Page 27 of 6 Clues Your Nemesis Loves You

“Because zombies were in here chasing children.”

“Most of the zombies were lame. Barely looked dead.” But I picture the one with its heart outside of its chest, her arms outstretched as she chased after a wailing child. I press my lips together, attempting not to smile.

This is not funny. I will not laugh at Maggie’s expense.

She narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t you dare laugh.”

“I’m not laughing.” An uncontained squeak slips out.

“Lennon.”

I full-on laugh. “Sorry. I can’t…” I cover my face and let it out. When I get my shit together, she’s at least smirking. “Who’d you hire to watch the entrance anyway? That’s who screwed this up, not you.”

Fury burns up her cheeks. “Doug.”

“The same Doug who went to Tokyo for lunch when we were stuck in the elevator and he took seventy-nine years to rescue us?”

Her glare could cut glass. “The one and only.”

“Doug is the worst.”

“He really is.” Her attention drops to my bare abdomen, then ever so slowly meanders up my chest. She clears her throat. “Thanks for flying into action and taking charge. I’ve never frozen like that.”

Checking that the beet dye on my hand is dry, I graze my fingers down her sweater-clad forearm. “I’m sorry, Mags. Everything about this was amazing, until Doug screwed up.”

She watches my fingers on her arm, as do I. A slight shiver courses through her. “I loved your tableau,” she whispers. Her eyes flick up to mine. “It was perfect.”

Since I’m done avoiding my feelings for Maggie, I let my fingers drift lower until they’re covering hers. “I did it for you.”

Her breath catches. A rush of warmth invades my chest.

It’s time to lay it out for Maggie. Get answers from her and tell her what I want. Let her know our business isn’t finished. “In the elevator, you said I scared you when we were teens. That I still do.” I dip my head to catch her eye. “What did you mean?”

Her next swallow seems to last an eternity. Just when I worry she’ll shut me down, she sets her jaw. “You make me feel carefree, like I want to set the world on fire and be wild.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

She sways forward, as though drawn toward me. “Everything about you makes me feel electric, and when I feel that way, I get reckless. I make bad—”

“Oh my God, there you are.” Delilah, of the worst-timing-ever Delilahs, runs over to us and pulls Maggie into a hug. “I’m so sorry about the event. I found Doug and gave him shit. Made sure to do it in front of your boss, so hopefully that helps.”

“Thanks, hon.” Maggie rubs Delilah’s back, but her attention is still on me, lingering on my eyes. Her focus drops to my lips, which are suddenly very parched.

Delilah pulls back and cringes. “I got beet on you.”

Yep. Delilah is a beet monster. Maggie’s green sweater is now smeared red in spots. Instead of getting annoyed, Maggie shrugs. “The outfit better reflects my mood now.”

I gesture to my chest. “At least you don’t look like your nipples are bleeding.”

The girls laugh, even Maggie, her eyes crinkling with fondness.

Delilah gives her a compassionate pout. “Some of us are heading to the Barrel House. You should come and decompress.”

Maggie nods while straightening her clothes. “I need to do damage control here, make sure the clean-up crew’s all good. I’ll meet you after.”

Maggie steals another glance at me, quick but intense, then trudges off to do her work.

I watch her longer than is decent, hating that our talk was cut short. I make her feel electric. I make her feel wild. The feeling’s mutual, but she’s worried she’ll lose control around me, that I’ll bring out something bad in her. Guess my new job is to prove otherwise.