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“I pay attention.” He looks at the dish, then back at me. “So, you believed me enough to raise it in a Tallon meeting.”

“I’m not an idiot.”

“That’s not what I said.”

My fingers tighten around the fork as our gazes clash. “Doesn’t mean I trust ya.”

Fionn takes another piece of chicken and chews as he stares right at me.

“That’s a brave thing to say when you’re sitting on my bed,” he says.

“What d’ya expect me to say? That we’re allies now?”

“You could thank me for the tip-off.”

“How about me cleaning up your cut is my debt paid.”

“Damn, Sera, for a second I thought you did it because you cared.”

I huff out a laugh despite myself. “You were bleeding on everything. It was disgusting.”

“You still did it.”

“Keep pushing, and I’ll tell everyone you have a fox called Megan.”

I smile before I can stop myself, and Fionn smiles back at me. God, he’s beautiful when he’s unguarded.

“You’re threatening an innocent fox now?”

“I’m learning your weaknesses.”

“That’s a dangerous hobby.”

“Isn’t that what we do best, Fionn?”

He leans over me, slides both hands into my hair, and angles my face up. The kiss is hard, wet, and over too fast, his mouth taking mine just long enough to make the fork slip in my hand.

When I moan into his mouth, he pulls away.

“Finish your food,” he says, straightening. “I’m grabbing a shower.”

Then he backs up, thumbs hooked in the waistband of his joggers.

“Make yourself at home.”

He disappears into the adjoining bathroom. The shower turns on behind the half-open bathroom door.

For a few seconds, I sit on the edge of his bed, the rush of water and the knowledge of him naked in the next room pulling at me.

I stare at the gap, at the steam beginning to form, and my body makes a very poor argument for common sense.

Joining him would be stupid.

Reckless.

Exactly the sort of thing I would do tonight.

I carry the dish over to the desk and set it beside a neat stack of papers.