He tilts his head, surprised. And fuck! I really shouldn’t notice how cute he looks when he does that.
“You have?”
I nod. “Employees are using the side door. We’re rolling the bikes in and out when possible.” I grunt. “Even added alittle sign.Please respect our neighbors.” I look him in the eye. “That’s you.”
For a second, we stand like that, eyes locked. Time seems to freeze. I feel my heart beating, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking. Does he loathe me as much as he seemed to last week? Is anything shifting in him after our encounter?
“Did you make these changes because of what happened last weekend?” he asks carefully.
“No,” I answer, sharper than I intended because I don’t want him to think that I’m confused, reading more into our hookup than it actually meant. Although now I’m staring at his lips, I realize, and how soft they look. “I made the changes before the con.”
“Okay,” he says, still slightly on edge. “Well, I’m glad you’re willing to meet us halfway. I’ll make sure to tell the rest of the block.”
“And I’ll make sure to deliver this letter to Chase.”
He nods. “There are a few phone numbers. If you’d like to meet with some of us to talk things through, we can be available.”
“Got it.”
Finn nods confidently. “Great,” he says.
“Great,” I agree.
An awkward moment passes, and he smooths down the front of his shirt. “I’ll let you get back to work. Enjoy your day, Riley.”
“Sure, Finn.”
He exits, and I sit back down with a huff.
That was painful in ways I don’t fully understand. But at least it didn’t break down into a verbal brawl this time.
I look over the letter again. Some of the requests are common sense, reforms that I’ve already put in place. A good number are illogical, ideas that won’t work for the garage. We’ll never be able to give them the quiet street they used to enjoy, but this is a placefor compromise. It’s a starting point for better relations, which is what we all need.
Maybe that unexpected hookup even worked to defuse some of the tension between me and Finn. I’m still admittedly horny for the guy, but he’s probably moved on from me, realized what a bad idea I am after all.
Better this way for everyone, I decide.
The fae prince and the half-vampire can be enemies-turned-lovers. Finn and I don’t need all that nonsense.
