“Just… tell me I’m being dumb. Convince me. This new job is gonna be fine and—”
I put a finger over her lips to hush her up. “Pie. You are gonna kick this job’s ass. You are gonna kick it so hard that new world won’t see you coming. Won’t even know what to do with you. You’re gonna go in there, be the best damn… whatever your job title is… and when you come back to me, I will spoil you silly.”
This does the trick. “OK.” She pouts a little. “I am kinda tired of being stuck inside the sanctuary. And you’re probably right. I’m making a bigger deal about this than it needs to be. If I get the first day over with, I can reevaluate things.”
“Exactly.” This pleases me.
“Nothing’s gonna happen to me,” she continues. “But if something does, you will kick monster ass on my behalf, right?”
I beam a smile, proud of myself for turning this around. “Cross my heart.”
Pie places both hands on my bare shoulders, leans up on her tiptoes, and kisses me on the lips. It’s a real kiss, too. Nice and slow. Easy and perfect.
When she pulls away, I drift in her direction, wanting that connection to go on forever. I’ve gotten used to the idea that I have a woman now. But I’m not taking it for granted.
I really would kill anyone who hurt her.
Pie pats my chest and smiles. “I guess it’s not gonna be that bad. And I have a new outfit.” She walks over to the closet, opens it up, and pulls out some clothes on a hanger. I watch her as she removes the little pieces of fabric and lays them out on the messy bed.
“What is it?”
“What do you mean, what is it? It’s a skirt and a blouse.”
I tilt my head. “I see the blouse. But that’s not a skirt.”
“What?” She kinda snorts.
I pick it up with two pinched fingers. “This… this… this is a postage stamp.”
She snags it away. “Don’t be ridiculous. The eyebrow monster made it for me. He measured me and everything. It fits perfect.” She demonstrates by pulling the skirt up her legs and buttoning the waist. “See?”
I twirl a finger in the air. “Turn, please.”
“What?” She laughs again. But she turns.
“It barely covers your ass. What is wrong with Eyebrow Monster? He’s never heard of office-appropriate?”
Pie stretches out one of her extra-long nymph legs. “What are you talking about? It’s a miniskirt. That’s what I asked for. But it’s not a micro-mini. It hits mid-thigh.”
“Micro-mini?”
“You know. Those super-short ones that practically show off your hoo-ha.” I must appear confused, because she giggles. “Pell. You can’t be upset about my skirt.”
“Why not?”
“Because wood nymphs don’t wear skirts. You should be happy I’m wearing anything.”
She’s kinda right. But now that I’m seeing her in this skirt, I don’t know. I hate the idea that she’s wearing it for Tarq.
But of course, I can’t say that. Not after winning the battle.
“Hey, be your considerate monster self and throw some wood on the water heater, will ya? I’m gonna take a bath before work. Do I have a starting time? Tarq never gave me one, so I’m assuming I can just show up after breakfast?”
I’m not really listening. I’m still picturing her in this sexy little work outfit, walking around a whole new city filled with men like… well… me. Lecherous satyr chimeras.
I’m just about to surrender, give her the win, maybe even throw the entire war and let her stay home forever, when she claps her hands. “Pell! Are you listening? Water heater? Wood? And what is this? Were you looking at the rings?”
“What?” But then I notice that she’s holding up the bag of magic rings we found where the Book of Debt was supposed to be after the Reckoning.