Play with Fire

chapter Forty-Three

THE SUN WAS setting over the city as Ashley started unbuttoning her blouse. She knew Peters was watching, so she took her time before finally removing it.

“You can take this guy, right?” Peters asked. “I mean if push comes to shove.”

“Which guy is that, sweetie?” Ashley said, unhooking her bra. She didn’t really need one, but liked the effect that taking it off had on Peters.

“You know which guy – Theron Ware, or whoever he really is.”

“Oh, him.” She unbuttoned her black too-tight-for-business-wear pants and pulled the zipper down. Slowly. “If we’re talking about magic, it depends on how powerful he is. I am of the fourth rank among the Fallen. If his position is higher, he’s stronger. If lower, he’s weaker. If he’s fourth rank too, it’s a tie.”

“So, the outcome’s already determined, even before you mix it up?”

“I said if we’re talking about magic.” She slid the pants, a little at a time, past her slim hips. “There’s more to it than that.”

“You are planning to explain it to me, right? I mean, before we f*ck.”

“You know what I think is adorable about you? After what you probably consider a significant amount of time, you still get hard whenever you see me naked.”

“Half the time, I get hard when I see you dressed. Don’t change the subject.”

“I thought getting you hard was the subject, honey.” She kicked the pants aside and now wore only a thong.

“Ashley. Come on.”

She signed theatrically. “I explained to you once before, when you asked if I could be killed. What did I tell you?” She snapped the thong’s elastic waistband, but did not lower it.

“You’re making it hard to concentrate.”

“That’s the whole idea, dummy.” She slid one hand down the front of the thong and began rubbing herself slowly. “Come on. Answer the question and you get a treat, just like a good doggie.”

“You said that although your spirit was immortal, the body you inhabit could be killed, just like anybody else.”

“See – you were listening. Such a good boy.” Her hand began moving faster.

“So if I shoot him in the head, he dies like everybody else?”

“It’s an express ticket back to Hell – unless he uses magic to block it, or turns you into guacamole first.” She finally let the thong fall to the floor. “You weren’t planning on shooting me, were you Peters?”

“Not with any gun but this one, baby.”

“That’s my boy!”