Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Eric
If I thought it would be awkward taking Hailey to work the next day, I underestimated the crisis team.
I kissed Hailey in the elevator and then straightened my shoulders. It should be fine at this stage, since Hailey was basically collecting members of the Creature Crisis Response Team like a millennial collected Beanie Babies, but I could still sense her nervousness.
I held her hand as we walked in, but no one was in the main workroom. They must have all still been in the common room. We always arrived a little early so I could park here and walk to work, so we had time.
Syke materialized in front of us first, leaning down to kiss Hailey in a filthy, deep kiss that definitely was not appropriate for work and had her moaning beneath her breath. “Good morning,” he crooned.
He turned to me. His kiss was somehow softer, his tongue stroking across my lips and teasing its way into my mouth. He kissed me until I was breathless, then as he pulled back, he bit my bottom lip hard, and I almost came in my pants.
He laughed like he knew the effect he had on me, and I was pretty sure he did.
“Are you moving in this weekend?” I blurted with absolutely no chill, and he smiled again, this time a genuine, elated smile.
“If the offer still stands.” He looked between Hailey and me, and she squeezed his fingers.
“It absolutely does.”
Louis had obviously waited long enough for her attention though, because he picked her up and spun her around, then he kissed her until she bowed backward.
They were so pretty together, like a sparkling lake and a sunny day.
They fit. “I missed you,” he murmured against her lips.
Anyone else would worry about sounding desperate, but not Louis.
“I missed you too,” she whispered, and he let her stand on her own two feet. He leaned over and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, kissing my temple like it was the most natural thing in the world. Maybe to him, it was. To me, this level of affection was like I’d woken up in a parallel universe.
Otis and Ilyas were standing back, watching with unreadable expressions. Ilyas moved toward us, his swagger entirely confident, like he knew how big he was and didn’t care, and the world would conform to him.
My mouth dropped open as he got down on his knees.
He was still basically eye to eye with Hailey, even kneeling, but I had to look down.
“Thank you for agreeing to bond with me. It’s traditional in gargoyle culture to extend a gift to potential bond mates.
” He held up a box to Hailey first. She opened it, and sitting inside was a large teardrop moonstone.
“Moonstone to help light the way toward a peaceful and prosperous bonding.”
He handed me a small box too. Inside was a man’s ring with moonstone embedded in a thick, silver band. How had he come up with a gift so quickly? Did he just have it lying around in his bunk?
Hailey looked at the necklace and then at Ilyas. “It’s beautiful,” she said softly. “Will you put it on for me?”
Ilyas uncurled from his position, pulling the necklace from the box and threading it around her neck. The energy between them was charged with lust, longing, and hope. You’d have to be dead not to feel the tension between them.
He clasped the necklace with deft fingers that belied his huge hands, and then he gently untucked her hair from beneath the chain.
I felt the shivers that ran through her body at the slight brush of his skin on hers. I looked over at Syke, and he was smirking. This wasn’t going to be a bonding of convenience, no matter how practical the decision had been at the start.
He finally dragged himself back, and I tried not to laugh at the awestruck expression on his face. Honestly, I understood it. The pretty stone hung heavily on Hailey’s chest, coming to rest just above the curve of her breasts, an ornament and a temptation.
Ilyas turned and slid the ring onto my index finger. It fit perfectly.
I glanced up and met Otis’s eyes, and he wasn’t fast enough to hide his look of naked longing.
Instead, he cleared his throat. “Congratulations, all of you. Let’s eat, because it’s the solstice tonight, so you know it’s going to be crazy.
We’ll need our energy.” He looked at Hailey.
“You aren’t obligated to, of course, but if you want to work some extra hours, we’d appreciate your help. Eric is also welcome to stay.”
I ushered Hailey toward the table. She smiled up at me as I pulled her chair out for her. “Is the summer solstice really a big deal? Spiritually?”
Otis shrugged. “It’s the longest day of the year, and a lot of day dwelling creatures will celebrate for hours, long after the sun actually sets.
It’s also one of the few days that creatures are more easily affected by magic, including things like alcohol and drugs.
I don’t think we’ll have to contend with any rituals gone awry, but there will be more than enough drunk creatures that the CVPD tends to call us in for assistance, especially with the larger offenders. ”
Hailey screwed up her nose. “Sounds like fun.”
“Last year a lamia puked up a gallon of tequila sunrise and a half digested pig on a spit all over Otis. He still has PTSD about it,” Louis teased, and the big minotaur shuddered.
“It wasn’t a particularly pleasant smelling combination,” the minotaur in question grumbled.
She looked over at me, lifting an eyebrow, and I nodded.
Hailey patted Otis on the back. “I’ll stay and man the phones. Trial by fire, am I right?”
“Both Deuce and Liam will be on call too,” Otis added. “No one is safe from overtime on solstice.”
They moved onto other things in order for the day, and I ate my omelet. It was just so nice. When I wondered what our future happiness looked like, I imagined mornings like this.
Still, work waited for no one. I looked at my watch and sighed as I leaned over to kiss Hailey. “I better go to work. I’ll see you tonight. I’ll pick up Thai food from that place you like.”
“Stalker,” she teased and kissed me back softly. “Have a good day.”
I waved to everyone, even though Syke waggled his eyebrows and puckered up for a kiss.
Shaking my head, I gave him a quick peck as I picked up my briefcase. “Stay safe out there.”
The mood downtown was already alive. People were physically at work, but there was a joyful buzz of anticipation in the air.
I walked past no less than a dozen block party notices, several solstice raves, and a group of young creatures talking about hitting up a field on the edge of pack land to drink, dance, and have orgies.
I made a mental note to message Louis so he could warn Puck.
The doors to my office opened, and I greeted Rosabelle warmly.
“Joyful solstice, Eric. Unfortunately, there seems to be a rash of ‘food poisoning’ going through the interns today” —she rolled her eyes and made air quotes— “and several partners have booked the day off to play golf or do keggers or whatever it is people do on solstice, so you are the senior partner here today. I fear it won’t be very joyful for either of us. ”
I sighed but slid my company card across her desk. “Lunch is on the firm for those who make it to work today. Get something catered in, if you can find anyone who can do the order. If not, we’ll have an impromptu pizza party in the boardroom.”
Rosabelle looked positively gleeful, and accounting would kick my ass come the end of the month. “You’re a good orc, Eric Voight, and as a reward, here are fifteen phone messages that we’ve already received today.”
I sighed and took the stack of messages. It was definitely going to be one of those days.