I looked at the walnut again.Better to disappear.
There was no walnut on the table.
Gabriel smiled, reached out—and rolled an invisible nut across the wood with a lightly scraping sound.
It wasthere—my gaze sliding right over it the way it did something unremarkable. Something not worth seeing.
Something invisible.
He held my gaze with a long, steady look that contained something I couldn’t quite name, then he snapped his fingers and the walnut appeared.
And I didn’t think aboutmovingit. Didn’t picture it rolling—didn’t push thought toward it. I just felt it—the weight of it, the way it rested against the wood. I whispered something quieter than a thought—something more like a suggestion.Better to move.
The lumpy shell rolled.
One inch. Maybe two. Enough to catch the light differently, to come to rest against the edge of my wine glass with a faint, dry click.
I stared at it. My breath came faster, higher up my chest.Lift. The walnut did. “Yes.”
Gabriel picked up the bottle and poured me another glass of the ambervale.
Desire surged, seeking escape. “Where are we going tonight? You didn’t answer earlier.”
“Going? Nowhere tonight.”
“Oh.” The walnut clattered to the wood.
He swirled his glass, watching me beneath dark lashes. “Are you disappointed that we won’t be furthering your brother’s case or that you won’t get to kiss me?”
I swallowed and swirled my own. “That we won’t be furthering my brother’s case. Don’t be silly.”
“You realize you can kiss me anytime.”
I swirled faster. “Don’t be silly.”
“Don’t be coy.”
“Why would I kiss you? Why would you want that?”
“You don’t find it pleasurable?”
“Yes. No!” Like a child’s string, tied in knots and being pulled willy-nilly.
“You have me confused. Which is it?”
“Kissing is fine. Not too wet or slimy.”
“Mmm. Sometimes wet is excellent. Slimy, though, I’ll give you that. I’m happy that our kisses haven’t been too slimy for you.”
My cheeks grew hot, both at the subject and gentle teasing—and still flush with the success I didn’t know how to process. “But they are only for show. For getting the information we need. For helping Kennen.”
“I see. So you are only interested in kissing me to help Kennen? Is that why you are so keen to go out? Because you can only kiss me if it’s in the line of furthering the case?”
“Yes! No! I just think we need more information.”
“We’ve been to the White Stag three nights this week. They are going to start thinking us regulars. And Dresden is no doubt well aware of our presence. I’m sure he has more than one informant in the pub.”
“We can go elsewhere.”
