“Really?”
He nodded. “Really. Want to watch them in bed?”
“I’ll make popcorn.”
Chapter 18
“YOU need to get out. It’s one night. A few hours. Helena, it’s been how long since you’ve done something that didn’t involve shooting, getting shot at or blown up?” Marian, one of Helena’s right-hand people and a good friend, poked at her.
Helena couldn’t help smiling as she thought about some of her recent recreational activities with Faine. “I do okay.”
“Okay, but you can do that when you get home. You’ll be sweaty and relaxed. Plus, well, it’s good for the Others community to see us out and about. We get to have a damned life too.”
Wild Darkness was a fun club. Or it used to be. Helena hadn’t gone in at least a year and a half. Part of it been that she and the ex had gone out there on a regular basis. The rest had been her life getting so busy that going out and shaking her ass had fallen to the bottom of her to-do list.
“Hell, ask Faine to come along.”
“Ask me to come along where?” Faine wandered into the room looking good enough to lick. She figured having more access to him now that they lived together would ease her need of him at least a little. But that wasn’t the case. The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted.
“I was just trying to talk Helena into coming out tonight with me and some of the others from the Hunter squad. There’s a dance club, it’s run by Others.” Marian shrugged. “It would be a good sign if people saw her out.”
Faine searched her face for a signal, but she could tell, given his posture change, that he thought it was a good idea. It probably was.
She smiled at him and he nodded. “I’m in. I mean, if I don’t have to manage some new crisis between now and tonight.”
Marian beamed his way. “I’ll see you both in a few hours. Don’t let her wear something frumpy. She’s got great legs.”
Faine raised a brow. “Oh, I’m very aware of Helena’s legs.”
“I don’t own anything frumpy!”
“Okay, so don’t wear anything elegant but so long I can’t even see your knees.”
“I’ve been dressing myself appropriately in social situations for a little while now. I think I can manage.”
Marian just laughed as she left Helena’s office.
Once they were alone she sighed. “Good gods. We don’t have to go for a long time or anything.”
He crowded her and she secretly loved it. “Oh, beautiful witch, I’m going to watch you move all night long. And then I’m going to strip you naked and show you how much it makes me want to love every inch of you.”
He was so good at that. All that sexy talk that turned her knees rubbery.
“You do have really great legs. I’m undecided, though, if I want anyone else to see that. Maybe you can go dancing in a long dress instead.”
She laughed. “I’d get caught up in all the material around my legs. I need to move. Plus, well, she threw down the gauntlet with that frumpy comment. I have to wear something totally fabulous.” Which, knowing Marian, was what she intended from the start.
Because they were alone, he dipped down, brushing his mouth over hers. “If you dance like you fuck, I’m going to be hard all night long.”
“I don’t know if I do or not. You’ll have to tell me afterward.”
“I like this side of you.”
“Which side is that?”
He tipped her chin up with his fingertip. “The playful Helena only a few people get to see. My beast presses against my skin, wanting to come out to play too.”
She swallowed hard. Her magick rose and she let it for long moments before she got herself back under control.
“Stop that. I’m totally okay with playing. Later.”
He smiled, kissing her again quickly before stepping back. “Count on that. Find me when you’re ready to go home. I’m working in the conference room next door.”
FAINE, his hand at Helena’s back, passed through the front doors of Wild Darkness. He couldn’t resist another look at his woman from behind in the tiny scrap of a dress she’d worn that night. She did indeed have gorgeous legs. Most of which were showcased. High heels on her feet tilted her ass just right. Her tits swayed hypnotically as she moved.
Damn. She was fucking beautiful. His own personal siren.
All in all, he had no complaints. The males could look all they wanted, but she was his. He’d been content to drink some tea and watch her get ready. She fascinated him. All hard edges and kicks to the face and then she could be found lining her eyes and putting on just the right shade of red lipstick. She smelled like heaven. Her perfume spicing the scent of her magick.
She wore tiny panties and a bra that heaped her breasts up, showcasing them perfectly in the neckline of the sparkly silver dress she wore. All her flesh tempted him. So much tawny delight.
He smiled. Later he’d slowly divest her of every last scrap of it in their bed.
They found the table her friends had grabbed for them all earlier and then he spun her, pulling her close and bending to speak in her ear. “Shall we dance?”
She nodded, a smile marking red glossy lips.
And, as it turned out, she did fuck like she danced. She moved with a great deal of passion and self-assurance. Like she fought. He hadn’t seen her this carefree, not outside their bed. He was immensely glad they’d come out. People around saw her, knew who she was.
It was good for them to see her in a social setting. He really got that as he noted people’s faces once they recognized her. Yes, they needed to be safe, but they needed to live too. What was the point of surviving the Magister and working so hard for their rights if they hid in their houses all the time?
Life was to be lived. She put her own on the line for them every day in ways they would most likely never truly understand. But just seeing her there, shaking her ass, smile on her face, her magick floating around her like golden dust motes, it made a difference and he approved mightily.
Hell, she needed it too. Needed something that wasn’t work, or downtime related to being ready for the next bout of work. Constantly being on guard wasn’t good for her. For anyone really, but she was his to protect.
And, he could admit, he liked that they had couple time. Social time when he got to know her friends better and they him. Sure he knew most of the people on the hunter team, at least by sight. But this was different. He was there not just as a guard, but as Helena’s man. He knew they understood it. Liked the approval he saw in their eyes as well.
“Would you like a drink, alamah?”
She got close, smiling up at him. No one had ever used a pet name before. Not more than honey or babe. Alamah was hers alone. He gave it to her and it made her happy. It was really nice to be happy, damn it.
“That would be really good. Jack and Coke please.”
One of his brows rose as he bent and kissed her quickly. “I don’t think I’ve seen you drink more than a beer before. I can’t wait to see this.”
He spun her artfully and guided her back to the table, and before he could move toward the bar, a cocktail waitress made her way over.
“Hey guys!”
It was a girl Helena and Lark had gone to school with. A cousin of Helena’s assistant, Sasha.
“Hey Carla. How are you? Looks jumpin’ in here tonight.” Marian grinned as she took the place in.
“It is. And it’s good for people to see you all here. My boss is positively giddy. He wants me to tell you drinks are on the house and to thank you for helping people feel safe. It’s hard to go out right now. You know? But if the Hunter is here with part of her crew, it’s good.”