I winced. “He’s going to get me evicted from the roof one day.”
Hanna laughed—a sound that brushed along my skin in a way that made every part of me a little unsteady—and we started the walk toward her apartment.
Well. Wetriedto start the walk.
Ribbon plastered himself to my side, then to hers, then back again, like a damp, oversized metronome keeping time with our footsteps. Every bounce made the ground under us tremble slightly. I was certain it was because we were on the topmost floor.
Ribbon was testing the structural integrity of our clan building, and it shouldn’t have made me laugh the way he kept flopping between us both, aiming for maximum affection, but damn it, my lips wanted to curve and I had to keep them in a straight line.
“He’s subtle,” she whispered, grinning.
“Don’t encourage him,” I warned her. But my voice betrayed me—it came out warmer than intended.
The path to the elevator was a straight and short one, but the tension that radiated off of me was immeasurable. The heat, too. This female was tempting in too many ways. She walked beside me, close enough that I could feel the brush of her hand and her magick now and then—light, green and whisper-soft. The same magick that I noticed whenever she touched any of my carvings.
She was a strong earth witch, I was certain of it. And she had an affinity for wood. I just wasn’t comfortable enough to ask her to tell me more about it. Her allure and her magick pushed at my barriers without meaning to.
And I… let it. It was a dangerous mistake.Especially since we were trapped together inside the elevator with Ribbon pressed against my side, eyeing each of us with questionable intent.
“How’re you feeling?” she asked. “You looked tired earlier.”
I glanced at her. “I’m fine,” I rushed to say, not wanting her to think anything was wrong. Especially when I was feeling things I shouldn’t be.
She hummed, unconvinced. “Right. Because malesalwaystell the truth about their emotional state.”
A reluctant smile tugged at my mouth. The Gods help me, I couldn’t stop it if I tried. She was too cute for her own good.
And then Hanna noticed. Her breath caught—just a little—and she looked forward again quickly, avoiding my profile.
Did she... does she like my smile?
The bond pulsed between us. Not loud. Just… present. Steady. Like the echo of a heartbeat I tried not to acknowledge.
When we reached her floor, the elevator doors swung open and I walked her to her door. I forced myself to stop a few paces short of her threshold. The air felt charged and too warm. Blatant sensual awareness swirled between us, but we were both trying hard to ignore it.
“This is fine,” I said, taking the jar of pigment from her. “You can take it from here.”
Hanna blinked at me, confused. “Youalwayswalk me to my door.”
And that was exactly why I couldn’t tonight. Ribbon, however, apparently disagreed with my boundaries.He hopped past me—shovedpast me, really—plopped himself in front of her door, and sprawled out like a giant, slightly wet guardian statue.
“Ribbon,” I warned. “Home.”
He didn’t move, licking his tongue across his eye instead.Hanna bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“I think he wants to sleep here.”
“He can’t,” I said through my teeth. “He has a perfectly good bed inmyapartment. With heating.”
Ribbon croaked loudly, sounding offended by the suggestion. As if the luxury accommodations I provided him were subpar compared to the drafty front of Hanna’s doorway. She crouched beside him, placing a hand on his massive head.
“It’s okay, big guy. I’m fine alone,” she told him.
He flattened himself further, becoming somehow wider. He blinked once at me, expression unmistakable—Make me.Idragged a hand over my face.
“Ribbon. Up,” I demanded, my voice as stern as I could make it.
The toad stared at me. I swear to the Gods, the little demon-in-a-toad’s-body smirked.
