Page 3 of Bound By the Sleeper’s Harp

“I’m just looking for your license, you know, to make sure it doesn’t indicate your need for corrective lenses, since you obviously couldn’t see where you were going⁠—”

I snatched my wallet from him and shouldered past, heading for the drinks counter. Instead of taking the hint, he stalked after me. I gritted my teeth, ignoring him as he set his mug down for his refill, crowding me.

“You okay?” Mark asked, handing over a towel before glaring at my new shadow. Mark had asked me out a few times, but I’d always firmly declined. I didn’t date—not anymore.

“I’m fine,” I managed, blotting up what I could so my shirt was no longer dripping. I tossed the towel onto the counter.

Mark hesitated before nodding. “I’ll have your drinks out in just a moment.”

“Thanks.” I took a steadying breath, trying to calm my nerves. A hint of musk and something woodsy met my nose. I couldn’t resist another inhale until I realized it was the goblin. I took a step to the side, putting more distance between us. He mirrored my actions, stepping closer—too close.

I flinched. The reaction was followed by embarrassment as I reminded myself that I was okay. That he wasn’t going to hurt me. That no one would ever hurt me again.

The goblin immediately took two large steps back—which only furthered my humiliation. “Just waiting for my refill,” he said, his voice quieter than before, like he was trying to reassure me. Funny, since he hadn’t cared before.

“There’s literally a million other places you could wait,” I said under my breath, finally finding my backbone.

“I wouldn’t say a million. Realistically, there’s more like⁠—”

“Are you always this much of an asshole?!” I rounded on him.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Usually, I’m worse. But you’re right. I’ll tone it down a notch—for now.”

I trapped my bottom lip between my teeth, fighting a smile. A real, genuine smile, as Mark finished up my drinks.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” the goblin added after a long stretch of silence. He kept his voice low. I noticed that he didn’t move any closer, either.

“Yeah, well,” I gestured to my shirt, trying to keep my tone light. “Kinda failed from the start.”

“You should pay better attention to your surroundings.” There wasn’t any censure in his tone, just calm concern.

My shoulders went tight anyway. I wanted to argue, but he was right. I’d been careless letting myself get distracted by my phone. I knew better. Or, I should have. Maybe enough time had passed that I’d grown complacent. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. “Thanks for the tip.”

“Anytime.” His gaze remained fixed on me, a physical sensation that was impossible to ignore.

“Drinks are ready, Rose,” Mark said, offering me a nod as he slid them onto the counter.

I moved forward to collect them and caught another delicious inhale of that woodsy musk.

“Take care of yourself,” the goblin said as I strode away.

I said nothing in return.

It didn’t matter that I could feel him watching me as I made a beeline for the exit. I didn’t look back.

2

“Rose? Is that you?” Vivi’s head popped into the hallway as my keys plunked into the bowl just inside the door to our apartment. Her gaze landed on our drinks, because she was that obsessed with caffeine that she failed to notice the massive stain on my favorite cat shirt.

“You’re a life saver.” She flew forward, all five-foot-three of her, snatching the mocha from my hand. Then she froze, the drink halfway to her mouth. Her jaw went slack. “What… What the hell happened to you?!”

“Oh, you know, just bumped into a goblin before he spilled his coffee down the front of my shirt.”

“A goblin?” Vivi was curvy with bronze skin, dressed in an elegant black top and designer boots that screamed 'art curator.' Her job at Origin, a museum downtown, paid well enough to afford our West Cross apartment.

“Yep. A six-foot-something goblin. Pointed ears and all.”

Her gaze roved over my features until her expression morphed into something suspicious. “And…did this goblin happen to be good looking?”