10. Van

10

VAN

How is someone so adorable even in sleep? How, I ask? How? Gabe scrunches his nose and I have to bite back a laugh because it’s just so fucking cute.

“No, I don’t want cabbage soup. It gives me gas,” he says matter-of-factly with his eyes closed and now I know what the scrunched nose was for. Sweet Gabe talks in his sleep. “Yes. I love cabbage soup, but I don’t want to have… issues in front of my date.”

I wait to see if he continues this conversation and am not disappointed.

“Chicken noodle soup? I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just make…”

This time I can’t help it and laugh a little too loud.

“Mmmm?” Gabe asks as his eyes flutter open. “Are you okay?” He lifts his head as if to get up and I pull him back down.

“Did you know you talk in your sleep?”

“Yes.” He groans and flops to his back. “How embarrassing.” He covers his face with his hands. “What did I say?”

“Oh, apparently cabbage soup gives you gas.”

“No.”

“Yes.” I rub his rumbling stomach. “Maybe you need cabbage soup right now. You’re hungry.”

“No cabbage soup. Takes too long.” He rolls out of bed. “What time is it?”

Sun peeks out from the bottom of the light blocking curtains over the windows. “Dunno, but daylight.”

“Lets grab something to eat. I have a whole carton of eggs. Do you like eggs?” He pauses and looks down at himself and frowns. “I’m filthy.” The barest hint of a smile graces his lips before he shrugs and leaves me alone in the room. He’s beautifully filthy, with dirt from the stage and sweat from our fucking. Probably sweat from sleeping with a demon who runs hot like a dragon.

I push to my feet and assess myself, refusing to see how many hours are left on the countdown device. The skin around said device seems less angry than before, so that’s a good sign. No more fresh blood, anyway. I probably shouldn’t have pushed myself last night, but Gabe is temptation on a pair of beautiful legs, and those fucking thighs. Not to mention his ass. But I think it’s his sweetness I’m drawn to the most. He hasn’t judged me from the moment he met me, even knowing all the stories told about me. I’ve never met anyone quite like Gabe before and I have a feeling I never will again. I’ll do anything I can to keep on his good side.

I don’t want to rummage through his dresser without permission, so I leave the bedroom stark naked. Only to find Gabe fake singing into a spatula, also completely naked and dirt streaked at the stove.

He shakes his ass to some unheard music. “You never answered about the eggs. I’m scrambling half the carton.”

I grab a few more eggs, crack them open one by one, and toss them into the skillet. “Might need a few more.”

His mouth opens into an O as he starts frantically scrambling the new eggs in with the others.

“Also.” I press against his back and breathe him in. “I love eggs. What about toast?”

He waves to a bag of bread by the fridge, no doubt the remains from the sandwiches he made me. I find the toaster and get a round going while he works the eggs.

“Do you like cheese in your eggs?” Gabe asks as he shakes a bag of shredded cheddar at me.

“Best way to eat them, if you ask me.”

“Exactly.” He upends the entire bag over the eggs and starts scrambling some more.

“Plates?” I ask as I butter the first batch of toast.

“Cabinet.” He’s concentrating so hard on the eggs he jumps when I touch his shoulder.

“Something wrong?” I ask.

Gabe sucks in a breath. “What? No. If I don’t watch them, they’ll burn. I get too impatient and cook them on high eat.” He stabs and scoops them with the spatula.

I look over his shoulder. “They look done.”

“They are. But I like them done done.” He stabs them again. “ Super done.”

“Same. No one gets it. And not burned. Ew. Just super done and you have to do it just right with?—”

“A hint, just a tiny hint, of vitamin D milk.”

“Exactly!” I hand him a pair of plates as he turns off the heat.

“No one ever gets it!” Gabe scoops the eggs equally into the plates and sets them on the table.

“Are we gonna eat naked?” I ask.

“Yep.” He grabs two spoons and hands me one, no doubt daring me to ask for a fork. Scrambled eggs are spoon food as far as I’m concerned.

“Sounds good to me. I like being naked.” I scoop some eggs onto a slice of toast.

“We probably should have put towels down, though.” Gabe says with a mouth full of breakfast. “I’ll just remember to wipe them down later.” A bit of egg falls out of his mouth and for some reason I find it endearing. Pretty little Gabe is a messy eater.

“So, what do you wanna do today?” I ask.

“I have work tonight, and I’ll probably need to take a short nap later.” He looks to the microwave that says it’s nine am. “I have the late shift today so I’ll be out until at least three am.”

“Can I come with you?” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Of course. I don’t think Pike would ever ban you from coming. You’re his best friend.”

“He still says that?”

“Yep.” Another shovel of food before he speaks again. “He really missed you. And fuck these eggs are so good. Thanks for making the toast. It’s perfectly toasted.”

I snort into a spoon of eggs. “Don’t make fun.”

“I’m not. I’m picky about my toast. There’s a fine fine balance to get it perfect. And this—” He lifts his half-eaten piece. “Is perfect.”

“I’m happy to be of service.” I tip my head. He’s so easy to talk to and I don’t feel like an idiot. That’s so damn rare these days. “Speaking of. When would you like to start magic lessons?”

“You were serious?”

“Deadly serious. I hate the idea of you learning magic from humans.”

“The witches that run Hex are all human,” he says, and uses his piece of toast to point at me.

“Yes, but a born witch human is completely different than learning from randos on the internet. You have to realize that.”

“I do.” Gabe grins, and that halo’s back. “I’m just being silly. Of course, I’d rather have magic lessons with a sexy demon. But it’s going to be hard to break old habits.” He nods his head solemnly.

“I’m sure I can instill some good habits into you. Maybe use fun incentives.”

“I do like incentives.” Gabe licks his butter slick lips and my cock perks right up. “I would like to read a bit today, though. I got a new book at The Magic Shop I still haven’t gotten to look at. So, I want to take some time to read before heading to work.”

“What’s the book about?” I search my memory for the last book I read and come up blank.

“How to be a nephilim. There’s probably magic inside too, so it could go hand in hand with your lessons.” He reaches for the book, but frowns before picking it up. “Should probably wash my hands again first.”

We wash up the dishes when we’re done eating, and he shoos me off to shower. I clean up quickly so I don’t take up all the rest of his hot water, then slip into fresh clothes.

I’m putting away the now dry dishes when he joins me in the kitchen dressed in a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a black t-shirt.

I lean against the counter and watch him pick up the book and flip through it.

“I should probably do your laundry,” I say.

“If you want, I won’t stop you. But you don’t have to.”

“You want to read.” I wave at the book. “And if I’m here, I’ll get rowdy wanting to make out or something so this way you can have peace and clean clothes.”

“And people call you selfish. I don’t think they know you at all.” Gabe snaps the book closed and looks up at me. I get lost in those brown eyes of his.

“They know me. I just think you’re cute and want to stay on your good side.”

He sticks his tongue out and scrunches his face at the same time. “There’s more to it than that, but I’ll let you get away with it for now.”

I want to run my hands through his wet hair and pull him in for a kiss, but I never should have kissed him last night. We never should have?—

“Stop that.” Gabe says. “What ever’s going on with your face, you’re thinking too much.”

“Thinking about that dreamy cabbage soup,” I lie, just to see him crack a smile.

He snorts as he waves his book at me. “With your permission?—”

“It’s your apartment. I’m just freeloading.”

Another snort. “You’re not freeloading. You’re doing chores, paying for some food, and helping out.”

“It’s not enough for your generosity.”

“You did also suck the life out of me from my dick last night. So…” There’s a playful sparkle in his eyes. He plops into the couch and spreads out. “Anyway, I’m gonna read for a bit. The laundromat is behind the building. My laundry card is in my wallet on my dresser.” He waves towards his bedroom as he cracks open the book again, eyes already glued to the pages. “But you don’t have to do anything. You need to rest, too.”

His words make me pause. You need rest, too. No one has ever said anything like that to me. I’ve always been required to keep going. Keep doing. Never rest. I can’t rest. Not right now, but I won’t tell him that.

“I want to do this.” I leave him to grab the hamper from the bathroom and snatch his laundry card. “I’ll be back.”

“I’ll miss you.”

Is it too wild to wish that it’s true?