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TWENTY-EIGHT
Alethia woke up with her head resting on something harder than her usual pillow, though the warm blanket around her shoulders was delightfully soft. She blinked, then blinked some more before her mind managed to wrap around the reality: some time during the afternoon, Stan had joined her on the couch, and she was now using his chest for a pillow, while he'd draped his wings, which had magically reappeared, around her in a sort of leathery cocoon that made her envy caterpillars in a whole new way.
The TV had turned itself off at some point. She probably should have told Stan how the remote control worked. Then again, she hadn't exactly expected to fall asleep on him and pin him to the couch for hours of boredom with nothing to watch.
"What time is it?" she mumbled.
"It is 6:35 in the evening, according to that clock." His voice rumbling in her ear sent shivers down her spine. If he'd added something about it being the perfect time for Netflix and chill, she'd straddle him in a heartbeat.
Down, girl, Alethia told herself. It had taken him hours to agree to share a couch with her. There was no way he was going to be amenable to hot sex any time soon.
Alethia sighed. "I should probably make dinner. Ooh, no, I was going to order pizza, wasn't I? Can you grab my laptop?"
Was she imagining it, or was he just as reluctant as she was to end their embrace? And that bulge in his jeans...no, she'd seen all of him last night. He was just naturally big, that was all. It didn't mean he was aching for sex as much as she was.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" she asked as she hovered the cursor over the SUBMIT ORDER button.
"Demons don't need food."
"Yeah, but...don't you still want it, though? I mean, the pizza place here is really good. Better than the one where I used to live. More pricey, too, but it's worth every cent. Which is why I usually eat a slice or two more than I need, because it's just so good."
Stan just shook his head, so she tapped the touchpad to place the order, then reached for the remote. "We have time for another episode before the pizza arrives, if you want?"
Stan stared at her. "Why do you wish to watch something that will only put you to sleep?"
Alethia couldn't remember the last time she'd fallen asleep in from of the TV, no matter what she'd been watching. It must have been the pain medication she took after lunch, which had already worn off, judging by the pain in her ankle when she moved. "It was the medicine I took that made me sleep. I'll stay awake, whatever we watch, I swear."
Sure enough, the episode's credits had just appeared when the intercom beeped to announce the pizza guy.
"Can you press the button to open the gate?" Alethia asked. When Stan just stared at her in bewilderment, she said, "Here, just lift me up and carry me over to the door, so I can show you."
The poor pizza guy was peering at the video screen, probably cursing her silently for taking so long, if his deep frown was anything to go by.
Feeling more like a fairytale princess than herself, Alethia pressed the intercom button. "Hi. Buzzing you up now." A moment later, the pizza guy disappeared from the front steps.
"More magic like your TV and your laptop?" Stan demanded.
Alethia laughed softly. "Technology more than magic, but I understand it might seem like magic to you. This time, the camera is at the front door, and the picture comes direct to this little screen when you press the button. You should probably put me down, so you can answer the door and have your hands free to take the pizza. Ah...the dining table, please."
By the time he'd helped her get plates and drinks out, a tentative knock sounded at the door.
"What do I do?" Stan asked. "I do not wish to compromise you, but you cannot walk without my help."
Alethia fought not to laugh. "Just open the door, take the boxes, thank the guy, and close the door again. It'll be fine."
"But do you not need to pay for your food? I have no coin from your time or mine."
Poor Stan. She really wanted to hug him, but the two metres between them might have been the whole of Claisebrook Cove – too far for her to reach. "Don't worry, I've already paid."
"How?"
"Online credit card payment." At his look of confusion, she added, "Magic."
His frown only deepened. "I am not a fool. I know about credit. If Peel had not had good credit with his suppliers in Fremantle, he would have eaten a lot more fish stew with the rest of us who had no such privileges granted to us. Is it because you are Carline's granddaughter that shopkeepers give you credit?"
The knocking came again, louder this time. "Pizza for Alethia Bell!"
"Just get the pizza, please. I need food before I can properly explain the differences between Regency banking and how it works in the present day."
