“It is, isn’t it?” I started past her, bumping her arm with my elbow. “We can have our own little cookout. I’ve got a grill.”
Kat stared straight ahead as I kept walking.
“Are you coming or not?”
Her back was to me, and for a long moment I thought she was going to ignore me, and well, that would be really awkward. Especially if I had to go back to her, throw her over my shoulder, and force her to eat my grilled cow meat, because I would do it. No one should eat cow alone, I’d decided. Plus, I really wasn’t going to analyze why I didn’t want to think of her spending the holiday alone.
Kat turned around, catching that piece of hair again and wrapping it behind her ear. “Do you have cheese?”
I arched a brow. “Uh. Yes.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Swiss cheese?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
A second passed and then she smiled, flashing straight, white teeth. “Okay. Only if you make me a Swiss cheese hamburger and you don’t refer to it as cow meat.”
Dipping my chin, I felt the corners of my lips quirk up. “Deal.”
Dee ended up taking the fall for why Kat looked like she was lit up like the Vegas Strip. It had been her decision, and it had made sense, since I wasn’t sure anyone would’ve believed I’d make the same mistake twice.
As expected, Matt wasn’t thrilled about it. None of them were. I didn’t blame them.
And also, as expected, when I told Kat she had plans that evening, as in sticking around so I could keep an eye on her, she stated she had other plans. Everyone and the lamppost knew she didn’t have other plans.
Kat was just being stubborn.
After school on Tuesday, I followed Kat home. She’d gone to the post office first, which pissed me off. The girl looked like a lightbulb to the Arum. She knew that, and still moseyed her sweet behind to the post office to pick up an armful of packages.
Packages that contained books.
As if she needed more books.
When I had pointed that out to her in the parking lot, she stared at me like I’d kicked a small child into oncoming traffic and had stated quite firmly, “You can never have too many books.”
Then on the way home, she brake-checked me when I’d ridden up her bumper too close to get her to drive faster than I could walk. Didn’t she get that every minute out here we were exposed? I worried every day until I could get her home, next to me, where I could protect her.
I blew my horn at her several times. It was either that or ramming the back end of her busted-ass Camry.
It had taken forever to get to her house, and the moment I parked my SUV, I was the poster child for impatience. I got up and went to her driver’s side. Apparently, I had moved too fast.
“Jesus!” She rubbed her chest. “Would you please stop doing that?”
“Why?” I rested my arms on the open window. “You know about us now.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you can’t walk like a normal human being. What if my mom saw you?”
I grinned. “I’d charm her into believing she was seeing things.”
Opening the door, she barely waited for me to step back as she shoved past me. “I’m having dinner with my mom.”
I popped in front of her.
Kat squeaked and took a swing at me. “God! I think you like to do that to piss me off.”
“Who? Me?” I widened my eyes. “What time is dinner?”
“Six.” She stomped up the steps. “And you are not invited.”
“Like I want to eat dinner with you.”
She raised her hand, flipping me off.
I grinned. “You have until six thirty to be next door, or I’m coming after you.”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
Spinning around, I smiled as I headed over to my house, wondering if she realized she had left all those precious books in her car.
Dee showed up a little after four, but it wasn’t until it was close to the time when Kat was supposed to be here that she opened up the freezer and flipped out.
“Where is the ice cream?” Her voice was strained.
I leaned against the counter. “What ice cream?”
“What ice cream?” she repeated slowly, disbelief ringing in her voice. “The half a gallon of rocky road ice cream that was in the freezer yesterday!”
“Huh.”
“I can’t believe you ate all the ice cream, Daemon!”
“I didn’t eat all of it.”
“Oh, so it ate itself?” Dee’s shriek could burst eardrums. “Did the spoon eat it? Oh wait, I know. The carton ate it.”
“Actually, I think the freezer ate it,” I responded drily. Dee whipped around and threw the empty carton at me, turning the damn thing into a speeding baseball. It smacked off my arm, stinging. I caught it before it hit the floor. “Ouch. That wasn’t very nice.”
She glared at me as I tossed the carton in the trash. It was then that I heard someone in the living room. Turning around, I headed for the room. It was Kat. I glanced at the clock and my lips twitched. It was a couple of minutes after six thirty. Leaning against the frame of the door, I crossed my arms and waited for her to realize I was there.
When she saw me, all she did was stand there and…stare. Her gaze moved over me like she hadn’t seen me before, and I found that interesting. I raised a brow. “Kat?”
She looked away quickly. “Did you get hit by an ice cream carton?”
“Yes.”
“Damn. And I missed that.”
“I’m sure Dee would love to do a replay for you.”
Kat grinned at that.
“Oh, you think this is funny.” Dee burst into the living room, car keys in hand. “I should be making you go to the store and get me rocky road, but because I like Katy and value her well-being, I’m going to get it myself.”
Kat’s eyes widened. “Can’t Daemon go?”
I smiled at her.
“No. If the Arum comes around, he’s only going to see your trace.” Dee grabbed her purse. “You need to be with Daemon. He’s stronger than me.”
Kat sighed heavily, and if I had feelings, I’d be offended. “Can’t I go next door?”
“You do realize your trace can be seen from the outside?” I pushed out of the doorway. “It’s your funeral, though.”
“Daemon,” Dee snapped. “This is all your fault. My ice cream is not your ice cream.”
“Ice cream must be very important,” Kat murmured.
“It is my life.” Dee swung her purse at me but missed. “And you took it from me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just get going and come right back.”
“Yes, sir!” She saluted me. “You guys want anything?”
Kat shook her head, and when Dee walked to the door, I shot over and gave her a quick one-armed hug. “Be careful.”
“As always.” She waved good-bye and darted out the door.
“Wow,” Kat said. “Remind me never to eat her ice cream.”
“If you do, even I wouldn’t be able to save you.” I flashed a grin at her. “So, Kitten, if I’m going to be your babysitter for the evening, what’s in it for me?”
Her eyes narrowed. “First off, I didn’t ask you to babysit me. And you made me come over here. And don’t call me Kitten.”
I laughed. “Aren’t you feisty tonight?”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Grinning, I walked into the kitchen. “I can believe that. Never a dull moment when you’re around.” I paused when I realized she was still standing in the middle of the living room. “Are you coming or not?”
“Going where?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Didn’t you just eat all of the ice cream?”
“Yeah, still hungry.”
“Good Lord, aliens can eat.”
I glanced over my shoulder, finding that she still hadn’t moved. “I have this strong inclination that I need to keep an eye on you. Where I go, you go.” I waited for her to move and when she didn’t, I winked at her. “Or I can forcibly move you.”
“All right,” she huffed and then stomped past me, plopping down at the kitchen table.
I grabbed a plate of leftover chicken from the fridge. “Want some?”