Enslaved (The Inbetween Novels) (20 page)

“How about tonight?”

Shayla paused. Deryck picked a purple wildflower and twisted it between his fingers, counting the seconds it took her to break the silence.

“How late tonight?”

“Whatever works for you, I’m free all night. We can put it off if you have other plans.”

“No, no. I want to see you tonight. After eight, maybe? I’ve got something to do right after work. What did you have in mind?”

Deryck stretched out one leg and tapped the toe of his boot against the tall grass. “You’re going to think this is lame, but I thought about doing a movie and dessert night at your place. Not if it is an imposition, though. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Shayla paused again. Deryck kicked himself for even suggesting he invade her personal space on what was supposed to be a date. There was no way she’d agree to let a virtual stranger into her place.

A rattle sounded over the line. Deryck frowned at his phone.

“Sorry, someone came over to ask me something.”

“I shouldn’t have called while you’re at work. I’m sorry, Shayla.”

“Stop apologizing. It’s nice to have a distraction from paperwork. And I think a night in will be great. I’ll pick up a movie on my way home. You are in charge of dessert.”

“Should I bring some wine as well?”

Shayla groaned. He heard a loud thud on her end, as though she’d hit something against the top of her desk. “No, no alcohol.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. My coworkers dragged me to a bar last night after work. My liver is still pissed at me.”

Deryck raised a brow and wondered exactly how much she’d had to drink. He’d seen her drunk before. It was an interesting sight. “Right, no alcohol. I’ll see you after eight. Goodbye, Shayla.”

“See you later, Deryck.”

Deryck hung up and checked the time. He needed to get back to the compound. He’d been gone over twenty-four hours. None of them stayed in the Inbetween that long. They couldn’t die of exhaustion or dehydration, but they needed to recuperate after serving their mistresses. No wonder he’d passed out waiting to call Shayla. He went straight from his last caller to the human realm. That he’d stayed awake long enough to watch the sunrise was a miracle.

Standing, he did his best to knock the grass, pollen, and dirt off of his clothes. Deryck ran his hands through his hair and shook debris out of it. He probably looked like a homeless man. The first thing he’d have to do when he transported back was to take a long shower and ditch his clothes in the hamper outside the shower room. Their clothes weren’t cleaned; they vanished and were replaced with brand new clothes. Incubi only went around with holes in their pants if they were intended to be there by the designer.

Deryck took a deep breath and held in the sense of life the human realm held in its air. He let it out slowly, focusing on the bands around his wrists to tap into his powers. The hillside sucked down into blackness with wildflowers waving goodbye.

“I am surprised you called me so soon.”

“I’m a little surprised myself, to be honest.”

“Well, I’m glad you did.”

Shayla felt a blush rising up her cheeks and looked away from the man sitting across from her. She rolled a straw wrapper between her fingertips and forced her heart to stop beating so fast. It didn’t help at all. The look in his eyes said far more than his words. She didn’t know how to react. For Shayla, dating was very much fight or flight. He made her want to run, which is why she’d called him and asked him to meet her. It was time she faced her fears.

The Starbucks she’d picked for their meeting was busy, far busier than the little coffee shop she normally went to. People moved in a constant stream in and out the double doors behind her. The line at the register was six people deep and growing. Everyone wanted one last fix before heading home after work. A few people broke off from the stream and stalked the sitting area for an available electric outlet with phone cords or laptops dangling from their hands. The handful of big, comfortable chairs were filled with folks and their computers. They were typing intently, hardly looking up from the screen. Shayla amused herself by wondering if any of them were attempting to write the next great American novel.

“Are you still with me?”

Shayla took a breath and turned back to her coffee companion. Harry’s dark gaze watched her so carefully, she thought she had whipped cream on her chin and subtly swiped at it with the back of her hand. “Sorry, did you say something?”

“I asked where you worked.”

“I’m an office aid in a building over on Olive.” She took a sip of her iced coffee.

“There are a lot of office buildings over there. I work in the area myself. We’ve probably walked past each other and never noticed.”

“Where do you work?” Maybe if she got him to focus on himself for a few minutes, she’d be able to relax.
I’m losing my damn mind, trying to see two men at the same time. God, I hope he can’t see the guilt on my face.

“I’m over at First National Bank in the loan department. Just got a big promotion a few weeks ago.” Harry’s smile widened. He was really proud of himself.

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Shayla winced. She sounded bored with the conversation. Her mind wouldn’t stay put; it kept wandering to what may happen that night.

“Not really. I have to listen to a lot of people’s problems. It becomes dull after a while, but my bills are paid on time and with the promotion, I have a little extra to spend on having fun.”

“I’ll bite, what does a loan guy do for fun around here?”

Harry shrugged and sipped his steaming cappuccino. “I like to collect things.”

Shayla raised her eyebrows. “Are you going to expand on that or should I start guessing?” She braced her elbows on the table and leaned in to study him. “Let me guess . . . you collect ceramic poodles. Oh, wait I know. You find street artists and make their dreams come true by buying their paintings.”

He shook his head and met her eyes with a serious gaze. “I collect beautiful things that catch my eye.”

Startled by his in-your-face flirting, Shayla sat back in her seat and pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket, acting as though she’d gotten a text message. “Sorry. My best friend is pregnant and is in the midst of a hormonal breakdown over paint colors for the nursery.”

Harry chuckled. “Do you have any children, Shayla?”

It was an innocent question, but it sent a shard of pain through her heart nonetheless. Shayla took a long drink of her coffee and focused on keeping calm. “No, I don’t.”

“That is a shame. I think you’d make a very kind, caring mother. Perhaps someday you will be given the opportunity to have a child of your own.” Harry patted her arm.

Shayla pulled her hand back and clutched the strap of her purse like it’d keep the memories from drowning her. “I can’t have children, actually.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve brought up a sore subject.” His eyebrows pulled down, making his eyes even darker. “Let’s change subjects.”

She flipped her phone over and checked the time. Deryck would be at her place in about two hours. She still needed to pick up the movie and straighten up before he got there. Shayla’s heartbeat picked up pace. Guilt ate at her. She was technically on a date with someone else, but she couldn’t help looking forward to seeing Deryck.

Sliding her phone in her pocket, Shayla pushed back from the table. “I’m sorry, I have to cut this short.”

“Let me walk you to your car.” Harry stood and pulled on his coat. The man was polished, perfect. She felt frumpy standing beside him in her desk chair wrinkled skirt.

They entered the stream of people heading out the door and hooked a left toward the parking lot. It was as full, if not more, as inside. Harry stepped closer to avoid a car backing out of a parking space. His warmth seeped through the thin sleeve of her suit jacket. The man could provide heat for a family of Eskimos, and then some.

Shayla fished her keys out of her purse and headed straight for her Mazda. She made it as far as unlocking her door before Harry gently turned her around with a hand on her shoulder. He was close. Too close. Kissing close. His fingers embraced hers and raised them to his mouth. Soft lips brushed over her knuckles, but she felt nothing like she’d felt when Deryck did the same.

“Until we see each other again, Shayla.” He leaned in closer. Shayla was convinced he would kiss her. Instead, he brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled.

Shayla’s hand searched blindly for the door handle behind her. She found it and popped the door open. Harry took the hint and stepped back to let her open it all the way. Relieved, she slid into the seat.

“Have a good night, Harry.”

She reached for the door, but he beat her to it and gently shut it for her. Shayla put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. Looking back in the rearview mirror, she half expected to see Harry watching her leave. He wasn’t. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She hadn’t noticed any other cars pulling out.

“Maybe he went back inside.”

For the first time since she left work, Shayla took a deep breath and felt her shoulders relax. Her car rolled into the street and began the drive home. About a mile from her place, Shayla stopped at Target and ducked inside. It didn’t take long to find the movie she wanted, pay, and head back to the car. It was the quickest shopping trip she’d ever completed. She didn’t want to look too deep into the reason why she was so eager to get home.

Ignorance is bliss.
And the longer she ignored her feelings, the longer she could avoid the memories they dredged up.
Unless I have another dream.

Shayla shut down that train of thought and focused on not taking out her mailbox on the turn into her driveway. She parked and hit the e-brake on the car so it wouldn’t roll back out the drive. It’d happened once—during her first week in the new place. Her neighbors still gave her grief years later.

She made her way into her house. Dumping everything on the couch, Shayla doubled back to the closet in the entryway and grabbed a can of furniture polish and a handful of rags. She had an hour to make her place look like a slob didn’t live there.

You can’t clean away your guilt about two dates in one night.

“Shut up, self,” Shayla muttered and headed into the dining room to tackle the dust bunnies.