Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely 1)

“So faeries, huh?” He smiled, but not like he was happy. “How come I felt it?”

“Maybe because you’re aware of the possibility now? I don’t know.” She took a deep breath. Knowing she should tell him to get away before they focused on him too much was one thing; going back to being alone in this was something totally different. He deserved it, though, the chance to get away from the awfulness of the faeries while he could. “You know you can still tell me to go away, pretend none of this happened. I’d understand.”

He poked his tongue at the silver ring in his bottom lip. “Why would I do that?”

“Because they’re touching you.” She blew out her breath in a huff and scooted further back on the counter. “You know it now. You felt them.”

“It’s worth it.” He picked up the teakettle, but he didn’t fill it. He just looked at her. “Thought they did stuff like that anyhow.”

“Yeah, but you felt it more…and they were all staring at you. Something’s changed now that those two are following me.” She didn’t try to hide the worry or the fear in her voice. If he was going to know about them, he deserved the truth of how afraid she really was.

He filled the teakettle and came over to stand in front of her.

She wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there earlier,” he whispered, holding her tightly to him.

She didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. If she told him about the things she’d seen over the years, it would make him worry more. If she let herself think about what could have happened, she might freak out. She didn’t want to think about it, about what could’ve happened, about why they grabbed her.

Finally she pulled back a little and told Seth about the faeries at the library who’d been circling her and talking about him. Then she asked, “So what do you think?”

He wrapped a long strand of her hair around his finger and stared at her. “About tongue rings?”

“About the faeries’ comments,” she corrected, blushing. She slid forward like she was going to hop off the counter. “They seem to know what’s going on. Maybe you could see if there’s anything about groups of Rianne-like faeries? You know, ones that are overly shallow and, umm, Seth…”

“Mmm?” Instead of moving back to give her room, Seth had stepped forward, pushing slightly against her knees.

“You need to move if I’m going to get down from here.” She sounded breathless, not at all like herself, and it felt good—much better than the worries she had been trying to avoid, much better than thinking about the bad thing she’d avoided, or the faery that saved her, or them noticing Seth.

Seth ignored her comment, staying perfectly still.

She didn’t move or push him back. She could’ve. Instead she asked again, “What do you think?”

He lifted one eyebrow, staring at her as he did. “Can never have too many piercings.”

She opened her knees, putting one on either side of his ribs, thinking thoughts she shouldn’t—couldn’t—about him. “That’s…”

“What?” He didn’t move any farther, didn’t close the distance between them. He might tease, flirt, but he didn’t pursue her. It was her choice. In a world where so many choices weren’t hers, it was a wonderful feeling.

“That’s not what I meant.” She blushed again and felt foolish for flirting back. She shouldn’t let it get weird. A one-nighter would mess up their friendship. She was just riding some post-danger rush.

She scooted backward. “Promise you’ll tell me if anything happens when I’m not there.”

He stepped away then, giving her room.

She slid down. Her legs felt wobbly. “I don’t like the faeries paying so much attention to you.”

He poured them each a cup of tea and opened a tin of shortbread cookies. Then he put on his glasses and pulled out a stack of photocopies and books.

She picked up her tea and followed him to the sofa, glad to be back on comfortable ground.

His knee bumped against her leg as he sorted out his papers.

Well, not entirely glad.

“One way to protect yourself is iron or steel, which you already knew.” He gestured at his walls. “I like knowing I sleep somewhere safe, but I am going to stop by Pins and Needles. Just to get steel rings to replace the titanium ones. Unless”—he paused and turned to stare at her—“you think the tongue thing’s a good idea. Seriously, I could do that.”

He watched her, an expectant look on his face now, like he was waiting for her to say something.