She touched the red dress. Too aggressive. And it was the one Todd had always asked her to wear. Never going to wear that dress again. It was Betsey Johnson. Shed gotten it off the rack during a discards sale. Ill make a few adjustments to it, then sell it on the site. She pulled out the pink lace number. Too summer-wedding. A white pantsuit with navy pinstripes was what she called her power suit. Too businessy.
The blue sundress with a fitted bodice and full skirt would look great with some rhinestone heels.
Or some stop-him-dead-in-his-tracks gladiator sandals.
Decided, Indi went about getting on her A-game.
An hour later, she stood before the door to Ryland Jamess apartment. At least, she hoped it was his place. When shed fled the other morning, she was pretty sure shed walked down four flights of stairs. This was the only apartment on the fourth floor.
She knocked and someone called out from the other side of the door to hold on.
Primping, she quickly pushed up the girls. A lather of her pistachio-almond moisturizer over her décolletage, and some soft heather eye shadow along with pale lips, had given her a summery look. She liked to wear her hair pulled up, and today shed gone with a bouncy ponytail high at the back of her head, with long strands teased out to frame her face.
Why she was nervous was beyond her. It wasnt as though she intended to throw herself at the man. She was getting over a breakup. And she didnt do rebound guys. That was crazy waiting to happen. But she did have good reason to return to his place today. And that reason was what made her anxious.
The door opened to reveal a man a good foot taller than her, wearing loose jeans that hung low on his hips to reveal gorgeous cut muscles that veed toward his crotch. He wore no shirt, so she followed those ridges upward, over abs of steel and pecs that might have been formed from stone. Indi finally met the mans piercing brown gaze. His smile beamed.
And she lost all means of rational communication.
* * *
The prettiest pair of blue eyes gazed up at him. Blue? Maybe more like blue violet. They emulated jewels, for sure. For a few seconds Ry forgot his name. Not that he needed to know his name. A guy should remember a thing like that. But...ah, hell, what was going on in his brain?
Princess, he said. Minus the pussycat ears. I didnt expect to see you again.
Oh. She looked aside.
He immediately picked up on her sullen expression. But Im happy to. I just wasnt sure youd remember, uh...things.
She shrugged and offered him a straight smile. I remember more than I probably want to. And I remembered where you live. I hope you dont mind that I stopped by. I wanted to talk to you, and I didnt have a phone number, so...
Im glad you stopped by. Come in. I was warming up some nachos in the oven. You hungry?
I, uh...maybe? If Im interrupting your meal
Not at all. I left work early today and felt like bumming around home, catching up on some reading for business projects. Come in. He grabbed his T-shirt from the back of a chair and pulled it on. Have a seat on the sofa. Uh, unless you prefer under the coffee table?
She gaped at him, then shook her head and nodded a grinning acknowledgment to the dig.
Ry took in her gorgeous pale skin, which was exposed from shoulder to neck to cleavage, and then her pretty knees and down to those very sexy sandals that wrapped thin leather straps up to her knees. Up along the soft blue dress. Her breasts rose from the low-cut top in a sensual yet not-too-blatant invitation. And he couldnt stop looking at her mouth, pursed and the palest pink. And were those lashes for real? So thick and black and...
She paused and looked over the coffee table. Offering him a smirking grin, she sat on the sofa. I cant believe I slept under your table.
Me, either. Couldnt have been too comfy. You look like youre feeling one hundred percent better, he said as he wandered into the kitchen to peek into the oven. Another ten minutes and the cheese would be melted. How are you feeling?
She turned and looked over the back of the sofa. Good. Not quite a hundred percent. Still a bit tired. I guess I went on a crazy bender. Slept on my floor when I got home, too. Apparently, when drunk, Im a floor sleeper.
Does that happen often?
The drunk? Her laugh was soft but she waved off the levity with a gesture. Not usually. But champagne goes straight to my head. I shouldnt have had that fifth goblet.
Ry whistled and wandered over to sit on the arm of the couch. Believe it or not, wine is my bête noire. I cant handle the vino.
Really? A big guy like you? It must take quite a few bottles to get you wasted.
Try one glass. Im not sure what it is, but it lays me flat. And I can drink vodka and whiskey like its juice. Weird.
He didnt normally reveal himself so boldly like that, but hed sensed her need for reassurance. The woman had lain under his coffee table all night.
You must have thought I was a case, she said. And when I got a look at what I looked like when I got home? I cant believe you didnt think I was a homeless person.
Wearing a designer gown and diamonds? The homeless are never so stylish.
She laughed. Yeah, I guess. But they werent diamonds. I never go for the splash when rhinestones will do. She leaned an elbow on the back of the sofa and pulled up a knee, catching it with a palm. I needed to come see you because I dont think I ever thanked you. You were so kind to make sure I didnt lie abandoned in some dark alleyway. I cant imagine what would have happened to me if youd walked away. So, thank you.
Youre welcome. Im not much for leaving a helpless woman in a dangerous situation. I hope you werent too freaked to wake here in the morning.
I was, but thats to be expected. And speaking of dangerous situations, I do have questions.
This was the part Ry should have foreseen, but still it had snuck up on him. Questions. Always questions. And they were never easy to answer. Like what?
The oven timer went off and, thankful for a moment of respite, he rushed over to pull out the nachos. Hed made a whole pan of chips with jalapeños, tomatoes, onions, shredded chicken, black beans and heaps of cheese. His favorite comfort food. A guy could never find good nachos in Paris.
You have to share these with me, he called over his shoulder, and was surprised when she answered from close by.
Indigo leaned over the pan of steaming nachos and inhaled. That smells heavenly. Last time I had something like this was when I visited a girlfriend in the States. You cant find good nachos in Paris.
Exactly. I use pickled jalapeños on them. Thats the secret recipe.
She rubbed her palms together. Dish me up!
Could he get so lucky that shed forget shed come here with questions? With hope, maybe she would.
Chapter 4
It had been a while since Ry enjoyed the company of a woman so much. And since hed felt so comfortable with one. Usually his dates were high-maintenance, slipping into the bathroom every half hour to check their makeup, texting or doing God knew what on their ever-present cell phones. He had yet to see Indigo glance at her phone.
Chapter 4
It had been a while since Ry enjoyed the company of a woman so much. And since hed felt so comfortable with one. Usually his dates were high-maintenance, slipping into the bathroom every half hour to check their makeup, texting or doing God knew what on their ever-present cell phones. He had yet to see Indigo glance at her phone.
They both sat on the sofa, facing the slanted windows that lined the east side of his flat from the floor, where they rose vertically about six feet up the wall, then angled at forty-five degrees to the top of the high ceiling.
Indis hand rested on her stomach and shed slouched down and declared, Youve ruined me for any other kind of nachos. I am your servant for life. Pay me with melty cheese and those fabulous pickled jalapeños.
I have never seen such a pretty, petite woman put down the cheese and chips with such gusto. I promise to call you next time I have a nacho craving.
She met his fist with her own. And Ry tilted his head against the back of the sofa and slouched down as well. Hed had a couple of beers in the fridge, and the now empty bottles sat on the coffee table. An evening sharing brews and junk food with a pretty woman? This was a hell of a lot easier than doing the fancy-restaurant thing and then trying to figure out if he should suggest a museum or a boring concert. And how to read a woman regarding whether she was on board for sex or if she was the sort who had a three-date minimum or even longer.
But he reminded himself this wasnt a date. The woman had been dumped by her boyfriend. And Ry did not do the rebound-guy thing. No way. He didnt need that kind of baggage to sort through.
He wasnt sure what was going on besides that he was warming to Indi fast and hoped they could get to know each other better. As more than friends, if that appealed to her. It did to him. When she decided to start dating again, he wanted to be tops on her list of potential dates.
Indi suddenly sat upright, turned to face him and asked, Now about what I really came here for.
Ah, hell. The fun couldnt have lasted forever. Ry sat up and set the empty plate on the table, then prepared to face the tough questions.
This is going to sound strange, she began, but...why do I feel as if I was drugged the other night?
Because she had been. You did say champagne goes straight to your head.
True, but Ive been on a champagne bender once before. This was different. The aftereffects have been exhausting. Ive slept like Sleeping Beauty minus the beauty part. I didnt even get up until three today. Its like Im fighting to come back from an illness, or something. And I still dont feel right. Tired and achy. Usually after a bender I puke, pass out, then wake with a headache. But a few hours later, Im good to go. You didnt... I mean, I dont think you would. You seem like a nice man. But... I have to ask.
He picked up on where she was headed. I did not roofie you, Indi.
Oh. Right. I mean, its never happened to me before, so I wouldnt know what to expect. Im sorry, but I had to ask.
Understandable. Let me see if I can help you to sort out things.
Ry shoved a hand over his hair, then pulled it back and held his hand at the back of his head. How to explain this to her without going into so much detail shed develop even more questions... Could he trust her with the details? She already knew some things, so hed only get caught if he tried to twist them into something they had not been.
And while youre at it, what were those black things? she asked. I saw them. They were...creatures. Totally black and creepy and yet weirdly sparkly.
Ry blew out his breath and dropped his hair. No way around this one. And lying never felt right to his soul. Hed have to give her the truth. Some of it. She seemed smart and capable of handling such information. And if not, she could run away from him again, and he wouldnt go after her. Shed just think shed met a totally whacked guy with a weird way of looking at the world.
You were drugged, he said. Or rather, you were treated with a complex healing process that involved herbs and some... He couldnt say faery magic. No human was that open-minded. And Im sure that was what has you feeling so blown now.
Herbs? What the hell? She pressed her palm over the base of her throat. Today there were no signs shed even been injured by the collector. I remember something about getting cut. Maybe from the creatures claws? Then you picked me up and carried me... And then I draw a blank. Ryland, please. I know this is crazy, but I need to fill in the blanks so I dont think Im going nuts.
Youre not nuts. At least, as far as I know. I dont know you well. He winked, but she didnt return the playful vibe.
Right. She was worried, and he had no right to keep her in the dark.
There was a creature, he confessed. Two of them. I was there to slay them. Which I did. Because if I had not stopped them they would have entered the mortal realm fully and done some terrible things.
Indigo thrust up a palm between them. But she didnt speak.
Ry felt compelled to clasp her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze, then he set it on her leg. This is going to be tough to hear, but you have to keep an open mind. Okay?
She nodded. Winced. Closed her eyes tightly. Then opened one eye and nodded again.
First, Ry said, I need to know if youve been in that area of the eighteenth before. At night?
A lot of times. I used to party there with friends a few years ago. Janet and I did the Club Rouge for her going-away party this spring. Why?
No reason. Well, yes, there is a reason. That particular section of Paris is a strange place. Actually, its called a thin place. Two worlds overlap.
She didnt react, but her attention grew fierce. He was jumping deep, but something about the woman made him feel as if she wouldnt be satisfied with anything but that dive, so Ry continued. Do you know about faeries?
You mean like the little twinkly ones I see in my garden?
He bent to level their gazes. You see faeries?
She shrugged. Not all the time, but I have. And just that youre asking about it means that I dont have to say to you dont think Im weird.
I dont think youre weird. Youve seen actual faeries before?
I guess so. Out of the corner of my eye. I believe in faeries. Just like Im sure all the other mythical creatures exist in the world. Not that Ive seen anything but a few faeries. Ive have never run in to a vampire, but until something is disproven, I keep an open mind.
Rys exhale released a lot of tension. Good. Because those black sparkly creatures were from Faery.
Really? Her response was so enthusiastic Ry leaned away from her. Would it have been easier if shed laughed at his fantastical suggestion and walked out on him? Much less to explain that way. But those creatures were big. The same size as you. Can faeries be all sizes and shapes?
He nodded. Basically. They are a species, and within the species are hundreds, probably thousands of breeds.
Cool.
So far, so good. Time to hold his breath and do the free dive to the deepest depths.
That part of Paris you were in last night is called FaeryTown, Ry said. Its where the realm of Faery overlaps the mortal realm. Its always been there. Humans arent aware of it. They walk through never knowing that faeries are all around them, living, existing, doing drugs.