Steal the Light (Thieves #1)(53)

I stared at her.

She held her hands up in defeat. “Okay. I see the problem. I don’t understand the problem. I realize that the two of you were engaged, but in the whole time I’ve known you, he’s brought you nothing but heartache. Seriously, it’s sad, Z. Daniel skulks in the room and you try to talk to him and he tries to avoid you, and then when you’re not looking he watches you like a hawk watches a fluffy little rabbit. I don’t get the attraction.”

“You didn’t know him before.”

“Well, I know him now, and I know he isn’t making you happy.”

“And you think Dev can make me happy?” I’d been wondering the same thing for days now.

“I think Dev can give you an orgasm, and that’s what counts.” Sarah gave me a practical smile. “Unfortunately, you’re one of those girls who is madly in love with the first guy you had sex with.”

“Why is that unfortunate?”

Sarah grinned wryly. “Because you haven’t learned that sex can just be fun. You seem to think it has to be all passion and emotion and commitment. The truth is it can just be a good time. Last night I had a good time with Joe, and this morning I can’t remember his name.”

“You said his name was Joe.”

“I call them all Joe. It’s easier that way. The point is I had a good time. He had a good time. I didn’t have to brood over his undead status, and he didn’t care that he wouldn’t ever see me in the daylight. I realize that you’re never going to be so casual, but Dev could be a happy medium.”

“Well, it’s nice to see you finally forgave the poor man.” It had taken a while for Sarah to forget her first meeting with our faery prince.

“He walked through my garden and, OMG, you would not believe the herbs I have now. Every witch in my coven is jealous. I just hope my sister gets to see it.” Sarah flushed a little, but pressed on. “I know you don’t want to hurt Daniel, but you can’t spend the rest of your life like this. There’s a man upstairs whose grandpa was a fertility god. If you don’t want him, please let me have a go.”

I frowned at the thought, and Sarah pounced.

“Aha, jealousy rears its ugly head. If the thought of me sleeping with him puts that look on your face, then you better get busy yourself.” She looked around the room and sighed. “I think we’re done here. Where should we plant the bugs?”

I pulled out a handful of helpful little listening devices, and Sarah and I played hide the bugs.

An hour later, we changed and clocked out. Sarah and I made our way up to the suite. Dev let us in, a smile on his face. It had been a long day and an even longer night before it, so I grabbed a bottle of water and headed straight for the big, fluffy bed in the master bedroom. I threw myself on the middle of the bed and sighed in contentment as I sank slightly into the mattress. Daniel was right about his bed, though it wasn’t just undead backs it played hell on.

The red light of the digital clock read five minutes to four. The “Smith” party would be arriving soon, and I would spend the night on surveillance. Daniel and I would watch the marks and decide how to handle the job. We would argue and collaborate and compromise until we had the most efficient plan we could come up with. We would not discuss the fact that he wanted to kill himself rather than live the way he was living. We would not discuss anything but the job at hand.

I opened my eyes when I felt the bed shift. Dev sat on the edge looking down at me with a lazy half-smile that made my heart beat a little faster. His dark hair was mussed as though he’d just run his hand through it to get it out of his face. For the first time since I met him, he wasn’t clean shaven. It was terrifically sexy on him. I reached up and let my fingers play across that roughness.

“I can shave if you want.” His eyes slid away from mine.

“No, I like it. It’s sexy.” I let my thumb rub against his cheek. I loved touching him. It made me feel connected, grounding me here.

Emerald green eyes fastened on mine, that slow, sexy smile crossing his face. “Then I’ll grow a beard if you like. I usually shave twice a day. I forgot today. I was busy setting up the computers.”

“Why do you shave twice a day?”

Dev looked at me seriously. “They don’t have facial hair, the Fae that is. My family and their people, they don’t have any body hair. When I hit puberty, it was just the exclamation point that shouted I wasn’t a full Fae.”

“Well, I think it’s incredibly sexy.” I sat up. He looked so sad that I impulsively kissed his rough cheek.

His expression changed in an instant from melancholy to distinctly wolf-like. I found myself on my back with Dev pinning me down gently, his chest against mine. His weight was a delicious anchor. “That Sarah is a smart girl, but she got a few things wrong.”

I felt myself flush. “You couldn’t hear us! I unplugged the ear pieces. How did you listen in?”

“Did I fail to mention I can read lips? Well, I can, and she’s right, you should definitely sleep with me.” He laughed as he lowered his lips to mine in a sweet, quick kiss. Far too quick for my tastes. “But she’s wrong about it just being a good time. I’m serious about this relationship.”

I wanted to believe him. I so wanted to believe him. “I don’t think we’ve known each other long enough to have a relationship.”