"How... What..." she stammered.
"Wards. He and Yelena came and put them up today. I told you we would keep your ex and his mother from bothering you," Cosimo said. His hand was still above her head, and she was trapped between him and the wall. His eyes were the bloody purple color that signaled his dragon was close. Marcella's mouth went dry, unable to form a response.
"Thank you," she managed to whisper after a long moment. She cleared her throat. "I appreciate the help."
"Of course," he replied, not moving.
Marcella remembered Bas's advice about kissing Cosimo and wished she hadn't.
"You know, if today were a date, I would probably kiss you right now," she admitted.
"And I would probably let you." His dragon eyes went hot. "But today was not a date."
"It wasn't, but if it was, it would have been the best one I've had," she said, brushing a loose curl behind her ear. She hated how nervous he made her and how much she wanted to climb up into his arms at the same time.
"Even with all the chaotic family?" Cosimo asked with a soft laugh that slid over her skin. "It's not much of a date if you have to cook your own food."
"I don't know, Bas was good to talk to. He made me think and decide on some important things," Marcella said, wanting to run her fingers through his silver and black hair.
"Such as?" Cosimo asked.
"That would be telling," she teased lightly. She dared to look up at him. "But just so you know, before all this is over, Iamgoing to kiss you."
"Is that right? And what have I done to deserve that? Don't tell me, you have found a book in the library you really want."
Marcella laughed. "I have found about fifty books I want, but that is not the reason."
"Than what..."
"You will just have to wait and find out, dragon," she said and slipped out from under his arm for her own sanity. She opened the door to her building. "A domani, Cosimo."
"Sogni d'oro, tesoro," he replied, his voice the deep growl of the beast within.
Marcella finger-waved at him through the glass of the door and hurried upstairs. She shut the door and leaned back against it, the breath whooshing out of her body.
Madonna mia!She didn't think she could resist Cosimo Greatdrakes for much longer. It was a shame that the knowledge it could end badly wasn't enough to stop her from flirting recklessly with him.
She reallydidlove a bad idea, and she was starting to think kissing Cosimo was going to be worth being burned by him in the long run.
Marcella was still smiling to herself when her phone buzzed. She dug it out of her bag, hoping it was Cosimo. Her smile faded when she saw the message from 'Carlo the Stronzo':My mother remembers the woman you are searching for. She will only give the information to you if you come to Forli to get it. Two days. The Red Carnation at 6 p.m. If you are not there, you will get nothing.
Marcella read the message again before letting out a tired sigh, "Bitch."
It didn't say to come by herself, and the thought of turning up with six dragons made her smile come back.
I'll be there,she replied, but she wasn't going to be alone.
15
As some kind of cosmic rule, magicians weren't inclined to be early risers. That didn't stop Cosimo from waking up the next day, fine sweat covering his body, and his dick throbbing under the sheets.
The sun was barely up, and he resented that almost as much as he resented the too graphic dream he had about Marcella.
This fixation was getting out of hand. She had openly said last night that she was thinking about kissing him, and with his body still remembering the hot press of hers, Cosimo had silently prayed that she would put him out of his misery and do it.
Shewas the one who had set the rule about not getting romantically involved with people she worked with, so it had to be her who made the first move. It was the right thing to do. Marcella had endured too many men who had taken choices away from her, and Cosimo was not going to be another.
Giving up on sleep, he stumbled into the ensuite bathroom and turned on the shower. He left the overhead lights off, letting the faint sunrise light his way. He hated overhead lighting,especially first thing in the morning. He settled under the steam and rested his burning forehead against the cool tiles.
