Page 25 of Not Your Ex's Hexes
“Olly!” Rose laughed.
“What?” The youngest triplet shrugged. “I notice things other than books. He has a nice ass. It’s a fact. I deal with facts.”
“You look like my sister. You sound like my sister, and yet…”
Behind her glasses, Olive rolled her eyes and disengaged when they reached their table, taking the chair on the opposite side of Vi.
Harper glanced over her shoulder. “Go get yourself a demon, witch.” She gently pushed Rose off-kilter.
Taken off guard, Rose stumbled right into a pair of strong arms.
Callused fingers gripped her hips, gently slipping beneath the hem of her cropped shirt as her own braced on a sturdy chest. Her body instantly reacted, goose bumps erupting over every inch of exposed skin, more developing as she slowly glanced up into Damian’s gray eyes.
His lips twitched. “Do I throw you off balance, little witch?”
More than he knew…
She cleared her throat. “New shoes… and it’sRose.”
He glanced to her sensible ballet-style flats before flashing her a knowing smirk. “Sure…”
She narrowed her gaze on him, annoyed as she pulled away and instantly felt the loss of his body against hers. “You’re an ass.”
“But what an ass, am I right?”
Her eyes widened as their traitorous friends and family chuckled. “How did you…”
He pointed to his ears. “Shifters aren’t the only ones with good hearing. Demons can hear pretty well, too.”
“Well, good for you, but it still doesn’t negate the fact you’re an ass with a seemingly decent rear end. When someone wants to help you, the appropriate response is ‘thank you.’ Or at the very least, ‘thank you, but no thank you.’ You don’t growl like a feral animal and then stalk away like an overgrown man-toddler.”
“I’m confused. Am I an ass, a feral animal, or a man-toddler?”
“At the moment? All three… and the list grows with every sentence that comes out of your mouth. I mean, what jerk won’t even listen to an idea that might help the animals under his care?”
Damian’s jaw muscle ticked away. “And now we’ve added ‘jerk’ to the list.”
“If the shoe fits…”
“I’d be more than happy to continue this conversation after we’ve solidified the last details of the Bonding Ceremony. That is why we’re here, isn’t it? To go over how things will run on Vi and Linc’s big day?”
Vi cleared her throat, barely suppressing a grin. “I’m good with waiting so you guys can straighten this out.”
An idea struck, one so brilliant it should’ve emitted a golden glow over her head. “Let’s play a game.”
Folding his massive arms across his chest, Damian cocked his head. “Something tells me your idea of a game and my idea of a game are a hell of a lot different, babe.”
“Pull your mind out of the gutter,doc. I’m talking pool. If you win, I’ll keep my nose out of your business. When I win, you listen to my idea for the sanctuary… and I meanlisten. With an open mind and without that scowl on your face. Think you can handle that?”
“Whenyou win?”
“Yes or no?”
His gaze slid over the antique billiards table in the back of the room. “And how can I trust you won’t use Magic to win?”
She snortled. “I don’t need to use Magic to beat you at pool.”
“Awfully sure of yourself.”
