bitch-slap kind with his face. "I dislike you so very much."
"No. You don't."
"Okay. We need to get this trace off me.
Now."
A wicked smile played over his lips.
"Maybe we can try making out again. See what that will do to this trace. It seemed to work last time."
My body liked the idea. I, however, did not.
"Yeah, that's not going to happen again."
"It was just a suggestion."
"One that will never. Happen," I bit out each word deliberately. "Again."
"Don't act like you didn't have as much fun - "
I smacked him in the chest hard. He only laughed, and I started to push off, but... wait. I pressed my hand against his chest as I stared at him.
Daemon arched a brow. "Are you feeling me up, Kat? I'm liking where this is heading." I was - nice chest and all - but that wasn't the point. His heart beat against my palm, a strong tempo that was slightly accelerated.
Thump. Thump, thump. Thump. I placed my other hand against my own chest. Thump.
Thump, thump. Thump.
I started to feel dizzy. "Our
heartbeats...they're the same." Both of our hearts were racing now, completely synchronized. "Oh my God, how is this possible?"
Daemon started to look pale. "Oh crap." My lashes lifted. Our eyes locked. The air seemed to spark around us, filled with tension.
Oh crap, indeed.
He placed his hand over mine and squeezed.
"But it's not too bad. I mean, I'm pretty sure I morphed you into something and this whole heart thing proves we must be connected." He grinned. "Could be worse."
"What could be worse exactly?" I asked, stunned.
"Us being together." He shrugged. "It could be worse."
Part of me wasn't sure I'd heard him right.
"Wait a sec. You think we should be together because of some kind of freaky alien mojo that has connected us? But two minutes ago you were bitching about being stuck with me?"
"Yeah, well, I wasn't bitching. I was pointing out that we are stuck together. This is different...and you're attracted to me." My eyes narrowed. "I'll get back to that last statement in a second, but you want to be with me because you now feel...forced?"
"I wouldn't say forced exactly, but...but I like you."
I stared at him. It was all too easy to recall what I'd overheard when he'd healed me. Part of me had thought that maybe what he'd felt was real, but maybe it was the product of whatever the hell he'd done. That made sense considering what he was saying.
Daemon frowned. "Oh no, I know that look.
What are you thinking?"
"That this is the most ridiculous declaration of attraction I've ever heard," I said, standing.
"That is so lame, Daemon. You want to be with me because of whatever crazy stuff that had happened?" He rolled his eyes as he stood. "We like each other. We do. It's stupid that we keep denying it."
"Oh, this is coming from the dude who left me on the couch topless?" I shook my head.
"We don't like each other."
"Okay. I should probably apologize for that.
I'm sorry." Daemon took a step forward. "We were attracted to each other before I healed you.
You can't say that's not true, because I've always...been attracted to you." I took a step back. "Being attracted to me is as lame a reason to be with me as the fact we're stuck together now."
"Oh, you know it's more than that." He paused. "I knew you would be trouble from the start, from the moment you knocked on my door."
I laughed dryly. "That thought is definitely mutual, but that doesn't excuse the split personality thing you've got going on."
"Well, I was kind of hoping it did, but obviously not." He flashed a quick grin. "Kat, I know you're attracted to me. I know you like - "
"Being attracted to you isn't enough," I said.
"We get along."
I gave him a bland look.
Another flash of his teeth as his lips spread.
"Sometimes we do."
"We have nothing in common," I protested.
"We have more in common then you realize."
"Whatever."
Daemon caught a piece of my hair and wrapped it around his finger. "You know you want to."
The memory of the sweet kiss we'd shared in the field returned. Frustrated, I snatched my hair back and focused. "You don't know what I want. You have no clue. I want a guy who wants to be with me because he actually wants to be.
Not that he's forced to be out of some kind of twisted sense of responsibility."
"Kat - "
"No!" I cut him off, balling my hands into fists. Come on,