Chapter 20

20

Gabriel had reached for her more than once. He'd meant it when he'd said he had a list and if they only had one night, he meant to tick off every item.

He'd tasted her properly, her hands in his hair, her hips rising to his mouth as he drove her to ecstasy. Several times. He could well become addicted to her taste, to the small, sharp pain of his hair being tugged, the sight of her head thrown back, the sound of her voice calling his name.

He'd taken her on the couch, resisting the temptation to have her in his bed. It was bad enough he'd be surrounded by the memories out in the living space; he'd never be able to sleep for the remaining weeks if he had her in his sheets. He'd marked every inch of her skin, unable to help the dark swell of satisfaction every time she cried out his name. She would remember him. He would never forget her.

He hadn't meant to sleep. He'd had her draped across his lap, skimming a thumb along her thigh, over the tattoo on her hip, listening as she told him about a dance class she wanted to try. She'd made him smile and he'd closed his eyes for a moment, listening to her voice.

Now sunlight was pouring in through his windows. And the night was done.

Regret clamped a fist around his heart but he didn't show it as he brewed coffee in the kitchen. He'd have conjured her favorite drink from the café across from the shelter, but his use of magic the night before had taken him close to the edge, and he felt drained this morning. All-around lackluster.

She emerged from his bathroom, dressed in one of his shirts and a pair of suit trousers she'd rolled up what had to be ten times. She should've looked ridiculous, but with her curls flying everywhere, her cheeks flushed and some fairly embarrassing marks on her neck, she'd never looked more beautiful.

He cleared his throat, set the mug down on the breakfast bar. "I didn't know if you liked to eat in the morning." If so, he wasn't sure what he could make for her. He still hadn't managed to master the perfect toast.

"I'm easy." She gave him a smile as she came over, picked up the mug. "Is this—"

"Milk, one sugar."

"Thanks." She sipped, gagged. "And hot."

"Coffee generally is."

"You got me there." She blew, took one more careful sip. Then studied him across the curling steam. "So. Last night."

He kept his face impassive. "Yes."

Her fingers, the same ones that had trailed his body so many times, curled around her cup. "I had fun."

"It was enjoyable."

Her grin flashed. "Orgasms generally are."

"And you had your share."

A pink flush spread across her cheeks. "Well, you wouldn't let me take my turn to help you keep up."

"I didn't need it." And he didn't regret it, either.

She gave him a doubting look and tapped her fingers on the mug. "So, did we cross everything off your list?"

"For the most part." It would be enough, it had to be. One night. They'd agreed.

She moved her hair behind her ear, looked down at herself. Rueful, she said, "You don't mind me borrowing this, right? I can't exactly leave in my dress."

Now he felt like his cheeks were flushing. "I apologize for that."

"Don't. I liked it." She flicked a look at him and away, an element of shyness in the way she couldn't hold eye contact.

He bore down on a surge of emotion, ruthlessly squashing it. "Good. And no, I don't mind."

She nodded, drank some coffee. "You don't regret...?"

"No." That, he was decisive about. "And you?"

"Never." When she looked at him in that way, he could see himself clearing the counter, taking her in his arms again.

The silence crackled, much like the embarrassing manifestation of magic he'd displayed last night. Premature sparkage. How mortifying.

When the chirp of the compact mirror on the counter sounded, both of them jolted.

He threw a look at it. "I forgot to call Melly last night."

"Right." She put the mug down on the bar. "I'll get going."

"Would you like me to—?"

"I'm fine. You don't need to take care of me." She gestured. "Talk to your sister. I'll see you at the shelter."

He made no moves toward the mirror. Instead, he watched as she gathered up her shoes and purse. "Leah. We're...good, yes?"

She glanced his way, seemed to read something in his face. Heading over, she crooked a finger from the other side of the breakfast bar. Obliging, although wary, he bent down. She gave his cheek a kiss. He breathed her in as she leaned away. "We're good. One night. Still friends."

He searched her face, couldn't see any hint she was lying. A part of him was relieved. He couldn't stand the idea of her being annoyed with him. The other part was tangled in all kinds of emotions too slippery to get a handle on. So, he nodded, and watched the door close behind her with a conclusive click. The apartment seemed to dim.

Rubbing an ache in his chest, he picked up the compact, flipped it open. As he'd thought, his sister's face filled the screen. "Melly."

"Is everything okay? You didn't call me."

"Apologies. The gala ran late."

"I figured. Did it go well? Was Leah pleased?"

He kept his face bland, hoped his perceptive sister, who had been asking about Leah every day, wouldn't catch on. "I believe she was very pleased with the evening."

Leah hadn't been awkward or clinging or even sad, he thought hours later, sitting at the reception desk for his shift. Chuck lay at his feet, lulled into complacency with the biggest chew Gabriel had been able to hunt down at the local pet store. Along with a new tug toy and a tiny, stuffed Labrador that looked too much like Chuck to pass up. And then, because guilt had stirred about the other animals, he'd also ordered several toys and chews to be delivered to the shelter later this afternoon. It wasn't everything, but small actions counted. He believed that. He knew Leah did, too.

Mercy. Enough, man.

With the current lull in walk-ins, being on reception wasn't the best job when you didn't want to wallow in your thoughts. He deliberately turned his attention away from Leah for the fourth time in ten minutes, searching for a distraction. He'd even make small talk with visitors at this point.

He eyed the sagging couch. The place needed new furniture, he thought again. He'd been sidelined by the vandalism and learning the trade and...other things, but it remained as true now as it had been weeks ago. The family manor had many rooms with furniture he and Melly never bothered with. They could certainly spare a couch. Maybe a few other pieces, to make the reception look more welcoming and less desperate. Especially since they'd had a flurry of phone calls after the gala had been mentioned in the society pages and across social media, at least according to Leah. She'd been so happy, beaming all morning, not at all affected by the end to their agreed-upon one night.

Damn it.

He smoothed his thumb over his signet ring, wondering what his parents would have thought of his affair with a human. They likely would've been pleased, keen as they'd been to bring their worlds together, to the detriment of any family life.

And although he'd let that bitterness shape his life in ways he wasn't proud of, he thought he understood now what had drawn them out of society and toward humans. Though they may be whispers to a witch's shout, humans held their own brand of magic. Potent and real as any other Gabriel had experienced.

Chuck's tail beat the floor in welcome as the outside door suddenly opened, lurching to his feet. Gabriel snapped a hand out, catching his collar with a murmured command. Chuck looked balefully up at him and lay back down, sighed.

It wasn't bright-eyed potential adopters. Instead, two uniformed police came in. One was a woman, tan and tall, polished and pressed. The other was a man who matched her in height, brunet, and so white he gleamed like a pearl. He tucked his thumbs into his belt and swaggered up to the reception desk.

Gabriel stood. He had a feeling this wasn't a social call.

The male officer stopped, lifting his chin. "We'd like to see the owner."

"He isn't here." They'd gotten a call about an abandoned dog on the other side of town and Sonny had headed right over. Gabriel almost said they could talk to him, but hesitated. As much as he'd like to take care of this for her, Leah was the next in charge, and she'd want to handle it. "If you take a seat, I'll find the next best thing."

They remained standing.

He found Leah in the cat sanctuary, stroking an amber tabby. He'd seen her throughout the day and each time was another nick to his self-control. He cleared his throat. "You're needed in reception. Two police officers are asking for the owner, and Sonny's out."

She pursed her lips as she gently deposited the cat back in its pen and shut the door. "Did they say what they wanted?"

"I came to get you before asking. I respect you." He didn't know why he added it, but it made her grin.

"Duly noted." She set off in front of him, hips swaying as she strode forward. She'd been magnificent in the pink evening gown, but faded denim definitely had its own appeal.

When they walked into reception, both cops turned to her. "You the manager?"

"Essentially." She crossed her arms. "Is this about the tagging? Have you found who was doing it?"

"Afraid not, ma'am." The woman stepped up next to her partner. "Officer Parks," she continued, motioning to herself. "Officer Franklin. We're here on reports of dangerous dogs being let loose around the neighborhood from this establishment."

Leah stared blankly. "Dangerous dogs?"

"Aggressive. Prone to bite."

Now she bristled. "Who told you that piece of garbage?"

"Anonymous tip."

"That's crap." Leah jammed her hands on her hips. "I'm telling you, we don't have any vicious dogs. And if we did, we'd never let them loose. Our insurance wouldn't allow it."

"Well, then, I guess we'll just take you at your word."

Gabriel closed a hand into a fist at his side, wound tight at the sarcasm. "Don't speak to her like that."

Officer Franklin puffed up his chest. "We have a duty to investigate threats."

"Investigate away." Leah flung her hand wide, angry energy unbottled. "But I'm telling you, that report is trash."

They insisted on touring the facility, but even after half an hour and turning up nothing, insisted on coming back to speak to Sonny and their neighbors. They'd been aggressive, patronizing and downright rude from the moment they'd arrived, grating along Gabriel's nerves. For the first time, he understood what Leah meant about basic manners.

"Give Mr. Bradford this card and tell him to call us as soon as he can." Officer Franklin thrust a card at Leah.

She blew out a breath in obvious frustration. "You've just seen we've got no vicious dogs. That tip was obviously a prank. I don't understand why—"

"Ma'am." Officer Parks huffed out a breath. "We've heard enough from you. Just tell Mr. Bradford."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. As they turned on their heel and walked toward the exit, he debated, reasoned, considered—and lost the battle. With a small cough, he rubbed his chin and sent magic spiraling toward the door.

As Officer Franklin reached for it, it blew inward without warning. Staggering back to avoid being hit, he smacked into his partner with a curse. They went down in a tangle of limbs and in the resulting confusion, somehow the two found themselves handcuffed together. They stared down in bemusement.

"Clive, you idiot," Parks snapped, hauling them upward. "Get the key."

He patted his pocket down with his free hand, then again. And again. His eyes flew up. "It's not in there."

"For the love of..." She yanked at the cuffs, cursing when he crashed into her. They both knocked into the door and through it as it swung open unexpectedly. It closed behind their cries of alarm.

When Gabriel turned to Leah, her eyes were lit with laughter. "How strange for them to get locked together," she commented evenly.

"Indeed."

"And then to fall through the door like that."

"Bad luck. Or perhaps karma."

"Hmm." She tucked her hands in her front pockets. "You know, you don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"I don't like anyone disrespecting you."

She shook her head, a laugh bubbling out. "I'd never have believed it." Her lips were still curved as she angled her head back. "A man of hidden talents."

The amusement quickly drained as she looked pensively at the doors. "It's like someone's out to get us." She slumped, closing her eyes briefly. "I'll have to tell Sonny. Perfect. One more thing. He'll be sure to—No," she decided, slicing the air with her hands. "No, I'm not going to worry because there's nothing to worry about. If they want to waste their time, then have at it. And we've had more adoption interest and bigger donations than we've had in months. Thanks to you and me. Go us."

There was no thought. No plan.

One minute he was watching her babble, finishing with that nervous smile.

The next, he had her up against his body, tasting that smile with his mouth. Her body jolted against his, then her hands were in his hair and she was kissing him back. She thrummed with energy, the wildly beautiful energy he'd noticed from the first. He craved it.

When they broke apart, she was panting. His chest moved unevenly as she braced her hands against him.

"Gabriel," she said, pressing her lips together as if to taste him. He felt it in his gut. "I thought we said..."

"I know." He framed her face. "You make me weak."

"That doesn't sound good." She wrapped her fingers around his wrists, but she didn't tug him away.

"It's not."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"No, I'm not," she agreed and grinned.

He loved her smiles.

If you really cared about her, you wouldn't endanger her by getting involved. Kole's words. Guilt shot into him but not strong enough to fight her pull. He'd told Kole she was a woman who made her own decisions. He couldn't treat her as less.

"I can't do it."

Her thumbs gently stroked his pulse points. "Can't do what?"

"I can't have just one night."

She grew very still.

He moved his hands into her wild curls. "I can't stay away. It's stupid. Dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Gabe." That one word stopped him. "What are you saying?"

"It's selfish. But I'm asking for one month. My last month. Be with me. And then I'll let you go."

Leah gazed up at him, a million thoughts flickering behind the blue. Chuck had given up on them and had wandered off to find his chew, and the padding of the dog's feet echoed inside Gabriel's deathly quiet mind as he waited.

Finally, she squeezed his wrists. "Yes."

Leah didn't let the small fear of what her friends would say keep her from barreling through the bar's doors.

"Break out the Cauldron Cosmos," she announced, bouncing up to the bar and ignoring the few stares she received at her entrance. Her grin felt so wide, it could fall off her face.

Emma took one look and turned to Bastian, who worked beside her. "Girl time."

He tucked her hair behind her ear. "I could be a girl."

"No, you really couldn't."

He grazed her cheek, grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Leah shooed him. "Leave. Where's Tia?"

"New Orleans."

"Well, poof her here."

"You really have a handle on the magic thing," Bastian said dryly. "We're not genies. We can't poof people."

That distracted her. "Genies exist?"

"Oh, yeah." Bastian picked up a vodka bottle, handed it to her. "Rub this three times and see what happens."

"Rub this." She made a rude gesture at him and he laughed.

"Why don't you go find Tia?" Emma set three chilled glasses on the counter, despite the afternoon trade.

Bastian turned her face to his, kissed her thoroughly. A blush stained Emma's cheeks when he drew away. "Miss me."

"Eh," she said noncommittally and he grinned, kissed her again. Then, with a nod to Leah, strode out the back to portal to New Orleans.

Leah hopped onto a stool, waved at a couple of regulars. "When did Stan dye his hair?"

"About a week ago? Says it's lucky for baseball."

"I'm all for it, then." Leah turned back around. "I feel like I haven't been here in ages."

"Yeah, well, you've been spending more time at the shelter lately."

"Do you know how many adoptions we had today? Six. Six. That's more than we had in the last two weeks." She wriggled her shoulders.

"That's amazing." Emma's grin widened. "Congratulations."

"Thanks. I mean, I know we're not out of the woods yet, and Sonny's still being weird and making noises about getting away for a bit."

"You think he'll really retire?" Emma's brows drew together as she selected a shaker.

"I don't know. But anyway, it's a start and that's not why I'm here." Leah shook it off, determined to hang onto her happy feeling.

"Uh-huh. Can I guess from the fat cat expression someone got the cream last night?"

Leah let a beat pass. "That was weird."

"Yeah, I regretted it the minute it was out." Emma added ingredients to the shaker. "You want to wait for Tia?"

"I don't mind bragging more than once."

Emma's eyebrows lifted. "That good?"

"You know how there's sex and then there's forget-your-own-name sex?"

Emma gave her a look.

"Right, your whole I-felt-engaged-so-stayed-true-to-Bastian thing." Leah waved that off. "Trust me, not all guys get the job done, or they get the job done but it's only so-so."

"And Gabriel Goodnight got the job done?"

"Gabriel Goodnight crossed every t and dotted every i . The man believes in thorough attention to detail. God bless him for it." Leah brushed her nails against her chest, studied them. Then ruined it by dancing in her seat like a child. She sighed, plonking an elbow on the bar and resting her chin on it. "You think it's the warlock factor?"

"Leah."

"Nobody's listening."

Emma shot her a pained glance and topped the shaker, lifted it. The ingredients rattled as she began to shake. "Well, again, you're asking the wrong person. Tia would be best."

"Best for what?" Dressed in a red power suit with sharp stilettos that clicked across the wooden floor, Tia emerged from the back, Chester at her heels. She carried a rosebud, which she handed to Emma. "From Bastian. He says not to forget your date tonight."

Emma's engagement ring winked as she took the flower, smiling dreamily as her magic unfurled the rose petals.

Tia's eye roll said everything. She unbuttoned her jacket, displaying a white silk camisole, and leaned a hip on the counter, oblivious to the stares she was getting from their male patrons. "So, Bastian said it was girl time. Did it not go well?" She reached over, patted Leah's upper arm. "Disappointment, was he? I knew it. He's too stiff to be good in bed." She made a gesture. "And not in the hot way."

"Wrong." Emma set the rose down, poured out the drinks, slid one over to Tia. "Apparently Gabriel Goodnight should be called Gabriel Wildnight."

Leah wiggled her eyebrows as she picked up her glass.

Tia's jaw dropped. "Get out. That broomstick?"

Witch slang, Leah presumed. She debated what to tell them, settled for a tantalizing detail. "He ripped my dress in two."

No two people had ever looked as dumbfounded as her friends in that moment. Leah could've said she'd discovered she could do magic for all their shock.

Tia recovered first. "Well." She picked up her glass, shot it back. "I hate to say it, but good for Goodnight."

"One ripped dress and you approve?" Emma demanded. "Bastian had to work for it."

Tia shrugged, twirling her empty glass. "I don't approve, but it's got a shelf life—unlike your situation with Bastian had. At least this will all be over in a month."

The reminder threatened to pop her happiness balloon but Leah breezed determinedly past it. "So, you're happy for me?"

"You're human and sleeping with a warlock who could find out you know his secret at any time." Tia gave her a get-real look. "I'm not happy, but if I learned anything from Emma, you're all going to make mistakes and I just have to be here to pick up the pieces."

"Such a saint," Emma put in.

"I know, right?"

"Ah, about that," Leah interrupted before she lost her nerve. She sipped her cocktail, let the alcohol warm her belly. Give her the courage to get out the words. "He maybe, kinda, already sorta...knows."

"Knows what?"

"That I know." She tried a smile. "About magic."

Both of her friends stared at her.

One beat.

Two beats.

Thr—

" What? " Tia screeched.

Everyone in the bar quietened. A stray cough sounded in the unnatural silence.

Emma cleared her throat. "Um," she said, lifting her voice and a hand. "Sorry about that. Everything's fine."

Conversation resumed slowly but Tia didn't give them a moment's look as she bunched hands in her hair, tugged, eyes a little wild. "You told him?"

"No." Leah's toes curled under the stool's rung. "He figured it out. A while ago now."

"He's known for weeks and you didn't tell us?"

"I didn't know he knew for a while." Leah lifted a shoulder, toyed with her drink. She couldn't settle. "But after he kissed me, it was obvious."

"You didn't tell me that," Emma interjected, arms folded. Leah couldn't see him, but below the counter, Chester whined in appreciation of Emma's distress. As her familiar, he'd be able to feel it—or that's what Leah had been told.

"Un-freaking-believable." Tia wiped a hand down her face, did some audible breathing. "A Higher son knows and you keep it to yourself."

"Okay, I know I probably should've warned you, but he isn't going to tell anyone. He cares about me." The glow returned.

"I hope you're right." Emma bit the edge of her thumbnail. "Kole is going to lose his shit."

"We can't tell Kole. He already doesn't like him." Which reminded her. "Do you know what they were talking about last night?" She'd spotted Kole and Gabriel cornered together and from their body language, they weren't discussing their favorite Bridgerton brother.

"Kole was warning him off."

Leah covered her face, mortified. "Jesus. You guys take overprotectiveness to a new level. He had no right." She peeked through her fingers. "What did Gabriel say?"

"This feels like high school," Tia complained. "Can we get back to the whole Gabriel knows thing? What are we going to do?"

"Nothing. Because that's what he'll do." Leah dropped her hands and stared Tia down. The wood pressed reassuringly into her as she braced for her next words. "He's going to finish his last month here and then he's going back to New Orleans."

"You're sure?" Emma asked.

"Like Tia said, I'm human, he's a warlock. A legacy warlock who'll need a society wife and let's face it, that isn't me. I walked away from that life once already." She forced herself to act like it was no big deal, like it wasn't crushing the part of her that still wished for more.

Tia was quiet a moment. "I'm torn between arguing that you're better than any society witch bitch and relief you understand this thing has an expiry date."

Leah did laugh now, loving her friend for helping ease the discomfort that lodged, hard and tight, in her chest. "We both get it. We originally said one night but then..."

"The dress got ripped out from under you?"

Leah sighed. "Oh, yeah."

"Gabriel Goodnight." Emma's expression was funny. "Ripping a dress in half."

"I'm telling you, tip of the iceberg."

Tia reluctantly toasted with her empty glass. "Always the quiet ones."