I jump out of my brooding. Arlo’s way ahead of me, the distant torchlight from the village flickering behind him.
“Coming, darling?”
“Aye. Apologies.” I quicken my stride until I’m beside him.
“You know, you never told me why you came up with this harebrained scheme.”
A scowl tightens my mouth. “I’m seeing someone my brothers would not approve of.”
“Oooh, how intriguing! I don’t suppose you’d tell me more?”
I shake my head. “It’s not your concern. Let’s stick to our arrangement, aye? You help me, and I help you.”
Arlo sighs dramatically. “What a tease. Very well.”
Mayhap it’s unfair to keep secrets, considering he was honest with me. Arlo may have been an ally in the past, though, but he’s still an enforcer of the TTA. If he knew it was Soren I was seeing, that I’d exposed him to our world—he’d likely react as poorly as my family. If not worse. He could go to the Council and ruin everything.
Still, who else was I to ask?
As the longhouse comes into view, Arlo suddenly stops. “Hold up a moment. We need a plan.”
“For what? It’s supper. You grab utensils, eat, drink, and go on your way.”
Arlo rolls his eyes. “Freya, give me strength… Iknowwhat supper is, darling. Believe it or not, I’ve eaten dinner before. I mean, we ought to have a plan to convince your family that we are dating.”
“Can we not just show up and say so?”
“Not if you want to convince them!”
The witch has a point, I suppose. Planning has never been my strong suit. “Fine. What do you propose?”
“Well, for starters, why are we together?”
Good question… Why would I court the man my brother rejected? The answer comes to me. “I was taken with you from the moment I saw you. When Gunnar rejected you, I felt for you and asked if you’d consider being my mate.”
Arlo frowns. “So, just so we are clear… you’re dating me because you felt bad for me.”
“Did you not hear the part where I said I was taken with you before you were rejected?”
Damn. When he puts it that way—
“How about this,” Arlo adds. “You sought me out after your arsehole brother rejected me in front of your whole family. I was in a bar, feeling irritable, and you comforted me. Sparks flew.”
“Why? Was there a battle?”
Arlo heaves a sigh, raking a hand through his hair. “Goddess, help me. No! We fancied each other. So I dragged you off and rode your cock until dawn.”
“I prefer to submit to my lover in bed.”
“Whatever! We had sex. It was hot. I used you to get back at your brother.”
I scowl at him. “What? Why?”
“Because I was hurt, obviously! But over time we fell for each other. Sort of. It’s still new.”
It’s not a bad plan, aside from the part where he uses me. “It will have to do.” So long as my family buys it, then I’ll be content.
As we near the front door, Arlo hesitates. “Wait. We should hold hands.”
