It was sad that she thought he was kidding. Or maybe drunk. The latter was a definite. It was his natural state of being.
Still, he’d summoned her for a reason.
“There’s something I want to show you.”
She arched her brow. “And that is?”
Getting up, he set his drink and book aside, then used his powers to manifest a blindfold. “You trust me?”
“Always.”
“Then turn around.”
Putting her fists up against her shoulders, she flounced about, giving him her back.
Gah, she was adorable. Smiling, Thorn placed the blindfold over her eyes, then teleported them into a new room. One Simi had never seen before because he’d never had any use for it.
Now …
“Remember, Thorny, akri is vicious.”
He smiled at the threat. “So are you, my lady.” Thorn stepped away, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. “Open your eyes.”
Giggling, Simi pulled off the blindfold. The moment she opened her eyes, she instantly sobered and gasped as she saw the room he’d made for her, alone.
“Oh, Thorny!”
Sheepish, he looked at the theater room he’d made, complete with a popcorn machine and a small fridge that held an assortment of hot and barbecue sauces he knew she loved. “You like it?”
She walked over to the dark brown wallpaper that was covered with Art Deco monkeys. “It’s amazing!”
Thorn went to the dark red Bombay chest where he had two sets of glasses charging. “It even has 3D.” Because he loved to watch her try to reach out and touch things whenever they saw 3D movies together.
Letting out an adorable squeal, she rushed to him and took a pair. “Can we watch something now?”
“Absolutely.” Thorn opened the cabinet in the wall. He’d stocked it full of Simi’s favorites. “What’s your pleasure, my lady demon?”
Eyes wide, she started picking through the DVDs. “Oooo! The Simi is so happy! We have our own theater now! No more people walking through my movie and making the Simi want to eat their heads!”
“I’m surprised Acheron hasn’t given you one.”
Simi shrugged. “We gots a gigantus screen. But not the comfy chairs. Akri likes his throne too much.” She handed him a DVD of the Sound of Music.”
Thorn groaned in pain over her choise. “Seriously? I do this for you and you torture me? Why?”
Lifting herself up on her toes, she kissed his cheek. “It not torture, Thorny. The hills are alive.”
He laughed as she flounced over to a recliner and put her feet up.
Why do I adore her?
No, he realized as he put the DVD in. He didn’t adore her …
He loved her.
Shock froze him to the spot as he realized a truth that burned him to his soul. He loved Simi.
Not as a friend.
