is that bad manners in Hell?”
He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It’s Hell, Elsie. There’s no such thing as manners in Hell.” He tipped his head forward, allowing me to stroke my hand up the long curve of his horns. They were both smooth and textured, and I stroked back down. They were perfect. Uko’s whole body shivered. “You know, when I’m standing naked in front of a female, they’re usually stroking lower,” he said in a low, amused voice.
You know when you tell yourself not to think of the color red? Or not to stare? Well, I was trying not to think of the word dick, or stare at the aforementioned appendage, but it was impossible once he mentioned it. My eyes dipped down between our bodies, and there it was. The dreaded D. Was it just my imagination, or did it look bigger? Harder?
I swallowed hard and convinced myself that it was just the angle. My cheeks were burning as I took a step back. “We should get going,” I squeaked.
He stepped forward, closing the distance between us again. His gaze dropped to my lips, his dark eyes looking molten. “I do not think we need to leave this room.”
“Oh?” I squeaked again. It was like my voice had risen an octave all on its own. It couldn’t possibly go any higher without summoning a flock of bats.
He nodded slowly. “I think we should try that big water pit in the bathroom.”
“The hot tub?” I’d been wrong. Apparently, my voice could go up another octave without shattering glass and making dogs howl.
He nodded, his lips curling into a devilish smile.
I got my wild libido under control. “Okay. I’m sure you must be exhausted after today. We’ll stay in. Watch some pay-per-view. Order room service. Use the… hot tub.” I only stumbled a little.
He clapped his hands once, spinning away, his naked ass heading for the bathroom. When he was out of sight, I flopped back onto the bed and fanned my heated face.Oh god. Shit, I can’t say oh god when I want to fuck a demon… Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh fuck.
I wasn’t delusional. That was definitely sexual. He was flirting with me. There should be a guide somewhere, inCosmoor something, for idiots like me who accidentally summon hot demons. In big, bold letters, it should sayDo Not Flirt With Demons.
I could hear the running water as I called down for room service, just ordering everything that was deep-fried. It was probably lucky Uko was only here for a couple of days; otherwise, they might have to wedge me out the door using a boat paddle like a shoehorn.
