Page 137 of Fly's Path

***

The sun is high in the sky when I open my eyes next.

He squeezes me tight to his body. “Did last night freak you out?”

Duh? “Yeah. How could it not? The thought of you being in danger terrified me.”

“That’s not what I meant. I meant finding out I don’t really exist.”

I push up on one arm so we’re eye to eye, and he can see I mean what I say. “There are worse things than being born to grifters. At least they cared for you. Also, I doubt I have to worry about anyone stealing my purse when I’m with you.”

“No, you don’t.” He grins. “You never have to worry about anything when you’re with me.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“It is. I’ll always take care of you.”

The pit of my stomach falls out at the beauty of his words…and with them the temptation to believe he means those words.

But everyone who has ever loved me has walked away. I couldn’t handle it if he walked away. “We should get you fed and get back to the game. Someone’s bound to figure it out soon.”

Fly shrugs. “Does winning matter to you?”

Why would he ask that? “No, but participating in an event a friend worked so hard on is...Why? It isn’t like you know who the murderer is.”

Fly scoots up on the chair. “Sure, I do. I’ve known since yesterday.”

“WHAT?”

“It’s not that big a deal. I told you I grew up in a family of liars…they’re easy to pick out of the bunch.”

“They could be lying about something else.”

“They could be, but they’re not. So, do you want to win, or do you want to go eat and play the game?” He grins. “Or we could go to the conservatory and say good morning properly.”

“It’s afternoon, and everyone saw us.” Well, not everyone, but my friends don’t keep those kinds of secrets.

“So is that a yes or a no?”

“Maybe after you get something to eat. You’ve got to be starving.”

Not With Me

Fly

Alittle breather is required between kisses.

“I really like this conservatory. Maybe I should put one in my house?”

“Your whole house is a conservatory,” Sheri leans against me, panting.

“But there aren’t any plants inside.”

“Do you really like plants? Or do you just like kissing in the conservatory?” The grin in her voice is easy to hear.

“Can’t I like both?”

“Absolutely. But we should go back to the game.”