My cheeks heated, and I gave him a sheepish smile.
“Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“About what?” he insisted, helping me into my seat before sitting at the head of the table next to me.
I hesitated before deciding to just be honest. “I was thinking about you… about us.”
It was his turn to tense. “What about us?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.
I shrugged, unsure what to reply.
He frowned. “That’s not an answer.”
I made a face at him before begrudgingly confessing. “I like you.”
“You say it like it’s a problem,” he said, confused.
“Because it is,” I admitted with an apologetic expression.
He slightly recoiled. “Why would that be a problem? The opposite would make sense.”
I sighed. “Because it would be foolish for me to grow too attached. It will make it harder when it’s time for me to leave.”
He stared at me for a few seconds with an unreadable expression. And then he snorted dismissively before starting to put some of the food from the feast on the table into my plate.
“Who says I will let you leave?” Lyall asked in a conversational tone.
I burst out laughing. “Isay you will let me leave. You wouldn’t hold a woman against her will. If nothing else, the one thing I know for sure is that consent is extremely important to you.”
To my surprise, his face closed off. A cold shiver ran down my spine. It was as if a door had been slammed in my face.
“Do you want to go back to the guest room then?” he asked in a neutral voice.
“No!” I exclaimed a bit too eagerly.
“Then what are you saying?” Lyall asked, sounding a little irritated.
“I merely answered the question you asked. The fact is that I’m reflecting on our situation.”
“Why do you need to reflect? Are you already tired of me?” he asked, his face still devoid of any expression.
I frowned and gave him a look that was both confused and annoyed. “Why are you so intense? I told you I’m just thinking. You pressured me to share my thoughts before I was ready, and now you’re making a bunch of assumptions and being displeased that I don’t have the clear answers you want?”
I instantly felt bad for the sliver of hurt that flashed through his red eyes before he lowered his gaze.
“Look,” I said in a conciliatory tone. “I just found you incredibly attractive once you turned back into your normal form. As we’re both consenting adults, I figured there would be no harm in indulging in our mutual desires. But I’m developing a serious crush on you. And I’m not the type of woman to crush on anyone. It scares me.”
His eyes flicked back up to mine, growing more intense with each word as he studied my features.
“Would it be so bad if whatever is happening between us became more permanent?” Lyall asked in a soft and careful voice.
“Yes!” I exclaimed as if it was self-evident.
That took him aback.
“Why?” he asked. This time he didn’t appear hurt but genuinely confused.
“Because I’m an Inquisitor!” I replied in the same obvious tone. “Once this mission is complete, I will leave and go back to the Curia.”
