“You do remember the conditions of closing the vortex, don’t you? The kiss?”
How could I forget it? It was all I’d been trying to ignore.
“And?” I was glad it came out cool, because I was burning up inside.
“There was a ring, a turnip, and a kiss involved,” he went on patiently, as if he were trying to remember the details. “If I recall, we used the ring, and I remember using the turnip, but the kiss? No, I’m sure I would have remembered if that happened.”
“Does it even matter now? That vortex has been closed all this time without anything happening.”
“It matters. Life and death. Serve and protect. You wouldn’t turn your back on Ordinary over a kiss, would you?”
“Fine.” I shut the door and marched over to him. “Kiss me.”
Kiss me, my heart said, softer, longingly.
Not that way. I couldn’t let myself feel this kiss, want this kiss. The kiss he was only getting because he’d used a threat to manipulate his way into it.
I squared off to him, feet spread in a stance that would make it easy for me to sweep his feet. Not that it would do much since he was a demon and basically made out of granite.
His eyes didn’t twinkle, they glittered like a river in sunlight, and his mouth curved up into a small, tolerant smile.
I wanted to wipe that smug smirk off his face. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to kiss me.
But what my heart wanted always led to disaster.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t wimp out on me now, Bathin. You wanted this. Come get it.”
He half closed the door and sort of leaned on it. He looked amused. Maybe even intrigued. But he did not look like he was going to take the bait.
“Did we put a time limit on it?” he asked. “No, I’m sure that wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Don’t push me, demon.”
“Go out to coffee with me.”
“No.”
“Go out to tea with me.”
“No.”
“Go to Roy’s retirement bonfire with me.”
“No.”
“You’ve agreed to three dates, I’ll remind you.”
“Not those three dates.”
“All right.” He didn’t look one bit put off by my rejection. “We’ll table it for later. Just so we’re clear, this is a kiss which will hold that vortex closed.”
“The turnip is doing fine.”
He inhaled, exhaled. “I know you don’t always trust me…”
“Ever. Don’t ever trust you.”
“…but sealing a vortex to Hell actually works toward my goals.”
