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“There’s a lot to frown about in the world.” I take a sip of scalding coffee and hum happily. “But not this. This is excellent, as usual.”
Darius circles around to my side of the desk and leans over me under the pretense of opening the most recent file in front of me. “Will this new case be exciting?”
The warmth of his body surrounds me, bringing with it a faint scent of smoke that wasn’t present when he lived inside Marc. It reminds me of battles fought beside Darius and the scorching nights that followed, where I didn’t have to resist the call of the fires that burn inside him.
With effort, I focus on the new file. “It doesn’t sound like a case that falls within our jurisdiction, but the client paid the deposit, so we’ll at least hear her out.”
“So magnanimous,” he purrs.
More like boredom. Darius isn’t the only one who hates paperwork. I’m not great at sitting idle, but there haven’t been many exciting cases lately. Maybe Meredith is right and the months we spent turning people away ruined our reputation.
But something about the quiet feels off. Like a wave pulling back before it crashes forward to destroy a city.
I just hope I’m being paranoid based on the back-to-back disasters that came before the lull.
On the desk, Darius’s hand slides over mine, his long fingers slipping into the spaces between my knuckles, and fire licks at my skin. “I was hoping, after we hear this poor, unfortunate soul out, that you would give me the honor of sharing a meal.”
Desire flickers through me, and I swallow hard. “We share meals all the time.”
“Not alone.” His hot breath caresses my cheek. “Let it be just us this time.”
Danger lies down that path, but when I turn my head to deny him, the fire in his gaze burns the words from my lips.
“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” His touch slides over the back of my hand to my wrist, where his fingers trace over my racing pulse. “But I can’t help but hope that you will give me a second chance.”
“I’ve already forgiven you.” I stare at him, torn between the desires surging through my blood and the rational part of my mind warning that he’s burned me before. “But we can’t just pick up where we left off.”
His jaw sets with determination. “I’ll wait until you’re ready, Merri, for as long as it takes.”
A throat clears, and I jerk away from Darius to find our secretary, Meredith, hovering in the doorway.
Amusement dances in her heavily-lined eyes. “Your appointment has arrived.”
Darius doesn’t move, his body still surrounding mine with tempting heat.
A sharp elbow forces him to straighten with reluctance. “Please, send her in.”
“You sure?” Meredith glances from me to the ignis demon. “I can tell her you had a prior meeting that is running long.”
I give our secretary a hard stare. “No need. We’re ready to see her.”
“If you say so, but I think you’re making a mistake.” She turns with a flare of her long skirt and strides back toward the front.
“I like her,” Darius rumbles from behind me.
Of course, he does. "Just stand back there and look pretty."
“You think I’m pretty?” Delight fills his voice.
“Shut up.” I glance down at the file in front of me, quickly refreshing my memory.
When Meredith returns, her tone is all business. “Ms. Cay, Mrs. Lewis is here to see you.”
I glance up as a woman—girl, really—shuffles into the office and perches on the chair across from my desk. She tugs on the hem of her oversized T-shirt, then picks at her nails.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Lewis.” I extend my arm across the desk, palm out.
She lurches from her seat to shake my hand, her skin clammy against mine, before she quickly releases it to sit back down. “Thank you for taking my case, Ms. Cay.”
