We reach the school's athletic center and I turn to wave goodbye.
"See you around, Deacon," I tell him, but before I can move for the doors, he clasps my hand with his and tugs just enough to stop me.
“Okay, can you not do that?” I ask.
He drops my hand immediately, lifting his own in a show of surrender. “My bad. I just …”
“I’m a shifter.” I tell him and his brows furrow together.
“Yeah. I picked up on that.”
“Okay then you know your rings hurt like a bitch every time you touch me and what, you just don’t care?”
His eyes widen in surprise and he looks down at his hands. “What?”
“They’re silver.”
He nods. “Yeah. Silver holds magic better than most metals, it—”
“Poisons shifters. See.” I hold my arm out, showing him the black spots dotting my forearm and wrist.
He curses. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I shrug, the beast in me satisfied in the knowledge that it wasn’t intentional. “It’s fine just, if you’re wearing those,” I indicate the rings on his hands, “don’t touch me, okay?”
He nods, adopting a sheepish expression. “I won’t.”
Good. With that settled I turn to leave, but his voice stops me. “I’m glad we ran into each other today. Literally and figuratively.” A slow smile spreads across his face. “You’re not like other girls, Meiying. It’s refreshing.”
Oh.
“Thanks. I, uh, I’m glad we ran into each other too.”
“Yeah?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah. You’re not that bad, but don’t let it go to your head. I've only agreed to coffee," I remind him, and the next thing I know, he closes the distance between us, reclaiming my hand with his ringless hand as he brings it to his mouth, gently pressing his lips to my knuckles.
His eyes flick up, holding my gaze, and a small smile plays on his lips before he straightens and takes a step back. “See you around,friend.”
“Yep.” I turn and make a beeline for the doors, not sure what to think of that, when for the second time today I crash into another warm body, this time hard enough that I stumble back a few steps and only my cat-like reflexes keep me from falling. That is, until a certain asshole reaches out to steady me. His familiar scent wraps around me, catching me off guard and I mentally freak out, jerk away, and crash to the ground, landing on my butt anyways.
“Seriously!”
A warm chuckle has me looking up to find Desmond’s amused stare locked on me. Not who I wanted to run into right now.
86
Meiying
“Ithought cats were supposed to land on their feet?” he said, peering down at me like the brooding asshole I know him to be. My fingers curl into fists against the unforgiving ground and open my mouth to snap at him for being a jerk and letting me fall, because I know he did it on purpose. Desmond’s reflexes are lightning fast, thanks to his wolf, so there is zero doubt in my mind he could have caught me if he’d wanted to. But before I snap at him, his gaze shifts past me to the doors, a frown marring his face and a flash of anger ignites in his eyes. His wolf damn near glowing in his gaze.
I turn, but no one is there. I wonder briefly if he saw me talking to Deacon. And if he did, does he care? Probably not. But then where is the anger coming from? And it’s anger alright. The scent of his furry rolls off him, heady and thick in the air.
I shove myself to my feet, dusting my hands on the back of my jeans. “Ha Ha. Aren’t you hilarious,” I deadpan.
His attention turns back to me. “Why were you walking with Hunt?” he asks, his gaze probing, like he’ll find the answer in my expression alone.
“Who?”
