Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(51)

Daniel raised an eyebrow. “Awkward.”

Shrugging, Matthias moved back and allowed Daniel through the hallway. “I value my investments. I want to make sure they stay safe and secure.”

Was Matthias trying to deliberately sabotage her audition? He did say he would keep her safe by any means possible. Did making her look like a fool in front of a celebrity fall in those realms? Seeing how some of these demons operated, it wouldn’t surprise her one bit.

Even Rafe wasn’t above a little trickery if it kept Lucy safe. But Rafe had good reason. This man… well, who knew what his reasons were.

“Matthias, why don’t you go back to the office and check up on your other investments or look at your stock portfolio or whatever you investors do. I need to show Daniel around the kitchen.”

“It’s Sunday. The stock market is closed.”

Damn, too smart for his own good. She’d never get anything done with him hovering so close. Just having him standing two feet from her sent her senses flying off the radar. She gritted her teeth and sucked in a long breath of air.

“Did I come at a bad time?”

“No!” they both answered in unison.

Bemusement filled the TV star’s face. “All righty then.” He clasped both hands in front of him and paced back and forth with a nervous gait.

“Matt is a grouch when he doesn’t get his coffee,” She nudged Matthias in the side. “Right, Matt?” She plucked the humongous-size coffee he had ordered and held it out to him. “Toffee Temptation with an added sugar buzz and subsequent caffeine and energy overload, right?”

Daniel’s eyes widened with excitement. “Wow, just how I like it. Dude, you are the man.”

Matthias yanked the coffee from her, a little sloshing out of the lid and down the side.

“Ouch,” she yelped, yanking back her hand.

Matthias’s expression morphed from frustration to horror. He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Did I burn you?” There was no masking the concern in his voice. His fingertips roved up and down her palm, sending sparks of electricity through each nerve and fiber in her body. Despite the gentleness, a path of fire followed his fingertips. To say she was hot was a major understatement.

Oh, he burned her all right. Anytime he touched her. A deep, burning inferno that not even a long sip of water could cure. She sucked in a long breath and managed to shake her head no.

“As much milk and whipped cream as the barista added, the contents were not as hot as expected.”

But his touch was hotter, probably worse than molten lava bubbling beneath the Earth’s surface. Unfortunately, the only relief she could think of was completely out of the question.





Chapter 22


“Outside investor, eh?” Daniel slung himself into one of chairs surrounding the makeshift dining room. He stretched out his denim-clad legs and slid his hands into his back pockets. “How much of an investment are we talking about?”

Serah drew her lips straight and steepled her fingers. “Enough that he has a say, unfortunately. He wasn’t too happy with my decision to apply as a guest.”

“Nine out of ten people who’ve been guests on my show saw a profit increase of around fifty percent.” Daniel angled a grin that would make a salesperson jealous. “Your investment just got bigger.”

This man was good. Matthias took a sip of his coffee. Was it so wrong to enjoy some of the same things humans did? After all, it allowed him to blend in. The essence of dark espresso, toffee, and cream rolled across his tongue. Sweet, but not as sweet as Serah’s lips. Not now! He quickly gathered his thoughts.

“What about the tenth?”

“Can’t please them all.” Daniel shuddered.

“That bad?”

“Was that the ‘Diner Diva’ episode?” Serah clenched her teeth and grimaced. “Good God. How did you manage to keep your cool?”

Daniel smirked. “A lot of wine.”

“I must have missed that episode.” Matthias felt completely out of place and out of his element. This man could cook flaming bowls of cherries; he, on the other hand, only managed to burn down Serah’s kitchen. He and Serah were nothing alike. He glanced at Serah and Daniel, sitting at the table chatting and giggling about different episodes. They, on the other hand, were like two peas in a pod.

“Well, I need to call the producer and check in.” Daniel reached over and took Serah’s hand in his. “If that’s okay with you, Serah.”

Daniel called her by her first name already? Matthias gritted his teeth. He should feel happy that Daniel and she were hitting it off so well. Instead, he felt empty and alone. He’d been alone for centuries. Why all of the sudden now?

“Don’t let me keep you,” she said, a smile brushing across her lips. She let her fingertips linger with Daniel’s a little longer than he liked. “I need to speak with Matthias about some issues.”

“No problem.”

Serah pulled her seat back to stand up.

Quicker than most humans, Daniel burst from his chair and allowed Serah his arm. Great, he could add gentleman to the ever growing list of Daniel’s charms.

“Wow! How polite.”

“I was taught well, huh?”

Serah blushed. “You sure were.”