I tip my head back against the couch cushion and really look at her. The fire carves her face into sharp planes and soft shadows, turning her into something mythic. Something I shouldn't want so badly.
But I can't stop looking at her.
"Just one," I murmur. "I'll trade you."
She picks at a loose thread on the blanket. "Fine. One."
She makes me wait.
"I hate my middle name."
A laugh slips out of me. "Fuck right off, Red. That's not good enough."
"Sure it is. You would agree if you knew what it was."
I sigh, playing along. "Fine, I'll bite. What is it?"
"Nope. That's two questions. It's your turn."
I don't know why I say it. "Sometimes I think about quitting."
Her lips part. She's shocked.
I turn and stare into the fire. "Just…walking away. No more contracts. No more names. No more bodies. Find somewhere no one knows me. Change my face. My name. Grow old and complain about my knees."
"Where?" Her voice gentles, like she knows that kind of need too well.
I shrug. "Don't know. Somewhere with shitty reception and good coffee."
"You'd get bored."
I huff a low laugh. "Maybe. Probably."
The fire crackles as we sit there, letting the fantasy hang between us like a tease.
"You should keep your name," she says after a beat.
I glance over at her. "What?"
"It's you. Even if you walk away from everything, Tristan is the part that doesn't change. Besides, it's a great name."
I glance at her, unable to hide my smile. "You think so?"
"Yes."
I reach out, offering her the bottle. Our fingers brush, and heat slams through me so hard I nearly pull back. But she feels it too, grabbing the bottle like she needs something to hold onto, tipping it back and swallowing hard.
"Your turn again. Middle name. I want to hear it this time."
"You're very persistent," Keira groans.
"Occupational hazard."
"I'll give you a hint." She lets out a slow breath. "My mother was obsessed with saints. She gave me a name I couldn't grow into, then abandoned me and kept the god."
I frown. "That's not…an answer."
She takes another swig, hiding her smile. "You're smart. I'm sure you'll figure it out."
