He tilted his head in that puppy-like gesture I found so endearing. “Uh, last spring. I met a dude on a dating app and we went out for a month. Why?”
So, it’d been over a year. That seemed to be a long time for a young man like Chase to be single. Not that I was any expert on that, never having dated at all.
“What happened?” I asked sharply.
He raised a brow. “I dumped him because he was a transphobic asshole to my best friend.”
My heart fluttered. There it was again. Chase’s righteous kindness.
“Lily, right?” I asked.
He nodded. “She was at the party the night we met. Actually, she was the one who told me there was a hot stranger walking around Jared’s house, so obviously, I had to go check you out.”
Hot?
“I’m glad she did,” I said, cheeks flushing at the compliment. “I’m glad I met you, despite the circumstances that night.”
Chase raised his face to the sky as if listening for something I couldn’t hear. And apparently, neither could he.
“By the way, Faust’s been AWOL since we went shopping.”
My hopes soared. “That’s great news.”
“I wonder why he hates dildos so much,” Chase mused.
I snorted. “I don’t know, but I’m not complaining. That was a simple fix.”
Chase returned his gaze to me. Hesitation laced his voice as he asked, “So what happens now that your job’s done? You said you’d stay with me for a week, but...”
My heart skittered. He sounded like he didn’t want me to leave. And I didn’t want to. Privately, I felt like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum—if anyone dragged me back to the temple, I’d go kicking and screaming. But on the outside, I put on my practiced professional facade.
“I’m owed a week of your time, and I intend to use it to its fullest.” With a smirk, I added, “Besides, it’s best if I keep an eye on you to ensure the demon doesn’t return when we’re least expecting it.”
Chase grinned, beaming like a ray of sunshine. “Works for me.”
His smile made my insides feel fuzzy. I felt like I’d walked into a scene from a movie. This wasn’t the life I knew, and I certainly hadn’t predicted this turn of events, but I liked it.
After a moment of quiet, I realized we were still pressed against each other. Chase didn’t complain and he had more experience with relationships than I did, so I took it as a sign to remain there. But that highlighted a new problem.
I was slightly hard. So was Chase. This had spiralled from a naughty stolen moment to an awkward, socially inappropriate scenario.
“We should probably head back,” I suggested.
“Yeah.” He bit his lip. “Although, it would be fun to—”
He yelped and sprang forward as the garage door suddenly shuddered open. Quickly snatching our bag of sex toys, we bolted from the alley back onto the main street, laughing all the while.
Happiness suffused my body, like a bottle of pure joy had been spilled within me. I felt high on life. Suddenly the air smelled sweeter and the setting sun’s slanting rays against the buildings looked more brilliant than ever.
“Hey,” Chase said, eyes bright. “Do you wanna grab dinner and go home?”
A fist squeezed my heart. It was his home, not mine, but the invitation tugged at my core. It felt good to be included. It felt good that he wanted me there with him.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to cook?” I asked.
A mischievous gleam flashed across his face. “I’m sure.”
His tone implied he had other plans for me.
