by Viola Grace
He gave her the numbers, and Darius wrote them down.
She nodded to Darius. “May I use your computer?”
He nodded and slid aside. She reached into her bra and pulled out a memory stick. Darius blinked. “It is coming your way, Sergeant.”
She used his email to send the messages, changed the servers, and sent them again. She loaded the files over and over in a matter of minutes, sent them via text and even via fax.
“I am getting it. Holy shit!” The sergeant grunted. “I will get back to you, Your Highness. Lady Black.”
“Thank you for any assistance you can manage, Sergeant.” She spoke calmly, but inside, there was a flicker of hope.
The call was over, and she leaned her head against Darius. “So, hacking is a thing. I honestly didn’t consider that someone would go to those lengths.”
Darius wrapped an arm around her and held her. “I am holding my calm together right now.”
She patted his leg. “I know. At least I have the records. That occurred to me after the first time I went to the police. I needed to keep the records.”
“I am impressed that you kept them with you.”
“Oh, I have them in a dozen places. I update them after every report.” She sighed. “I guess I have to get a new phone now. I am pretty sure that this one is being tracked.”
“So, he knew where you were last night?”
“Only within a few hundred metres. For all he knew, I was staying here overnight. I have done it before.”
He nodded. “You are taking the afternoon off with pay. We are leaving your phone in your car, and your car is being delivered to your home.”
“Where is my phone now?”
“In the front of the teashop. Once I figured out that your phone might be tapped, I thought it best to keep it out of recording range.”
“Oh. Sensible.” She sighed, and her stomach snarled. “Sorry.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s get you fed before we run around. I will let Audra know that she has the rest of the day off as well.”
He picked up his phone and tapped in a message using his thumb. He verified it and sent it.
“There. Now things will be quiet around here, and we can take our time.” He chuckled.
“So, you are going to get me a new phone? Because I really can’t afford one.”
He nodded. “It is my idea, so I will pay. Also, it is worth any price to keep you safe.”
“Aww. That is so sweet.” Her stomach gurgled again.
He laughed and hauled her to her feet. “If you would like, I can put your phone in the car before we eat.”
“That seems a bit out of your way. I mean, sensible, but still.”
“I can do it from here.” He flexed his fingers. The phone appeared in the palm of his hand and then disappeared. “It is now in the console in your car. They are going to deliver it to your home later today. It is fixed, but I would like it if you stay with me until this is figured out.”
“Sure.” She looked at him. “But you are still making lunch, right?”
He grabbed her and hugged her. “Yes. Now, let’s get you fed before whatever is making that noise gets loose.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “It isn’t pretty. I am miserable when I am hangry.”
“Then, let me take care of your appetite.” He slid his arm low around her waist.
Petal narrowed her eyes. She was pretty sure he wasn’t talking about food.
Once lunch was consumed and the dishwasher was humming, they got into his vehicle, and he drove them to the mall.
She played with her braid. “This feels surprisingly like a date.”
Darius held her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Good.”
Petal blushed as she could almost hear the hearts of ladies in the mall shattering as they passed.
They headed to the phone kiosk, and out of concern, she ended up with the same carrier as his phone. He even bought her a couple’s plan.
Once she had her phone, her heart eased up. “Thanks. That feels better.”
He kissed her, and her face caught fire.
She ducked her head the moment he lifted his lips from hers. “Public displays of affection aren’t really my thing.”
“You will get used to them.” He grinned. “Now, did you want to sort out your hair now or later?”
She chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind taking two feet off it. This length is killing me.”
He muttered, “That’s what she said.”
Petal gasped and nudged him with her arm. “That is remarkably current commentary.”
“I told you we studied.”
She nodded. “Will it bother you if I go to the salon and get a trim?”
“Nope. I can wait. I find women’s magazine’s particularly interesting. They are written by men but still interesting.”
“You know it is amazing how many folks don’t know that all of those opinion pieces are written by women about what men think, or by men about what women think.”
“It is entertaining reading.” He wrapped his arm around her, and they headed to the salon.
The ladies at the salon freaked out when he arrived and were disappointed when it was Petal getting the trim. She had her hair taken up to just below her shoulder blades after assuring the ladies that he was going to hang around and he would come with her for regular maintenance if they made it quick and neat.
Darius confirmed that if she needed to come in for a trim, he would come in with her, and the scissors flew.
Petal assured them that she would book in the next time so that they could assemble anyone they wanted to stare at Darius. He did not have a problem with it.
Her hair was neat, tidy, and swung when she moved.
He asked her, “Did you want anything else? Clothes, shoes?”
She thought about it. “Hand cream. Soaking in mud and water most of the day is rough on them. I have talons by the end of the season.”
He chuckled. “You steer.”
She tested him, and he did indeed let her steer him around the mall. He broke hearts wherever he went, so she directed him to the shop where she picked out the heaviest moisturizers while he wandered off with the other few shop ladies. She put her selections on the counter, and she waited while they blushed and giggled at everything he said.
When he came back with a basket of items, he covered her eyes and said, “No peeking.”
She was going to object, but he kissed her quickly again. She sighed and muttered, “This is a weird kink, Darius. Kissing me when we leave retailers is a really odd thing.”
“But, is it distracting?”
As they stood together, the scanner was chirping repetitively. Petal’s back was to the counter.
The ladies totalled up the purchase, and she heard the rustling of paper that was being stuffed into the top of the bag. When the bag was ready, Darius extended a card, and there was a chirp, and the transaction was complete. “Thank you, ladies.”
He grinned, and there was a lot of giggling. “Come along, my bride.”
She gave him a dark look, and he pulled her in close.
“Would you like to look at rings?”
“Do you really think that I need one? My hands are soaking and a mess in most of my jobs.”
“Perhaps you should switch to a management position. I, for example, require a lot of management and constant maintenance.”
She chuckled. “If I ever find a management position that will hire with my education level, I will consider a ring.”
“Noted.”
As they kept walking through the mall, her steps slowed as the smell of butter, vanilla, and sugar floated toward her in the air.
Darius noticed her slowing down, and he looked at her. “Should we get something?”
“No. It is more fun to smell than shop. You have already spent more than enough on me today.”
�
�I want to spend money on you. One was for your safety and the other for your comfort. And lunch was just a date.”
She sighed. “And an excellent one.”
He walked her to his car and put the bags in the trunk after settling her in the car. She buckled up, and when they left, they headed for his house.
As they drove, he asked her a question. “I would like to store the items in your house and replace them with a glamour. I think we are getting close to setting your little shadow associate off, and your belongings are in danger.”
“They don’t matter. My aunt threw out most of my stuff, and I only have clothes and a few books left. I have them on eBook. So, my computer is in danger, but it is probably rife with tracking software. Not much of a loss there either. I have insurance.”
He blinked. “You have nothing you would keep?”
“Not really. I have my body and my health. My bank account is secure. I am the most comfortable when I am not in my own house, so what does that say about me?”
“It says you are not attached to possessions, which means I have to find a way to your heart.”
She smiled. “You can stop looking. I am really fairly easy.”
He chuckled. “Do tell.”
“The sexiest thing that a man can do is want me as I am. Clumsy, bad luck, shy, slightly paranoid, hungry beyond belief, basic education, and a passion for making things grow. You have already qualified for me to find you unbelievably attractive and not for your face or body, though those are nice, too.”
“You do realize that I am rock hard right now.”
She snickered. “I have been getting hugged a lot today. It has been obvious.”
“And yet you let me wander around with you?”
Petal chuckled. “I did need to get my hair done.”
Darius laughed. “Fair enough. I did offer.”
Her stomach started doing flips when they pulled into his drive, and she waited in the car for him to let her out. It seemed the kind of thing he liked doing, taking her hand to help her out of the car. She never imagined that she had been doing it on her own all these years. When he helped her out, her palms got damp, and her heart fluttered. That never happened when she hauled herself out.
Darius collected the bags and offered her his arm to walk her up the sidewalk and into his house. “Can you make us some tea?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
She headed into the kitchen, and there was some thudding going on in the bedroom. Petal made the tea and set up a tray, carrying it into the bedroom. Time to find out what he was doing.
Chapter Nine
“So, when did you decide to open a spa?” She brought in the tea and saw the interesting assemblage of lotions and oils he had arranged on a stacked table.
“I decided it when I learned how often you lifted heavy objects.” He finished settling a sheet on the massage table. “If there was ever a woman in need of a therapeutic backrub, it is you.”
She set the tea tray down near the chair in the corner and sat with her legs curled up against her, watching him move around. “I haven’t had a massage before. No tickling.”
He glanced at her. “So, collecting firsts is my thing now.”
“Well, everything starts in the spring.” She shrugged. “It won’t be much of a collection.”
Darius crouched in front of her, and he smiled. “It will be treasured and impervious to theft. The best kind of collection.”
“The modern age suits you, Damek.” She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and smiled at him. In this mood, she could see the crown on his head.
“There is so much more to do rather than simply surviving.” He smiled. “This era allows you to learn anything that takes your fancy. Anything you can imagine can become a topic for study. It is wonderful. I understand why the underfey are so keen to have a firmer grip on the links between worlds. The magic that is used here can simply blend in with the technology. The growing equality between the sexes also has some interesting side effects.”
“Like what?”
He moved to his knees and leaned in toward her. “When I first ran into humans, the females were guarded by their families. I was able to simply approach you and speak directly to you without having to bribe a parent or sibling to let me near you.”
His face was close to hers, and she leaned forward for a kiss. His lips smiled against hers. She whispered against his lips. “There is something to be said for bodily autonomy.”
Darius chuckled. “There is a robe in the bathroom. Change and get on the table.”
She blinked. “Now?”
“Now. I want to try some of these oils out, and you seem to always be in some sort of tension, so it is the perfect chance to get used to me helping you ease that tension in a casual way.” He leaned back and gave her room. “Now shoo. I want to practice, and as your current roommate, this is my demand.”
“The price for me staying here is letting you give me a backrub?”
“Nope. The perk of staying here is that you get a full body massage delivered by someone who wants only the best for you and is trying to make sure that you get it.”
She slowly lowered her legs and eased to her feet. “You are what’s best?”
He took her hand and kissed it. “Search your soul and find the truth. I will pour you some tea.”
She took her hand back and walked to the bathroom. The robe he had for her was pink silk, and she blushed hotly while she tied the bow and walked back into the bedroom. The lights were dim, the curtains were drawn, and she gave him a look. “If you start playing Enya, you are a dead man. Elf. Fey king. Whatever.”
He grinned. “Spanish guitar.”
She walked toward him as he watched her approach. She sat on the table, undid the pink silk ribbon, and then, she squirmed to lay face down with her robe open at the shoulders. The soft strains of the music began, and he placed a warmed blanket over her. She exhaled slowly, and she smelled honey and wild roses. He tugged her robe out of the way, rubbed the oil or whatever onto his hands, and he started working on her shoulders. He worked on her for three minutes when she asked him, “Can I make a lot of noise? This feels so good.”
“Don’t hold anything in. This is to relax you, not create more tension.” He chuckled.
She groaned, grunted, and moaned. When he peeled her robe off her arms and worked on the ball of each shoulder, she squeaked.
His strong fingers found every tense muscle in her shoulders and back, and then, he moved lower.
Her back was swathed in a warm towel, and her back was kept relaxed while he slid her robe up to her waist and moved his hands down her body with long, smooth strokes. She tensed up a little when he rubbed her butt, but after he smacked her ass lightly, she worked to relax. When even her toes had been worked on, he draped a sheet over her, removed the warm blanket, and cleared his throat. “You can turn over now.”
She shivered and carefully rolled so that her body was covered by the sheet as she lay back. He smiled. “Enjoying it so far?”
She spoke through a stunned throat. “Yeah, you are very thorough.” He was wearing a loose set of trousers, and his hair was tied back as it had been in Underhill.
“I am glad you think so.” He grinned. His skin was gleaming with sweat.
“Is this physically difficult for you?”
He winked. “Not in the way you would initially think.”
She glanced over and blushed. “Ah. I think I am getting tense again.”
He chuckled and put more oil on his hands. He stood behind her head and rubbed her neck and shoulders with strong strokes of his thumbs. She let out gasps and moans but focused on her body, relaxing.
“You know, you make the same noises now as you do during sex.”
She blushed. “Your hands are just as precise. It is not a surprise.”
He grinned at her upside-down. His fingers moved to the top of her breasts, and she was surprised whe
n she felt pain and tension, and then, she tasted salt. He nodded. “That was a lymph node that was a little sluggish.”
“Uh, thanks for that.”
“It will help your range of motion in your shoulders.”
“Uh-huh.” His hands caressed her breasts and massaged the mass; he still worked politely, but he was edging into foreplay.
He pushed the sheet down further and slid his hands down her torso and belly. He stepped to Petal’s side and rubbed her left thigh, then her right. He worked on her knees and then returned to her feet with his thumbs digging into the arches of each one in turn.
She groaned and breathed deeply as she tried to throttle her arousal down. He chuckled and went to wipe his hands off, but then, he poured another oil over one hand. He placed a hand on her belly and slid two of the fingers inside her.
“What are you doing now?”
“Removing a bit of tension. You are aroused, are you not?”
“Yeah, but I don’t—ooh—act on it every time it happens.” She arched her back as his fingers slid over a sensitive bit inside.
“Ah, and that is why you are such an admirable person. I attempt to act on it whenever it strikes, and it is usually when I am with you. Sometimes it is when I am away from you but thinking about you. Regardless, it is thoughts of you that drive me.”
She would have blushed, but she arched back in a bow as a sudden and unexpected wave of pleasure ran through her. Petal’s lungs froze for a moment, and then, his fingers slowed and let her relax again.
She was breathing heavily, and she looked over at him as he calmly wiped the substance off his hand. “That is never going to pass the health and safety inspection for your spa. I am pretty sure the finale is illegal.”
He chuckled. “In that case, this will have to remain a favoured hobby.”
She sat up slowly and slipped the robe on over her shoulders. Petal felt the aches and pains in her limbs that were gradually going to loosen up over the next few days.
Darius stepped toward her. “And now for the part that is definitely off every menu but yours.” He kissed her softly until she leaned into him, and the warmth that she felt sank into her belly and expanded outward. The aches and pains disappeared with the healing warmth.
