12
THE WORKAHOLICS STILL CAN'T TAKE A BREAK
Davarox
Davarox packed up the last of the spiced biscuits, arranging his satchel so the box wouldn’t get smashed on the walk home and be ruined for his date night with Rosalind. Then turned to the stack of charmed boxes that were piling up in the back room and began counting.
Again.
Thirty-three, just like the last time he counted. And the time before that. That stack was for sweet, that was for savory, that was for their best-selling bronzeberry scones. Everything was on schedule, each with the appropriate rune cast by Lazerath to keep them fresh until the fundraiser.
“Rose?” Davarox called, pulling out his notes as he sat. He heard her hop off the stool where she’d been working thatafternoon, then said when he saw her in his periphery, “The cart is still coming midday, correct?”
To his surprise, she leaned against his side, taking the clipboard she’d kept from Salgoron of Salgoron’s Goods and humming. “Yes. I confirmed and paid this morning. Mozke knows the driver and said it won’t be a second late.”
“Mozke threatened them.”
“Probably. They said I should stop asking questions I didn’t really want the answer to. The rest of this looks good.” Rosalind turned to look at him, a nervous smile tipping her lips. “Will you check my floor plan? I think I’m finished, but I want to make sure.”
He nodded, definitely watching her ass as she hurried back to the counter and her work. He’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t nervous for tonight, but not in the same jittery way Laz had been. These nerves were more personal.
And maybe part of it was knowing what had happened ontheirdate.
Nothing was a secret when it came to Laz’s life. When he’d proudly burst through the back door the following morning and announced he knew what it was like to come inside Rose, Dav had been tempted to kick Laz out and bend her over the counter himself.
Rose’s eyes had gone wide at the hardness growing in his pants, but Laz had only smirked and said to her, “Told you.”
Davarox wasn’t jealous, though. Not in the slightest. The only thing that ate at him as he listened to their perfect date night—plus the explanation of chocolate cravings that madehim feel increasingly helpless that he’d not been able to care for her as well—was that…
Theywere perfect. Perfect for each other in every way. They could go out to Laz’s favorite rooftop restaurant, surrounded by people, and not feel the pressure of all eyes on them. He could talk and make her laugh. She could ease his fears and comfort him in ways Davarox never could.
Dav had to havesomethingto contribute… right?
At least he knew that if he ruined tonight, Laz would have someone who cared for him. Who would look out for him and love him out loud, not from the shadows, like a coward.
“Hey,” a soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. He blinked to find Rosalind standing next to him again, a pinch in her brow. “You okay?”
Davarox tried to give her a reassuring smile. “Sure. Just have that song stuck in my head again.”
Rose leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “The recipe one Laz was humming earlier?”
This time, his smile was real. “I think that much sugar would actually kill a demon.”
“Sugar?” she squeaked, holding in a laugh. “There arevegetablesin it, Dav. Desserts should not have vegetables.”
“Well, that sure puts a damper on my date plans tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, shit?—”
“I’m kidding, Rose. I’ve got your favorites.”
She shoved lightly at his chest, but he snagged her hand, wrapping his tail around her hips to pull heronto his lap. Rose sucked in a breath as she landed on his leg, the color in her eyes nearly encompassed with black.
Dav’s smile almost hurt as he took the paper from her, setting it aside more slowly and deliberately than was necessary just so he could tease his nose along her jaw.
“Fear not,” he murmured, peppering kisses to her throat. “I have much more delicious ideas after dessert tonight.”
Rose’s skin was a bright shade of pink now, breaths coming in rapid pants as she lifted her chin to give him better access. But there was no mistaking the shift of her hips as she pressed her center to his thigh. “Oh?”
