Page 66 of A Spot of Tea and Sorcery: Vol. 6
“I had to leave him behind. He took a Dire bolt and—”
“Hewhat?”
“No, no! He’s fine.” Nigel made a soothing gesture with one hand. “At least, I assume he is. He was fine when I left him, and all the sorcerers were clearing out by then, so I imagine he stayed that way. We haven’t exactly been in touch.”
Luna listened, uncomprehending. It would seem she and her employer had a great deal more to discuss that was not as agreeable as the current state of their feelings. But just in this moment, all she could manage was another small, “Wow.” Then she added, “You must really love me, Mr. Grimm.”
“Erm. Yes. Yes, I do. Very much.” He paused and looked at her. “Utterly and completely, with my whole being, in fact.” He was quiet another moment, before adding, “But what makes you say so?”
“Well, I don’t think anything but the deepest love could induce you to partner up with John Ward.”
“We were not partners!”
“Associates, then.”
“Whatever!”
Luna laughed as he turned away from her, running a hand through his hair and making it stand on end. There was very little trace of pomade left by now. “You know,” she saidsoothingly, “the two of you have more in common than you think.”
“We have absolutely nothing in common.”
“Taste in women?”
“Beyond that.”
“I will say, though, I liked your proposal a lot better than his.”
His spine straightened abruptly.“You what?”
“Yes, you definitely brought the passionate-swain romanticism, which, I’ll admit, I am partial to.”
“Wardproposed?”
“His was more of a rugged, strong-man, ‘How about you ’n me gettin’ hitched,’ sort of vibe. Works for some girls, but—”
“John-rutting Ward?”
“You had the advantage of desperate circumstances. It does bring a certain poetry to the moment—”
“When did Ward the Damned Wardsman propose to you?”
Luna giggled and poked him in the ribs. “You’re jealous.”
“I am not.”
“You’re positively seething!”
“I am . . . perturbed.”
“Something tells me I wasn’t the only one weeping into my pillow every night this last month.”
“I’ve never wept into my pillow in all my life.”
“If I asked Debbie, would she corroborate that claim?”
Nigel was silent for a moment. Then shook his head roughly and growled, “Never mind.”
Luna laughed again and laughed even harder watching Nigel roll his jaw and grumble. But he didn’t pull away when she leaned her head against his shoulder, instead turning to kiss her brow sulkily. His lips lingered, and she thought she felt them twitch in an effort not to smile.
