Page 36 of Buckle Up, Buttercup

I suck in a breath. “But would he do a good job? That’s the thing. And that first time a new renter walks in the door sets their expectation of how our rental relationship will be. Not to mention, he’s actually pretty freaked out about his third-level test. He’s been studying, if you can believe it.”

He sighs. “You sound just like your mother when you say that.”

“I suppose I got it from her,” I admit. She taught me most of what I know about running our business, then promptly stepped away so she and dad could spend more time renovating Tucker Ranch. That process has been going on for a very long time.

When we arrive at cottage number four-thirty-two, she waggles pale blue shutters at us.

“Hey, sweet girl,” I call out. Smiling up at Hadrian, I fish around for the keys in my pocket. “We shouldn’t need to be here too terribly long. I just need to clean up and make sure she’s feeling alright. The new family moves in next week.”

He’s silent as I open the door for him. Pressing my palm to the doorframe, I close my eyes and allow the black magic course through me. Sparks tickle my fingertips as I receive the house’s sentiment. She’s happy, healthy, doesn’t need healing of any sort. She shouldn’t, because I check on all of our buildings regularly, and with twenty-two properties around Pine Gulch, it’s a lot.

Smiling, I remove my hand and head inside, halting when I see the way Hadrian’s looking at me.

“Your magic is astonishing,” he says.

“You said that last time you saw me use it,” I tease.

“And I’m astonished anew.” He grabs the cleaning supplies. “I’ll tackle the bathroom?”

I cock my head to the side. “I…I know you offered to come do this, but for some reason, I really didn’t see you cleaning bathrooms.”

He gives me a fake shocked look. “Right? Hadrian Alkazar, star skyball player, scrubbing toilets and pulling blonde vampire hair out of the shower drain? I’ve done worse. You should have seen me fixing the septic out at the ranch.”

I tsk. “You should have called me for that!”

He shrugs and heads for the bathroom, glancing at me over his shoulder. “I like the hard work, Bluebell. I like getting my hands dirty. Maybe I should tell you a little more about how I got them dirty last night?”

I freeze as he disappears toward the bathroom, shuffling his wing tips together as he goes. He’s got his tail wrapped around his thigh, his huge beefy thigh.

Did he really just say that?

It’s blissfully quiet as he cleans the bathroom and I start in the bedroom. For an hour, we work in silence. When he eventually emerges smelling of bleach and lavender cleaning solution, I smile. It’s fake, though. I don’t know where we stand after his tease just now and what he said against the door last night. Because I couldn’t possibly forget the way his mouth felt against the curve of my ear.

He sets the cleaning supplies down on the small rectangular dining table. The moment stretches long as beautiful purple eyes focus on me.

“We need to talk, Bluebell,” he says in a voice so quiet, so commanding, I feel it all the way in my bones.

“About what?” I whisper.

“You know what.” He removes his hands from his pockets, unfurling his tail from around his thigh to lash it behind his back like a cat.

Or a predator.

My heart leaps into my throat. “Okay, Hadrian.”

His lips pull into a half smile. “I know what you did last night, Bluebell, after you went into your apartment.”

I gasp, embarrassment hitting me hard and hot. “I…I⁠—”

He shakes his head. “I’m not saying that to embarrass you. I’m saying I know, and because of that, I did the same thing in the hallway against your door.”

A full gasp leaves me then.

“I can’t stay away from you,” he says. “And if I’m honest, the main reason I came back here is you, Bluebell.” His gaze softens. “I know it’s a lot to admit this fast. I told myself I’d try kissing you first, but it turns out, my self control’s shot when you’re around…”

Black stars dance behind my eyelids as I struggle to figure out what to say. We’ve been avoiding this attraction since he came home and we shared that almost kiss. But there’s been nothing obvious since then.

Or has there?!