“Does it?”
“Do you think I want other demons here in this untouchable town, messing with souls?”
“I have no idea. Do you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I care…” He seemed to catch himself and change tacks. “I care to be the only one who has that particular honor. You have no idea what kind of cred that gives me in the demon world.”
“I thought you were hiding out here, not sending back postcards.”
“You know the kiss doesn’t have to mean anything. It’s a simplerequirementto seal the vortex. Very analytical. Very impersonal. You like those sorts of things, don’t you, Myra? Logic, order. Nothing messy. Nothing with feelings attached.”
“This is harassment.”
He seemed proud of making me point that out. “Yes, I suppose it could be. Or you’re going back on a deal you made because you don’t want to face your feelings.”
“I don’t—.” I swallowed and clenched my teeth around a smile. “I don’t make deals to avoid my feelings. Try that on some other rube. You want more than a kiss. Which is manipulative and against the rules of our agreement. Therefore, I don’t think the kiss is required after all. I think you made that up.”
“All right. I see your line of reasoning.” He shut the door and took the two steps. He was directly in front of me. “Let’s not let a simple vortex to Hell—that will probably reopen since it hasn’t been properly closed—get between us, Myra. We have too beautiful of a thing going here.”
“We have nothing going here.” That’s what I said. And I meant it. But my heart? Oh, my heart had other ideas.
My heart liked that he pushed me, teased me, made me follow rules, or make up rules for everything between us. My heart liked how stubborn he was, liked that he wasn’t cruel, and hadn’t actually ever stepped over any of my personal boundaries.
If he were a man instead of a demon, he’d be just the type I’d date. Maybe even the type I could keep in my life for a long, long time.
I took a deep, slow breath, trying to clear my head with the cool, damp air, but instead got the warmth of his cologne spiced with the green of the park.
“We have nothing going here,” he repeated. “So let’s seal that vortex with a kiss. Nothing to it.”
“No marking my soul.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.” He extended one hand, caught my wrist lightly between his fingers, and squeezed gently. His long fingers were warm, calloused, and could completely wrap around my wrist. Then he transferred his hold, sliding his fingers sweetly down my palm and weaving them with mine.
Only one hand. He left the other free. He didn’t step any closer to me. Just waited.
My heart was pounding, pounding, pounding. From just that touch. From just one hand.
This kiss was going to happen.
Nothing to it.
“No marking my…anything.” It sounded lame, breathy, but it was hard to think beneath the full force of his attention, hard to do anything but give in to my need to fall into him and keep him.
No.
No. There would be no keeping a demon. Certainly not the demon who stole my sister’s soul and wouldn’t give it back.
“Give my sister back her soul,” I said quietly as I stepped just that much closer to him and tipped up my chin.
“Ah, Myra. I can’t. Not now.” His other hand lifted, cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing below my lip.
“Why not?” I lifted on my toes, just a little. Because I liked the idea of him reaching down for me, bending for me.
“There are too many consequences.”
