Rhazan grunts. “I thought his name was Zixin.”
I look up at him. “How do you know that?”
He shrugs. “I may have lingered in the shadows a few times during dinner.”
My mouth pops open. “You what?”
He scowls. “Don’t look so offended. I can tell you love the attention.”
I scoff. “Do not.”
“Do,” he murmurs, holding me tighter.
Damn it. I do.
I like the idea of being the center of his interest. Of being so desirable that he’d hide somewhere out of sight just to watch me eat dinner.
This seems unhealthy.
“You need to go now,” he whispers.
“Yeah, about that. I don’t knowhowto leave.”
He chuckles, then grabs my arm. His thumb smooths along the inside of my forearm to my hand. The drag of his skin on mine has my attention hyper focused on that sensation. I shiver and he groans.
“We can’t, Firecracker,” he murmurs, kissing my wrist.
“I wasn’t…”
But I was feeling it.
Embarrassment burns in my cheeks.
“You have access to my magic now, including my ability to phase between realms. All you have to do is will it,” he says.
“That sounds so simple,” I mumble, looking at the brand on my arm.
“It is that simple.”
I look up at him, wanting one more glimpse before I go.
He’s so freaking gorgeous with his black hair half pulled up in a bun, his dark eyes burning like coals at the center, his fangs and red lips.
He leans down and stops just short of kissing me. An invitation, and a request, but not a demand. I push onto my toes and meet him, brushing my lips against his in a gentle kiss. He sighs and cups the back of my neck, holding me against him harder and deepening the kiss.
I get lost in him until he pulls away.
“I want you to stay,” he says, frustration in his voice.
“But I can’t,” I finish.
Of course I can’t. Zixin has school in the morning, and I do want to take him this time. I have orders of coffee and syrups to stock, an espresso machine to clean and fix, and a sign to put up. Lots to do tomorrow. Maybe I’ll call Lacey.
He kisses me one more time with tender fervor. “I want to see you again.”
The admission hurts my stomach.
I want to see him, too.
