She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her coat. She smiled and opened the door.
Her face fell.
Val cocked an eyebrow at her and looked her up and down. "Going somewhere?"
Elle sighed. "To dinner."
Val leaned against the doorjamb. "Anyone I know?"
Elle rolled her eyes. They’d avoided talking all day during their shift. Val had seen her with Thor the night before, but had managed not to corner Elle about it until that moment.
"Have you told him?"
Elle bit her lip.
Val nodded. "So, he isn't aware your mother and I were kidnapped after Ragnarök and taken to Muspelheim as your father's prisoners. And you are the daughter of the beast who rained destruction down on his entire existence."
"Why are you trying to ruin this for me?"
Val's eyes softened. "I'm trying to protect you, like always. What do you think is going to happen when he finds out? Especially when he realizes that not only are you the daughter of Surtr, but also that you kept it from him."
"You told me not to tell him," she insisted.
"To keep you safe. But now…"
"What does it matter?" Elle yelled. "Everyone else knows."
Val’s expression hardened. "But not everyone else wants your entire race wiped out."
Elle groaned. "Perhaps he won't care."
Val nodded. "If you truly believe that, then tell him. Tell him who you are."
Elle swallowed hard, and the stairs creaked as Thor's shaggy head appeared at the end of the hallway.
He stopped at the sight of her and smiled.
She smiled back.
"I should go," she said to Val.
Val nodded, and Elle shut the door behind herself. Val didn't move, so Elle walked around her and down the hall to Thor.
"Wow," he said. "And I didn't think you could be more stunning."
Elle's cheeks flushed. "You look great, too." And she meant it. He'd traded in his T-shirt for a black fitted button-up. Black slacks replaced his usual jeans and cut to his slim waist and rather sexy round rear. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought him a professional male model.
He held out his hand to her, and she took it, the familiar warmth traveling up her arm at his touch.
As they started down the stairs, Elle peeked over her shoulder to find Val hadn’t moved as she watched them go.
"How did you bring this up to Midgard?" Elle asked.
"Through the portal," he said.
Thor chuckled, grabbed a helmet off the back of his bike, and strapped it to her head before putting on his own helmet. He tried not to stare at Elle in the beautiful green blouse that made her eyes shine, and her freckles stand out against her peachy skin. Her beautiful curls cascaded down her back, and he felt bad she had to put a helmet on. He should have thought of that. But… he’d never ridden one of his bikes with a female before.
Elle looked over the motorcycle. "Frigg let you bring it into the pub?"
