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“Good evening,” Connor said when they reached us, kissing me softly. Just a brush of his lips against mine. A hint and a promise. “Sorry we’re late.”
“You’re right on time.”
Literally and figuratively, I thought, still marveling that this boy I’d thought was conceited and obnoxious had grown into... well, still conceited. But much less obnoxious. As if he understood the line of my thoughts, he smiled widely. “We were both right on time.”
Maybe a little obnoxious. But in the best possible way.
“Lulu,” Connor said with a smile. “Thanks for having us over.” He offered up the wine. “Hostess gift.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking it.
“A friend of mine has a vineyard near the Wisconsin border. It’s supposed to be pretty good.”
“How does it pair with deviled eggs?”
He blinked. “I have no idea and don’t want one.”
Lulu turned her gaze to Alexei. “I see you brought the tabby.”
She’d made that switch quickly enough. Alexei just looked at her, and the challenge in his eyes was clear.I’ll take you on. In every possible way.
Pink rose on her cheeks. “Go climb a tree.”
“Go suck on a paintbrush.”
“Weak,” Lulu said, then strode off toward Mateo. He smiled as she approached, waved her closer, then added her to the conversation with Petra.
“Suck on a paintbrush?” I asked, looking back at Alexei with obvious pity.
“I haven’t been able to come up with many artist-specific insults.” And he was considerate enough not to use her magic—or decision not to practice it—against her. “Who’s the human?”
“Date,” I said.
Alexei snorted dubiously and wandered off toward the food. With, I belatedly realized, a bottle of vodka in hand. His hostess gift, I assumed.
“Was that disdain for Mateo, or the idea of her dating him?” I wondered.
“I think it was for the concept of her dating, generally. He knows she’s not interested, but I think that’s actually made it worse. The thrill of the chase, and all.”
I gave him a speculative look. “Maybe I should have made you chase me harder. Or further.”
His smile went feral, and I could actually hear girls sighing onthe other side of the room. “Try it,” he said, a dare in his brilliantly blue eyes.
“You think you could catch me?”
This time, the kiss was possessive and consuming, and as arrogant as the dare had been.
“Elisa Sullivan,” he said, smiling against my lips. “I’ll always catch you.”
A throat was cleared. We turned our gazes, found Theo smiling at us, raising a crusty loaf of bread in a paper envelope in greeting. “I’m interrupting,” he said with amused and unapologetic eyes.
Theo was a former cop who’d become my partner at the OMB. He had dark brown skin and dark hair in short whirls, and hazel eyes above a generous mouth.
“It’s a party,” Connor said. “Interruption is impossible.”
But I narrowed my gaze at him. “Why did you bring bread?”
Theo blinked. “Because I like bread? And it’s a party? And Lulu said to bring something?”
