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“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think—”
“That you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen? Because you are, baby girl. You’re everywhere—in my sketchbook, my dreams, my every breath. I don’t know what’s happening, but I can’t get you out of my head.”
“Nate,” I breathed.
“Dammit.” His hand dove into my hair, cradling the back of my head as his lips crashed with mine.
The kiss was desperate and almost violent. His mouth moved against mine with the kind of skill and passion I’d only ever read about, and my brain shut off for the first time since… ever. There was only him and my need to get closer, to feel and taste and know more of him.
I fisted my hands in his T-shirt, holding on for dear life as his tongue invaded my mouth, meeting mine with strong strokes. He groaned against my lips while his fingers trailed down my neck and back, stopping to grasp my hip. He held me like he was afraid I’d disappear if he didn’t keep me there. He didn’t have anything to worry about. I wanted to live in this kiss for the rest of my life.
I heard the lock turning in the back door a second before Nathaniel wrenched his lips from mine. I blinked at him, still caught up in the lust fog that had consumed my brain.
“Oh fuck.” He ran both hands through his hair. “I’m sorry.”
“I… What?” I asked, slowly coming back to my senses.
He was looking at me with horror written all over his beautiful face. “I’m your guardian. I can’t do my job or keep you safe if I’m busy giving in to my baser desires.” He tipped forward almost as if he’d lost the strength to sit up on his own. His forehead touched mine and his eyes closed. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I wasn’t really, but I had to be. We were stuck with each other, and entertaining a physical or romantic relationship wasn’t a good idea. We both knew it. Even if that was possibly—okay, definitely—the best kiss of my life.
“Shit, sorry,” Kylie said from the direction of the back door.
“It’s fine,” I told her.
Nathaniel didn’t move at the sound of her voice. He didn’t open his eyes or sit back. Our foreheads were still touching, and he was breathing more deeply and unsteadily than usual.
This was going to be fun to explain to Kylie.
* * *
Over the next few days,Nathaniel seemed determined to return to how we had been during our week of house arrest. He’d gone back to asking me an endless stream of questions and only made physical contact when we were training together. He’d made good on his promise to get us both gym memberships, and we headed there after my morning shifts at Fountain of Youth were over.
Wednesday evening we were walking home from the gym post-workout. We’d just turned onto an empty stretch of road, out of view of the stores, when Nathaniel reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me to a halt.
I glanced up at him, my eyes asking a silent question.
“Demons,” he said.
There was no need to elaborate further as the demons emerged from the trees and the parking lot of the same church where I’d first killed the lord of Hell and watched an angel die. There had to be twice the number that came last time, but I didn’t see any who looked human the way lords of Hell seemed to.
“Stay out of the fight this time, okay? I don’t care how many there are or how bad it looks. If I’m genuinely in trouble, I’ll shout or something. Otherwise stay out of it unless one of them gets past me and goes for you directly. Promise me, Sierra.”
I swallowed hard but nodded. If I’d learned one thing from our days of training, it was that I was not ready to fight supernatural beings. As much as I hated the idea of watching Nathaniel take on all the demons by himself, I knew he had a better chance on his own than if I tried to help.
In a matter of seconds, he had his flaming knives in his hands and his wings had torn through the back of his shirt to spread out behind him. He didn’t wait for the demons to engage this time. He shot forward in a swirl of violence and deadly skill. The smoke around him grew heavy, obscuring my view of the fight as a dozen demons were vaporized in the span of seconds.
He emerged from the smoke a minute later, backing toward me without taking his eyes off the space where the remaining demons must be.
“There are three left,” he said when he’d reached my side. “Do you want to try taking one out?”
“You’re serious?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Wait until I’ve taken care of the other two, then come join the fight. If anything goes badly, I’ll take him out for you.”
“Okay.” My voice sounded small and a little breathless, but I trusted Nathaniel. If he thought I’d actually be in danger, he’d never suggest this.
The three remaining demons emerged from the smoke, and Nathaniel sprang forward, cutting through one on his way to stabbing the second.
