Damn. Being this so-called descendant of the Watchers was a pain in the ass.
A cold shower later, dressed in a black pantsuit and heeled boots, Nia pulled her hair into a smooth chignon and fastened it. Thankfully, the heat within had subsided a bit. She grabbed her cell and coat and paused, her belly churning at the thought of seeing Lore again.
With a deep inhale, she made her way downstairs.
Lore stood at the tall windows, staring outside, his deep red hair tied into a ponytail. What surprised her was he actually wore a suit.
He turned. No tie, just an open collar. Black on black did look good on him.
Nia was dead sure he didn’t mean to, but his gaze did a slow up and down of her in the way a man would give a woman he wanted. Her foolish heart leaped.
“Stop it.” She hardened her expression. “I’m just a human you’re guarding, remember?”
His gaze lifted to hers. “Then why can’t I remember that whenever I see you?”
Her jaw slackened, his comment shocking her. “What? Wait, you think this is my fault?”
“No,” he muttered, tone edged with frustration.
That made both of them.
At least he hadn’t thrown it in her face that she’d started all this by kissing him first.
“I don’t know what you want from me, Lore. I don’t want to play this guessing game.” She set her phone on the kitchen counter, pulled on her long coat, and glanced at him. “Look, I have to go to my grandmother’s funeral. You don’t have to come. Saia’s brothers will be there. They’ll keep me safe. Stay here so you don’t have to spend any more time with me than necessary.”
“You are under my care.” There was no give in his flat tone, but a tic worked his jaw.
Christ, she was so damn tired of hearing that.
With shaky hands, she tied her coat belt and grabbed her cell. He opened the patio door and waited.
Wonderful. Travelhisway and be close to him again.
With no energy to fight him over this, she headed for the door, feeling his dark stare like a visceral touch as she passed him. As she stepped out into the chilly, overcast day, the door shut. He came up behind her, and that impression of a cool breeze and wide-open spaces—of the infinite—surrounded her, cementing precisely what he was.
As if she needed the reminder.
“Where to?” he asked, his expression back to impassive.
Without a word, she unlocked her cell, Googled, and found the cemetery so he could visualize the place.
He stepped closer and angled his head as he studied the map with the thumbnail picture of the graveyard, then tapped on the image. His warm presence made her yearn to lean into him, seek comfort. But that wasn’t going to happen. Lore didn’t do comfort, didn’t do emotions at all. And being so close to him created an almost unbearable strain, trying to keep her composure.
He held out his hand.
She clenched hers.
“That’s futile when I have to touch you to flash us,” he rasped, and gripped her hand.
With a slight tug, he drew her to him, and a charge like that of electricity grazed her skin at their contact.
The backyard disappeared in a swirl of green trees and terracotta pots as he dematerialized them. They reappeared in a secluded corner behind a tall vault in a cemetery sporting fanciful tombs, headstones, and crypts. Nan had a crypt andwould be laid to rest next to Grandpa, who had died long before Nia was born.
The dank, chilly afternoon did little to cool the constant heat within her. With a shaky breath, she stepped out from behind the vault and made her way toward the family crypt.
Nan’s friends didn’t bother concealing their cold stares as she passed, but their eyes widened at seeing Lore at her side as if they hadn’t expected someone like him with her.
In no state of mind to deal with their disdain, Nia kept her focus on the people gathering farther down.
