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“Oh, well, in that case I love it.” I turned to face Dom, unable to hide my enthusiasm. “It’s, like, my dream apartment. Not to mention the location.” I did a chef’s kiss, then spun around to take in more of the adorable little space.
It was a studio, so I could pretty much see the whole thing from my vantage point at the door, but it was quite spacious considering. It’d clearly been staged to look appealing, but it’d been staged well.
A cute daybed sat in one corner, sandwiched between two enormous bookshelves that looked cozy against the brick wall. Exposed beams and piping were overhead, leading me to think this had been an older building that had been recently converted and modernized to accommodate fresh, modern apartments.
The room flowed naturally toward a kitchen that was separated from the rest of the space by a bar height counter. Little pops of fake greenery matched the airy feel. A door to a bathroom was on the opposite side of the room. Large picture windows allowed enough light to flow in to keep all my plants happy and thriving.
“It’s just so cozy. I mean, can’t you just see yourself snuggled up in bed reading a book on a snowy morning?” I headed over to where massive windows let in a stream of sunlight. “Or lying in bed on a Saturday, a fresh summer breeze filtering in, cup of coffee in hand? Not to mention all the food you could need just steps away at the market downstairs.” I gestured toward a small end table before a big window. I waggled my eyebrows at Dom. “My golden dragon fruit would love this splash of sunlight.”
“I see.”
“What’s not to like?” I mused. “I mean, I guess it’d help to know stuff like how much it rents for these days. And you’d want to know the cost of utilities obviously. Not to mention the parking situation for people who want to bring a car, stuff like that.”
“Obviously,” Dom said, as if he hadn’t intended to ask any of those questions.
“But assuming that stuff is all standard, and I had the funds, I’d totally take this place.”
“Good to know. Well, then, I think we’re done here.”
“Don’t you want to check out the other rooms?”
“I’ve seen plenty.” Dom paused at the door. “Unless you want to see more?”
“I don’t think it would change my opinion.” I spread my arms wide. “Beautiful, if you can afford it.”
“What if I said you could afford this place?” Dom wondered aloud.
I glanced at him, understanding the suggestion, knowing it was something I wouldn’t ever allow. I couldn’t.
Unfortunately, the balloon that was surrounding us, keeping us in a happy little cocoon, deflated a bit—just the tiniest amount, a small leak reminding me that time was still ticking. That we were two people from vastly different lifestyles. And no matter how much I cared for him, sometimes, that just wasn’t enough.
Chapter 18
Dominic
“There is one thing I wanted to talk to you about,” I said, mustering the bravery to look across the center console at Trixie. “If you don’t mind.”
She’d insisted on driving when we left the apartment. I wondered if it’d had anything to do with my not-quite-offer to help her afford a new apartment. I’d seen the look in her eyes the minute I’d said it. The awful hesitation. Then I’d sensed the tiniest withdrawal from her afterward.
I took a breath. I’d been doing that more often, breathing voluntarily around Trixie. I wasn’t sure if I was doing it to put her at ease, or if it was a newly developed nervous tic, or if it was just something that made me feel a little more human in ways I hadn’t felt in decades. If maybe I wanted Trixie to see me as a living, breathing man instead of the vampire I was.
“Okay,” she said cautiously. “You can talk to me about anything, Dom. You know that.”
“Well, this isn’t exactly my business.” I glanced out the window, then back to her. “It’s about your magic.”
“My magic?” Trixie lowered her voice. “What about it?”
“I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Thanks for the offer.” Trixie shook her head. “But you’ve already done enough for me.”
“Her name’s Belinda. She’s a mixed-species potions master who is very good at her job.”
Trixie’s eyes narrowed. “Is this the woman responsible for getting me hopelessly jumbled with your reply to my hate hex?”
“The one and only,” I said with a wince. “You have to admit, she’s very talented at what she does.”
“I’ll say.”
