“Hey, I’m being a gentleman.” I offered my arm. “May I?”
Laughing under her breath, Kat shook her head, but she folded her arm around mine. She started to walk, but I bent at the knees and scooped her up in the air. She squeaked as one hand fisted the front of my shirt. “Daemon—”
“Did I tell you I carried you all the way back to the house the night you were sick? Thought that was a dream, eh? Nope. Real.” I went down one step as she stared wide-eyed at me. “Twice in one week. We’re making this a habit.”
Our gazes met, and then I grinned at her. A second passed, and I shot off the porch, moving so fast that the wind muffled her surprised shriek. I stopped on her porch and smiled down at her. “I was faster the last time.”
“Really,” she said slowly, dumbfounded. “You…going to put me down?”
“Mmm.” Our eyes met again. My arms tightened, holding her close. I didn’t want to put her down. “Been thinking about our bet? Wanna give in now?”
Her lips thinned. “Put me down, Daemon.”
Reluctantly, I placed her on her feet, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to remove my arms. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh, God…”
“This bet really isn’t fair to you. New Year’s Day? Hell, I’ll have you admitting your undying devotion to me by Thanksgiving.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure I’ll hold out until Halloween.”
I frowned. “That’s already passed.”
“Exactly,” she muttered.
A laugh burst out of me, and she shook her head. A strand of hair fell across her cheek. I caught it, tucking it back behind her ear. Her lips pressed together as the back of my knuckles glided over her skin. My fingers lingered along the soft skin behind her ear. God, I wanted…
Wanted so damn much.
I stepped back and turned around before I went too far even though I wanted to take a stick of dynamite to the invisible line drawn between us. I’d done that earlier today, in the library. Going there again in one day would cause Kat to build walls that would take a lot to knock down.
Staring up at the sky, I counted to ten. “The stars… They’re beautiful tonight.”
Kat stepped so she stood beside me. “Yeah, they are.” There was a pause. “Do they remind you of your home?”
“I wish they did. Memories, even bittersweet ones, are better than nothing, you know?”
She brushed the same piece of hair back when it fell forward again. “The Elders—do they remember anything about Lux?”
I nodded.
“Have you ever asked them to tell you about it?”
I started to respond, but then laughed. “It is that simple, right? But I try to avoid the colony as much as possible.”
“What about Mr. Garrison?”
“Matthew?” I shook my head. “He won’t talk about it. I think it’s too hard on him—the war and losing his family.”
A long moment passed and she said, “I’m sorry.”
I looked at her, confused. “Why would you apologize?”
“I…I’m just sorry for everything…you guys have had to go through.”
Holding her gaze for a moment, I then looked away, laughing drily. “Keep talking like that, Kitten, and I…”
“You what?”
I would gather you close and never let go. Not like I could say that. I smiled slightly, tilting my head to the side. “I’ve decided to go easy on you. I’ll keep New Year’s Day as the deadline.”
Kat started to respond, but I backed off the porch before she could, letting what I said and what I didn’t say linger in the space between us.
Chapter 7
Kat was acting…weird in class on Monday. Weirder than normal. Like she expected someone to jump out of thin air in front of her. She was quiet through trig, and I worried that she was getting sick again, even though she appeared to be fine.
Classes dragged. As usual.
I hit the cafeteria at lunch and immediately wished I’d gone out to grab something to eat. The slab of meat on my plate appeared to be Salisbury steak and gravy. Maybe. Wasn’t sure.
As I turned, I started toward where Kat was sitting with Dee but drew up short. Adam was with them, as were Lesa and Carissa. My gaze shot to where we normally sat. Ash looked bored, her short blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Andrew looked nuclear.
Considering I hadn’t really talked to Andrew since I planted his face in the table, I should probably try being less of a douche.
I sat down next to Andrew, dropping my plate. The other Luxen jerked. “Hey,” I said, sitting down.
He shot me a look as he stabbed his plastic fork in the mashed potatoes. “Thought you’d be over there today.” With his back to the table Kat was at, he directed his thumb over his shoulder.
“I like to spice things up,” I replied.
Ash twisted toward me. Under the table, one of her long legs brushed against mine. She smiled when I arched a brow at her. “It’s got to be super boring over there. You missed us.”