one of yours.” What did she consider a good memory?
“This moment, right here, right now, with you.” A light red stained her cheeks, and she glanced away.
Taken aback, he inhaled sharply, his chest expanding. She considered him a good memory. He’d never been anyone’s good anything before.
Lie or truth?
The intensity was too much, so he rolled out of bed and dragged on his pants before hunting up a clean shirt. “I’m going to make something to eat.”
“Sure. Sounds good.”
Fuck, he was doing it again, retreating like some coward. He went back to where she was still sitting and caught her chin in his hand. “I never had anything good before.” Not like this.
She nodded her acceptance, not asking for anything in return. Her bravery astounded him, even as he swallowed his ire to keep from yelling at her to have some sense of self-preservation.
“Until now.” His voice was rough, the words forced past his lips, and he was frowning. Most people would run from him.
She simply met his gaze and gave him a small smile.
Dropping his hand, he walked away. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” He needed some distance, some space to start repairing his defenses. They’d stood impenetrable for years and were now crumbling at the edges.
…
What had just happened?
Sex with Maccus was beyond anything she could imagine, and she had quite a vivid imagination. As though unable to slake his desire for her, he’d taken her again and again, in every position possible, and even in a couple she’d never envisioned. If she were human, she wouldn’t be able to walk for a week without limping. But she was stronger. Her muscles were a bit stiff, but overall, she was energized rather than tired.
She climbed out of bed and raised her arms over her head. Bending forward, she stretched. A hot shower would help loosen her up and soothe any soreness. It didn’t take her long to clean up and get dressed. She had no idea what hour of day or night it was. Being with Maccus overwhelmed all else, but that couldn’t last.
They couldn’t hide in his apartment forever. Lucifer or Gabriel would eventually find a way in or force them out. And every time they stepped outside, they were met with a new challenge.
Yeah, challenge. Talk about an understatement. She gave a short snort of laughter as she yanked on another T-shirt, she borrowed from Maccus. It was way too big, but she knotted the tail at her side.
The life-giving scent of coffee lured her to the kitchen. Eggs and bacon sizzled in large pans on the stove. Pure heaven. It didn’t seem to matter the species; the male go-to was either breakfast or steak on a grill.
“Can I help?”
“There’s coffee,” he told her, keeping his back to her.
Not exactly the warm and loving aftermath she wished for, but she couldn’t complain. Having him share a memory with her was huge. They’d actually talked. That was no small thing.
The silence remained until they were seated at the table and had almost finished their meal. “Tell me something else?” The deep rumble of his voice startled her.
She set her fork down and picked up her mug and took a fortifying sip. “I like music.” When he simply stared at her and frowned, she managed to swallow a smile. He managed to get across his point without saying a word.
“I like music of all kinds. Not a particular genre. Depends on my mood. Classic rock is, well, classic. I enjoy Motown, metal, even some disco. Not so much rap or hip hop.”
“Classical?”
She put her mug down and spun it around. “Never really listened to it. You?” she asked, not expecting him to answer.
He sat back in his chair with a faraway gaze, as though he was somewhere in the past rather than with her. “Mozart was remarkable.”
“The Mozart?” These kinds of tidbits brought into sharp focus just how old he was.
“Yes.”
“Did you see all the great composers?” Her education had been