Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,13
pretty basic—this level was a long room divided by the open wooden staircase. In the front half there was an old-fashioned fireplace, around which sat a C-shaped, hugely comfortable leather sofa. The TV—a monster of a thing—was tucked into the corner between the fireplace and the glass wall. The kitchen–diner lay on the other side of the staircase, and there were now a lot more kitchen utensils and cooking paraphernalia in the drawers and on the benches than there had been before I’d moved in. It was the only real alteration I’d made to the place. However much Aiden might deny it, we both knew I was only a temporary rather than a permanent resident in his home and, as such, I didn’t feel it was right to redecorate. But long term or short, there was no way known I was going to put up with the meager scraps he laughingly called his cooking and baking ware.
The fire had gone out over the course of the day, but warmth still lingered in the big room. He walked across to the stairs and carried me up. There were two bedrooms up here, each with their own en suite. Ours was the one with the long view over the water and a balcony on which to sit. Or, on the odd occasion, do something far more exciting—not that there’d be much of that going on now that winter was almost upon us.
“Shower or bed?” he said, pausing in the middle of the room.
“I believe a shower might be in order.”
“I believe you’re right.”
I lightly slapped the muscular arm holding me so tenderly. “I’m not the only one who smells right now, Ranger.”
“Yes, but mine is good honest sweat. Yours is mingled with blood and pain.”
“I didn’t know pain had a smell.”
“Then now you do.” He placed me down carefully, but kept hold of my arm until I was balanced. My feet immediately started their protests again, and though I managed to curtail the instinctive gasp of pain, he obviously sensed it. “Will you be all right? Or do you want some help to undress and shower?”
“Go do what you have to do.” I leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. “I’ll be fine.”
“You keep making that statement. One of these days, I might actually believe you.” He cupped my cheek, his smile sweet and eyes full of gentle amusement. “I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, so don’t wait up for me.”
“I don’t think I could even if I wanted to.”
Concern flickered through his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He simply brushed a gentle kiss across my lips, then turned and left. I waited until his truck had reversed out and sped away, then slowly stripped off. In the bathroom’s bright light, my feet looked even worse than they felt. Aside from the multiple minor cuts and bruises, there was a deep puncture wound in my right heel and a colorful bruise forming around the arch of my left foot. Unless Katie’s werewolf capacity to fast heal made an unexpected overnight appearance, there was no way I’d be able to waitress tomorrow. I dragged out my phone and made a call to Celia—who was the niece of our regular waitress, Penny, and who now worked a permanent three days a week for us—to ask if she could fill in for me tomorrow.
With that done, I turned on the water and stepped in, letting the steaming heat wash away at least some of the aches and pain. It didn’t do a lot for my feet, however. I rubbed antiseptic all over them, pulled on some socks to stop said antiseptic getting all over the sheets, then climbed into bed. I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Aiden wasn’t beside me when I woke the next morning, though the dent in the pillow suggested he’d at least made it home last night. I stretched to ease the muscle kinks, winced as my feet protested the movement, and then grabbed my phone to check the time. It was barely six, which surprised me. Given the toll using the wild magic generally took on my strength, I’d been expecting to sleep much later.
I tentatively reached out for Belle, but was stopped by a soft barrier of magic. It meant she was in her room and still asleep. I’d placed a ton of spells around both bedrooms when we’d first moved in—not so much to keep evil out, but to give her