Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) - Juliette Cross Page 0,96

to that other than, “Thank you.”

The tension stretched into something heavy. But I couldn’t spin away from the thoughts of my origins while she traced the intricate mandala covering my shoulder, bicep, and part of my back.

“Why did you get this?”

“Because it’s pretty,” I teased.

Her gaze shifted from the tattoo to me. She laughed. “Really?”

“That…” I tapped her nose, then traced my finger up one cheekbone and down her jaw, drawing the sharper edges that shaped her lovely face. “And the circle represents the universe. A deeper connection to self and the world at large.” I finished tracing her lips and dropped my hand, fixating on her mouth.

“Devraj, the deep thinker? I don’t know if I believe that.”

I tossed my head back on a deep laugh before responding to her bright smile. “It doesn’t fit your perception of me?”

“Not at all.”

Then she leaned forward and pressed the sweetest, softest kiss to my lips. “I better go,” she murmured, not pulling away.

“Not just yet,” I begged, a nip of her bottom lip. “Stay.”

“Maybe just a little longer.”

I rolled her underneath me. “Just a little longer.”

As I kissed her, savoring the feel of her plush lips moving against mine, the softness of her lithe body opening beneath me, I realized I would have never met her if I’d lived out my life as a human and never suffered those early days as a vampire. I couldn’t help but hear the ancient one’s words ringing over and over again in my head.

One day, you will thank me.

Chapter 25

~DEVRAJ~

“Saturday feels too far away.” Ruben stood beneath the awning of his bookstore entrance, hands casually in his pockets. “But we’re all set.”

“And your grims are tuned into the full plan?” I asked.

“They’re ready. A little excited about the prospect of catching the culprits actually.”

“As long as there are no glitches in their tracking software, they can be the ones to put the cuffs on for all I care.”

“They might take you up on that.” He grinned.

My next thought vanished when I saw a swish of sun-gold hair and long, tanned legs traipsing across Magazine, heading in the opposite direction. She was wearing another one of those light, airy dresses that barely touched her body, hiding the slight curves beneath that made my mouth water.

Ruben snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “Hello? Anyone in there?”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve been speaking to you, but apparently you didn’t hear a word I said.” He followed my gaze over his shoulder. “So you’ve got it pretty bad.”

He honestly had no idea.

“Have a good day, Ruben.” I patted him on the shoulder and walked briskly past him.

“I thought you were going to have lunch with me,” he called out, laughter in his voice.

“Raincheck.”

Then I picked up the pace, following her down Magazine and right onto Pleasant Street.

Bloody hell, I really was a stalker, wasn’t I? This was a terrible revelation. I was reduced to being the creepy guy. Unless I caught up to her like a normal friend to find out where she was going.

I might’ve been just a little paranoid that she was off on another date, the very thought stabbing me with a claymore-sized sword of envy. No. She wouldn’t do that. Not after last night, I was sure of it. Still, we hadn’t discussed whether or not we were exclusive. I needed exclusivity. Quite a bit more than that if I were honest.

I jogged ahead to catch up. “Isadora!”

She paused in front of a thrift shop, the windows painted with sunflowers. When she turned, her beaming smile nearly made me trip. I was finding it more and more difficult to play it cool where she was concerned. Since when had a woman’s smile made me breathless and giddy?

“Hi,” I said when I’d caught up to her.

“Hi,” she returned brightly. “What are you doing out here?”

“Following you.”

Her brows shot up. “What?”

Grinning, I tugged on a wild lock of her hair. “I was talking with Ruben at his bookstore and saw you heading this way.” Forcing indifference into my voice, I asked, “So where are you headed?”

She smiled and marched on. “I have an appointment with someone.”

“An appointment? So, not a date then?”

Her laughter filled my chest with an infectious joy. I couldn’t help but smile even though I still wasn’t quite sure if she were off to meet some guy.

“Not really,” she finally said. “Though he is awfully cute. The sweetest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.” Then she glanced at me and said in a low voice, “Well,