Chapter 9 Flirt
Flirt
Kit/Kat
“There you are!”
Salem’s face lights up like a holiday tree, and it makes my stomach do flips like I’m on a trampoline. I smile back at him as Dottie and I come over to join him in the kitchen. “Sorry, I took a long time. I was—”
“Wigging out?” He smirks as he moves to the fridge, pulling out a wrapped slab and putting it on the cutting board. “No surprise there, Firecracker. Lots of stuff to make you get lost in your head today.”
I step up on the stool he keeps in here, waiting to see what I can help with.
Dottie scampers off of my shoulder, then jumps to the island where Salem has left some fruit for her in a small bowl.
“Yeah. I didn’t think I was going to see an orc, everyone’s demons, and a giant fucking spider-dude within a few hours. ”
He arches a brow as he comes closer so he can loom over me. “That’s all, huh?”
My face gets hot as I squint at him stubbornly. “No, it’s not all that happened, but it’s the weirdest shit for sure. “
His chuckle is low as he tugs my face up, so I’m looking into his eyes. I wrinkle my nose, having trouble pretending to be irritated when he looks so damn cute. “Now, KK. Don’t be bratty. I’m only teasing you. Obviously smooching wasn’t weird nor terrifying like a giant spider.”
Speak for yourself, fur boy.
I’m surprised by the pouty sound of my own inner voice and look at Salem through my lashes.
He’s right, of course, and I don’t know if I’m actually achieving my goal of being flirty or not.
Maybe I’m being annoying? Fuck if I know.
So I lick my lips and gather my nervousness until I say, “You’re not scary, and it was nice, not weird.
I liked how you helped me when we went to the stupid Gemini circus. ”
That makes him smile wider, and he winks at me, then tweaks my nose. “Get used to it. Now, hup to, woman. We have food to make and the other miscreants will be here soon enough.”
I’m about to answer him when he swats me playfully, and I let out a squeal of surprise. “Don’t do that! I’ll give myself away.”
My roomie does a wiggle dance as he walks away, and I can’t help but laugh.
Dottie chitters from the counter where she’s stuffing her face again and I breathe a sigh of relief.
I was worried this was going to be really fucking awkward, or I’d screw everything up completely, but so far?
Salem’s made me feel almost… safe. That’s not normal for me—not at all.
“Stay cool. I won’t mess up. If X can keep their big yap closed, I can, too.” The panda demon comes back to me with a big bowl. “Now get stuff out of the fridge and throw together a salad while I season the meat. There’s plenty of stuff in the fridge, but you might need to cut some of it up.”
I can definitely make a salad unsupervised.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten much more familiar with the common foods, especially the ones Salem likes to stock in our fridge.
I’m not saying I could identify everything on a buffet like at the Ball, but I’m getting better.
Humming under my breath as I pull out ingredients, I realize I’m calmer than normal.
Working on stuff with my new… kissing buddy…
makes me less edgy. I’m not even worried about Jasper stomping in here to be a dick—for the moment.
“Salem?”
“Yeeeees, Firecracker?”
Ducking my head as pleasure fills me at the nickname, I have to cough to clear my throat before I answer. “I really enjoy cooking with you. It’s relaxing and seems to always lead to good things.”
“I would agree. Plus, having someone eager to hang out with me in the kitchen rather than bitching about it is pretty cool, too.” I look over right as Salem does a hefty chop on the meat slab, and the sound makes me jump slightly.
“Don’t worry, I only use giant knives for food, not attacking people in the shower. ”
Oh, hilarious, dude.
“For fuck’s sake, the damn bathroom makes me jittery enough without you putting that image in my head,” I mutter as I finish tearing whatever the leafy stuff is and tossing it in the big bowl. “I don’t think you understand how unnerving that is for me.”
“Because you could get discovered if Prince Prickface yanks your door off? I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s only done it to Oriel once, and he was—oh.” The panda demon coughs and looks away, making my eyes widen.
“He was what, Salem?!”
“Pissing him off?” he offers sheepishly.
The expression is adorable and I want to comment on it, but he’s inadvertently set off my panic alarms inside.
He must realize it because he stops chopping and comes over, putting his big hands over mine, so I stop violently slicing my own Hell veggies.
“Hey, hey. You’ll be fine, Firecracker. Do you think X and I would let that happen? Absolutely not.”
Sighing, I put the smaller knife down and turn to face him.
“Probably not, but anxiety doesn’t just poof because someone throws logic at it.
It’s like having a bagful of drugged up bees in your head, and they buzz around until they run out of steam.
And trust me, that bathroom was already on my list of pulse pounding problems.”
Salem’s eyes crinkle as he smirks. “Because you’re scared of being discovered or because everyone’s mostly naked?”
“Pick. A. Card. Any. Card,” I grind out as I frown up at him.
“I mean, yes, I worry about the secret. Then I was worried I was, like, unintentionally assaulting you guys somehow because of it. Then, that stopped because X said no one would care, but also, I still have to see you all naked. That’s an old fear, but it’s paired with… new stuff now.”
“Mmm. New stuff, huh?” His hand reaches up to brush a hair off my forehead and I bite my lip to keep from making a silly noise. “Like what new stuff?”
“Oh, no, Salem Stryker. You’re not getting me to fall for that.” I point at him, wagging my finger accusingly. “We have to finish this food, and we have no idea when any of them are going to barge in here. That… stuff… is not for public knowledge right now.”
“Aw, KK, but we could hear them coming…”
My eyes narrow. “As if I’m na?ve enough to fall for that. I know little about our… new thing… but I know guys are about as observant as Mr. Magoo when they’re focused on sexy things. That much I’ve seen in horror movies and the like, so it has to be true.”
“That’s just not fair, Firecracker.” His face pulls into an honest-to-Satan pout and my eyes widen as I feel my resolve crumble like a damn cookie.
I’m going to have to learn how to deal with that—fast.
“You promised to call me chef if I let you finish your salad, yet I haven’t heard it once since,” Salem grouses as he stands at the stove cooking something that might be his version of mashed potatoes. “I’ve been hoodwinked… bamboozled, even.”
Rolling my eyes as I put away the last of the salad stuff, I pick up my bowl and step down to carry it over to the island. “You have not. I wanted you to finish the starches before you got distracted.”
He turns on his heels, grinning broadly. “Roast in the oven, potatoes staying warm, and the bread is rising. I’m owed my dues or you’ll be in violation of that deal.”
Dipping my chin, I ignore the heat crawling up my chest and shoulders at the slight rumble to his tone.
I’m aware of how much he likes that, and though I didn’t originally mean to arouse that part of him by saying it, I’m feeling oddly giddy knowing that it does.
I hop up on the stool, putting my elbows on the counter, and look over the large expanse at him shyly. “I’d never do that to you… chef.”
His eyes flutter closed, and he tips his head back as he looks up at the ceiling. His hands grip the edge as he groans softly. “You’re trouble, KK. You know that?”
The pleased sensation his words stir in me vibrates through my frame, and I have no idea how to handle it.
I place my face in my hand, using the casual position to keep myself upright, as he finally opens his beautiful eyes again to pin me heatedly.
“I don’t know how to be anything but me, so if that’s who I am… ”
His smirk makes my thighs tremble a bit, and I press them together. “Oh, I’d never want you to be something you’re not. Hell, Firecracker, I didn’t even care if you were a girl or a guy—just that you’re cute, awkward, funny, and the first person I’ve paid attention to in that way.”
This dude is killing me; I’m actually considering blowing my cover because I want to kiss him again.
“Stop that,” I say as I sit up and wave my hands at him as if brushing away all the emotions and butterflies making my common sense pack up and head for the hills. “Don’t… be mushy. I don’t know what to do with mushy.”
Salem chuckles, rounding the end of the island to stand next to me again. “I can’t figure out if you’re more worried about sexy stuff or mushy stuff now. But it seems like the latter tames that bratty attitude fairly well.”
My nose wrinkles and I cross my arms over my chest as I glare up at him. “Well, now I’m not going to tell you a damn thing, jackass. You’re not supposed to do a Jasper impression; you’re the nice one!”
“Oh-ho, my little sous chef… You are so very misguided.” His eyes twinkle and he leans down, whispering in my ear, “Before you arrived, I was not the nice one.
Jasper tossed you in here because I scared the piss out of prospective roommates all throughout my lower school years. That's why he chose this room.”
What?!
Pulling back, I squint at him as I process that tidbit. “He thought you’d be mean and make me run away? That’s why everyone kept looking at us weirdly when I showed up at the meeting with you?”
Giving me a toothy, demonic smile, Salem shrugs guilelessly. “I don’t like people in my space and they don’t like my cooking and hyperactivity paired with a narcolepsy act. What can I say?”
My lips curve up, once again feeling victorious. “So I did good, then? I made you enjoy having me around and you didn’t send me packing?”
Something changes when I say that, and my adorable roomie’s expression turns downright wicked.
“Oh, yes, Firecracker. You were so very, very good—in fact, good enough that I started trying to figure out how to get you to notice me within days. And by that, I don’t mean just see me, but… see me like you did in the tent.”
I swallow hard, gathering my thoughts before I reply, “I do… I mean, I did. Well, both. I see you like that, I mean. And I like… that you want me to. And when you get all squirrelly because I say the ‘c-word’. That’s… it makes me feel things.”
“That’s absolutely perfect, KK, because I definitely see you that way. And I want to explore those things more when we don’t have impending visitors.”
“Me, too,” I whisper as I reach over to put my hand on his lightly. He leans down a little, and I know I’m going to give in when a loud pounding on the door makes me jump away.
Salem looks like he’s going to murder someone as he pulls back and I sigh softly.
I knew it would be just my luck for one of the others to arrive just in time—I just knew it.