AllFreeNovel
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Those are my favorite times.
I grin. Within minutes, it’s clear that tonight is one of those times. She leaps off the boat, landing on the icy dock without a care in the world as she saunters towards my office. The Winter Fae opens my door, and her lips form a gloriously genuine smile. I can’t help but return it.
Tugging off her gloves and sitting down, she speaks first. “I have business in the city tonight.” She pauses and eyes my over-eager face. “No cargo.”
I know the drill, pulling out one of the lighter of the two stacks left behind for her.
“I feel sorry for whoever you are visiting tonight.” I wink, feeling playful.
She smirks as if my advances amuse her, but she keeps responding. “Yes, well. You should be.”
Leaning back in the chair, I shove my hands into my pockets. My left-hand fingers connect with the wallet that holds precisely four notes from her. She never mentions them, and I don’t dare bring them up for fear she will stop leaving them.
My thumb traces over the worn paper edges as I watch her across the desk. Better than any reality TV show.
Sheisreal. From her curly hair to her dusty boots.
I shift to the front of my seat. It is time for our casual five-minute conversation, where she will reveal herself once again as quiet, thoughtful, and powerful.
It is nothing like the wild, shallow conversations I have with Adam… or Marie.
These conversations always start with me saying something, mostly because I can’t help myself, but she doesn’t seem to mind. “So, tell me about your glamor. Do you use it?”
She draws her bottom lip through her teeth as though weighing her answer. “The Winter Fae have glamours and… other powers. I use it when necessary.”
The answer sends a shiver skittering down my spine. It is painfully obvious that she is a bounty hunter. Very dangerous, but everything about it… I like it. Her confidence and strength are flames, and I am a lowly moth.
“Summer Fae are dreadful with glamours. They glamor anyone and anything they can to get a moment’s amusement. Everything is a trick for them.” Is that bitterness creeping into my voice? These are feelings put to words, not even thoughts I have fully formed yet.
“Is that why you left?” She arches a thick eyebrow.
I wag a finger playfully. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. No, darling. When I say Summer Fae, Imost definitelyshould be grouped in that category.” The worddarlingslips out before I think better of it and amusement dances over her eyes as she tilts her head slightly. It unnerves me.
“Are you glamoured now?” she asks.
I flash a smile. “For you? Never. Perhaps if we could see each other at a more reasonable time, maybe I could show you everything I’m capable of.” My cheeks grow hotter, but not from embarrassment.
Her brows knit together.
I groan inwardly.For Fortuna’s sake,I curse.There was no way she didn’t understand me. Gods.
She tilts her head to the side. “What are you capable of? Do you have more birthright magic than glamor?”
Her red lips quirk up, and I realize she is getting some sort of pleasure out of watching me squirm. However, knowing this makes no difference as I again fall from dashing Fae to fumbling idiot.
“I’m a-a shifter Fae, so y-yes.” I stumble over my words.
She leans forward. “Really?” After hesitating momentarily, she asks, “What’s your animal?”
“Osprey. Weird for a Summer Fae, I know,” I blather on. There’s something about her that makes me want to tell her everything and anything. Delight lights up her face, but then, like the idiot I am, I continue, “I loathe shifting. I haven’t done it at all since I’ve been here. No one even knows that I can shift. It’s not a secret, per se... but I don’t go shouting about it from the rooftops.”
My shoulders relax, and I take a deep breath before I look back at her face.
She’s frowning.
Dammit. Is she... disappointed in me?
I wish I could take back what I said.
