Page 36 of Devils Don’t Deal

He flashed a smile sweeter than sin while his eyes danced with mischief. “She told me that when you woke up, you’d be ready to leave so I should have a car for you. Something with a smooth ride, not the spider-mech.”

I leaned closer to him, searching for signs of damage. If he’d actually confronted the Grand Sorcerer, he’d at least be singed, wouldn’t he? He only looked back at me, his eyes drifting to my mouth before returning to my eyes.

A flush of warmth had me pulling back. Better him singed than me. “She has my thanks. Seriously, I don’t know how you can handle riding that monster, and I have a goblin stomach.”

“Your goblin stomach helped you survive the blood poisoning. When we get to the shop, will you allow me to make you dinner?”

I stared at him while my heart did something weird and Divinity nosed my arm. “You’ll really cook?”

He gave me a devilish smile. “Of course. I’m very talented.”

“Because you traded it for immortality. Someone else’s, not yours.” Did I sound breathless? Was he really going to cook for me? Even if it was awful, it would be wonderful.

He raised a brow and murmured, “Because I like cooking.”

“You do? Why?” This felt like courtship, the kind of flirting that led to forever. It was the ultimate dream. He’d make dinner, I’d make dessert, and together we’d be perfectly devoured. That was probably the goblin talking. Definitely the goblin, but all of me was intrigued by the prospect.

He tilted his head as he considered. “I like the adventure of it. No two dishes ever turn out exactly the same, but there’s a wide variety of different kinds of excellence. And I like feeding people. It feels useful, like it’s making up for some of the damage I do.”

“So the sum-positive curse?”

He shrugged an elegant shoulder. “Perhaps. Or perhaps it’s boring to always be on the same side of every deal.”

I leaned against the buttery leather and closed my eyes. I couldn’t keep talking to him or I’d lean over and bite him. Also, I was still coming back from basically dead. “Thank you for saving me.”

He cleared his throat. “It was the rabbit, and it was entirely selfish.”

I smiled with my eyes still closed. Was I going to talk about the kiss? I shouldn’t. “Nope. Saving someone else’s life doesn’t get to be entirely selfish. Sorry. Also the kiss. It was absolutely delicious in spite of everything. Do you give lessons?”

He was silent for a long moment before he inhaled a deep drag that made my stomach tighten. “You’d like lessons?”

“Not me. If I ever decide to date someone, they should kiss that well.”

“Ah. In that case, no. I do not give lessons.”

I snickered and took a quick look at him. He was leaning back, face relaxed with an almost smile as he studied me. Predatory eyes. Knowing, dangerous, vicious, but so sweet and beautiful.

I grabbed his hand on impulse and held it while his soul curled at my side. “Yes. You can make me dinner, but it has to be delicious.”

His eyes literally glowed. “Of course.”

An hour later, I sat in the overstuffed, moss-green chair that was now in my bakery, my feet on a purple footstool with a fluffy blanket wrapped around me while he cooked. When he was finished, he wheeled a beautiful tea cart over then placed a plate on my lap filled with an assortment of delicacies that were all absolutely out of this world. I took a bite of the prettiest mushroom noodles I’d ever tasted. And there were flowers in the salad.

It was so pretty, and so delicious. But most of all, it felt like his love. Not that a devil without a heart and only half a soul could love, but if he could, it would taste just like that.

“You should sleep then start fresh in the morning,” he said, words careful like he expected me to refuse.

Instead, I nodded slowly. “Okay. Will you carry me up the stairs to bed?”

Bad idea. Stop it, goblin. You don’t get to bite him. You nibbled his salad, you don’t get him.

He stared at me while I stared back. “Of course,” he finally said. The devil carefully moved the cart then picked me up like I was the most fragile piece of precious china. He started toward the stairs with me and the rabbit in his strong arms.

“And will you do the dishes while I sleep?” I murmured against his neck. He smelled so good. Would it be bad to taste him? His rabbit had bitten me twice.

I scraped his neck with my teeth before I realized what I was doing. I would’ve stopped, but he tasted…

He staggered and almost fell down the stairs, startling me enough to realize what I was doing. I sheathed my teeth and tucked my head so my forehead was against his skin where my teeth had been. Bad goblin. But he tasted so good.