Liam Davis & The Raven (Love Inscribed 1)

“Oh, I think I’m pretty far gone,” I said, stepping up to him and planting a hand on his upper arm. “But before you take me home, I want to dance. . . .”

Turned out there was a snag in my plan.

I couldn’t dance.

I tried again to mimic Quinn’s moves as he danced beside me with a wizard. I jerked my hips side-to-side and knocked the witch I was dancing with. She cursed me. Well, cursed at me and pushed me backward until I landed on my ass. Certainly it felt like a curse.

Jack and Jill laughed at the edges of the crowd, pointing and sniggering through their tears. Quinn stopped dancing and crouched next to me.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he asked Jack and Jill as he slipped an arm around my waist and helped me up. My uneven footing had me pulling on Quinn’s sleeve for balance.

Jill muttered, and suddenly Quinn left my side. In what felt like slow motion, I watched Quinn shove him.

Jill teetered on his heels for a moment before losing the fight with gravity and slamming onto the floor.

Colorful cussing followed Quinn as he charged back to me, hooked his arm around mine and lead me out of the mansion. Stormy shadows clung to him the entire drive home.

When he parked the car, he thumped the steering wheel and continued to stare out onto the road.

“Jill’s a jackass,” I said. I concentrated on Quinn’s mouth as a focal point to minimize my dizziness and churning queasiness.

Quinn’s shoulders dropped as if releasing the tension from the party. He leaned back against the headrest for a moment and sighed. “Let’s get you inside. I have to go back so Shannon can get home.”

“Shannon. Yes, I forgot.” I sounded as disappointed as I felt. But I couldn’t be sure why exactly. Tomorrow I’d have to look into it.

Quinn was already standing at my side of the car as I unbuckled my seatbelt. He opened the door and offered me his hand. Once I was firmly on ground, I pulled on his hand until he looked at me.

“There’s going to be an investigation,” I said, threading my cold fingers through his warm ones and stepping closer until we were against each other.

“Investigation?”

I nodded. “Involving kisses. It’s imperative I settle this question of yours.”

“You are so drunk,” he whispered, coming close to my lips. “Adorable as hell, but still so far gone. I don’t even think you’ll remember this in the morning.”

He gently untangled our hands and slid my glasses up my nose for me. “And, Liam, I think it’s as much your question as it is mine.”

I rummaged into my pouch for my pen and notebook. “Maybe. I’ll take that into consideration as well.”

I turned to the car and used the roof to rest my notebook so I wouldn’t forget all these thoughts and questions—

Quinn plucked away my notebook and lifted me over his shoulder. His laughter vibrated through me as he carried me inside.

I hit his ass all the way up to the second floor and into our apartment, demanding he put me down at once. I even fished my cold hands under his shirt to convince him, but he merely slapped my ass with a stinging clap and took larger steps toward the bathroom, where he—finally—dropped me.

Standing vertically once more, I glared at him. “I’ll kindly ask you to give me back my notebook.”

He looked at my open hand and grinned. “Nope. You can have it once you’ve gotten yourself ready for bed.” He shut the door and left me to relieve myself—much needed—and brush my teeth.

Once I was done, I struggled out of my knight costume and climbed into bed. Quinn popped his head around the door into my room. He seemed to dance his way in, but it had to be an alcohol-induced illusion. He set down my notebook and a large bottle of water onto my side table. “You’ll be fine if I go out again?” he asked, shoving my legs over to sit on the side of the bed.

I shifted and shimmied down until my head was on the firm pillow. The room was spinning. “I’ve never been this intoxicated before.”

“Right. I’ll call her and tell her to catch a cab—”

“Don’t,” I said with a yawn. “You looked after me enough when I was really sick. This is nothing, I’ll be fine.”

It was only then I noticed he’d changed out of his costume too, except while I wore only boxer shorts, Quinn had on pants and a turquoise T-shirt. He also donned an amused expression and looked at me almost fondly. “Your phone is next to your bed,” he said, the mattress springing up as he stood. “Call if you need anything.”

“Mmm hmm.” My eyelids fluttered shut.

Quinn chuckled and turned off the light before walking out. “Sweet dreams.”