Page 31 of The Rake and the Cake

“I could work it. I mean, I’d rather come see you win, but if you need me here—”

“No,” Aisling said too quickly.

When Brook didn’t immediately respond, Aisling glanced over her shoulder (and lashing tail). Brook stood in the doorway frowning, biting at the inside of her cheek.

“Sorry,” Aisling amended, turning back to her task of wiping down the counter. “I just mean—I’d better get back to doing it all myself.”

“Why?” Brook asked.

Aisling rolled her eyes. They stung a bit, though.

Footsteps behind her, just three. And then Brook demanded, “Why do you have to get used to doing it all yourself again? I’m offering.”

Aisling took a deep breath. “I’d rather not learn to depend on help.”

“But it goes so smoothly with me. You said so yourself. And if you want to get patronage—”

“I’ve gotten this far on my own,” Aisling interrupted. Her tail swiped from side to side, and she wrapped it around her own ankle just to keep it from betraying her feelings.

“I thought…” Brook took a long pause. “I could just give you what you need, you know. My family would be your patrons if we got married, so why not—?”

“Yes, but we’re not getting married, are we?” Aisling stood up straight and threw down her rag in frustration. Her tail squeezed her ankle so tight it almost hurt. “Your parents are off your back. I got to awe and amaze my parents with my pretty noble fake-fiancée. We got what we wanted. Let’s not make it more than it has to be.”

“We got what we wanted?” Brook’s voice rose in disbelief. “Aisling, I could’ve asked Sunny to fake it if I just needed someone. I picked you because…”

Slowly, Aisling turned. She slid her gaze slowly up Brook’s lithe body, tantalizing in its soft leathers. “Because why?”

“Because I want you. We talked about it. I thought you knew.”

Aisling flushed. “Well, you’ve had that, too.”

Brook’s dark brows drew down and together. “Is that what you think? That I was helping you so I could fuck you?”

“Weren’t you?”

“Well—” Brook sputtered a moment. “Well, yes, but isn’t that why you kept me around, too? You wanted to fuck me?”

“I did,” Aisling said. I do, her mind screamed.

“So it’s only bad when I do things to get closer to you, not when you do the same things,” Brook reasoned, voice dripping with irony.

“Don’t act like you’re the one being insulted,” Aisling snapped.

“I am literally the one you’re insulting!” Brook all but stamped her foot. Then she frowned again. “Wait. Is this—is that what you wanted?”

“What?”

“What, we fucked, now you’re done with me? Really?”

“No! That’s not me, that’s you!”

“Then why are you the one saying it? Oh, goddess, I think I’m going mad.”

Aisling huffed. “Could you go and do it somewhere else, then? Because I have a lot to get done tonight.”

Brook turned on her heel, hair flying behind her, and stomped away.

Aisling stood there for a long time, watching the empty doorway, and wondering what in Everend was wrong with her.