Iwalked over to the window.MaybeIwould regret this.Perhapsit was foolish, butIcouldn't think straight right now anyway.Commonsense would be somethingI’dtackle at another time.Iopened the window and searched around outside.Nosign of him.
“Hugo?”Isaid, my voice quiet.
Noanswer.
"Hugo?"Irepeated a little bit louder.
Ashape moving in the distance caught my attention.Slate-gray wings cut against the pitch of the night sky, barely visible, camouflaged by darkness.Asthey came toward me, they grew larger.
Isucked in a breath and stepped back.WhatwasIdoing?MaybeIwas making a mistake.
Asthe figure approached,IrecognizedHugoback in his gargoyle form, with hard angles on his stern face.Hehovered before my window, wings flapping to keep him aloft.
“Areyou okay,LittleOne?”Hisbrows furrowed in a concerned expression.
“Ye-yes,”Istammered, my voice sounding strangled.Icleared my throat. “Iwas just—wondering…”Mycheeks warmed.Icleared my throat and tilted my head. “Areyou hungry?”
CHAPTER8
HUGO
WhenAnyahad called me over,Ifeared the worst.Thatsomething had happened to cause her distress.Thelast thingIexpected was to be invited inside her apartment to dine with her.
OnceIentered from the front door and climbed the stairs,Iturned around and took in her space.She’ddesigned it in tasteful rose and beige tones and had books everywhere.Classicalmusic played at a low volume.Thedelicious scent of rich tomato sauce filled my nose, but even better was that this place smelled like her.
Ifelt huge next to her in this smaller apartment and turned to her. “Youdon’t fear me being here?”Ifurrowed my brows.Theway she’d looked at me before…
“No, of course not.You’vebeen so gentle to me.Sokind.”
Shemotioned for me to sit at the round wooden table. “Please.”
“CanIdo something to help first?”Iasked.
Sheglanced at the kitchen counter in the smallL-shaped area. “Sure, you can open a bottle of wine and pour it into glasses.They’reright in that cabinet.”Shepointed up at one.
AfterIretrieved two glasses,Ipoured red wine into them while she scooped pasta and sausage in tomato sauce into large, brown ceramic bowls.
Wecarried the wine and bowls to the table and sat across from each other.
“Ihope this is okay.”Shepicked up her glass of red wine and gave me a sheepish look as she peered over the glass. “Idon’t know what you eat.”
Ichuckled. “Don’tworry, this looks wonderful.Idon’t eat pebbles to fill me with more stone,”Iteased.
“Oh.Um,Ididn’t mean…”Sheput the wineglass down and clutched the stem.
“I’mjust joking.”Ireached over and touched her hand, that slight brush over her skin filling me with delicious heat.Andshe didn’t pull her hand away. “WhenI’min stone,I’mresting in more of a dormant state—one in whichIcan still see and hear and observe.ButwhenI’mflesh, asIam now,Ieat and drink and function much like a human.”
Shetilted her head as she studied me.Thenshe turned pink and glanced away.
Yes, and fuck,Iadded silently, wondering if that was what she was thinking.
Ididn’t push her for conversation and let her eat in silence for a minute, the only other sound besides us was the classical music playing softly in the background.
WhenItook a bite,Isavored the rich taste of the tomato sauce flavored with mushrooms and basil as it mingled with the perfectly cooked sausage. “Mmm, this is delicious,”Icomplimented.
“Good.”Sheexhaled. “I’mglad you like it.Ijust whipped together whateverIhad on hand.”Atimer dinged on her oven. “Ialmost forgot about the bread!”
Whenshe walked over to the oven, my gaze lowered to her ass.Shenow wore a casual pair of pants that hugged her curves and revealed more of her luscious body.Afterputting on an oven mitt, she pulled a baguette from the oven and placed it on a wooden board.Thescent of baked bread wafted over, stirring my already rising appetite.Shesliced the loaf and put several pieces in a basket.Asmy gaze raked the line of her body from the top down once more, she turned around and caught me staring.
