Page 42
“What’s wrong with the one I have?” His lips twitched in a shit-eating grin as he dropped into the leather chair and kicked his feet onto the coffee table.
Not another soul upstairs in the shop. Distant voices out the windows. Why such a large furniture shop in a tourist town?
Although, at least half the houses in the area seemed to be vacation houses. Rich people.
“Nothing. I wish I had more antiques,” she said with a sneaky wink.
“It wasn’t an antique when I bought it.”
Eryn snorted. “You must have bought it when you were a toddler.”
He tipped his head back and fell into a belly laugh. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he rested his hands on his abdomen.
“Seriously. Feel this couch.”
He moved to sit next to her. He rubbed his palms on the cushions and nodded with approval.
“Imagine curling up on this, middle of winter, storms all around, waves crashing, and you’ve got a fire going, a good book, a cable-knit blanket. And this couch.”
He tipped his head toward her, breath slowing, chest rising higher as he studied her. He slipped his arm around her, drawing her close.
She sat up and mated her lips to his.
He wrapped a hand around her bare thigh, teasing under the hem of her dress.
“We are in the middle of a store.”
Vann laughed against her lips and tipped his forehead to hers. “Forgot.”
Softly, quietly, she nuzzled for a subtler kiss. Heat rose through her, craving building higher and… damn… she was way too horny for a shopping date.
A shrill ring from her phone shattered the moment.
Without a word, without pause, he released her.
She slid off and pulled her phone from her coat pocket. “Hi Karen.”
“Hey Eryn. I’m so sorry to call on your day off.”
“It’s okay, what’s up?”
Vann stood up and walked a few paces. He perused the nearest curio filled with household goods.
“Multiple wounded. Has to be an animal attack, but I’ve never seen anything like it. Already more than we can handle, and there are four more survivors in guarded condition on the way. We were already above capacity, so we’re on divert. I told Holden I’d call in everyone I could.”
“Shit. I’m on my way.” A frigid chill froze deep in her bones. Dammit. Shit shit shit. Tisiphone had to be toying with her. Fuck.
Did she know Eryn was trying to have a normal, human sort of day? Or was it a coincidence?
Security. Fuck. Had Tisiphone done something to trigger Vann’s work call last night?
“I’ll give you a ride. Unless you need to run home for a change of clothes?”
“Thanks. I keep my work shoes in a locker, and I’ll change into scrubs,” she said, already on the move. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It sounds important.”
Vann was calm, but his hips were square, confident. His gait was casual, but he moved with purpose and skimmed around every obstacle.
