Page 15 of Healing Conviction

Nora’s alabaster skin reddened and she crossed her arms in challenge before leaning up on the leather couch. “Oh, is that so? I don’t remember you being the boss of me,Malfoy.”

He felt a grin stretch across his face. “Then it looks like I need to teach you a lesson, Pix.”

Her jaw dropped and she seemed to be gathering up a retort in her mind, but a laughed curse from someone on the screen made them both turn toward the TV.

“Seeing you smile is weird as fuck, man,” Jaybird pointed out with a shake of his head. “You were never this happy before your coma.”

Hawk cleared his throat. “If you’re both willing, then let’s get this done. We don’t know how good this information is now, let alone if we sit on it. The sooner you guys can leave, the better. How soon can you leave, Nora?”

The leather creaked as Nora shifted. “I, um…” She looked down at her phone and seemed to be scrolling over its screen. “I, uh, need to do a few things in Ashland first and I’ll be ready to go.”

“What’re you waiting for?” Draco knew he sounded like an asshole, but her cagey excuse, the guilty look on her face, and the way she wasn’t looking at him? He hoped his suspicion wasn’t right.

They’d asked her to go on a fact-finding mission for an unknown amount of time. She obviously needed to pack before they left, but Draco hoped her relationship with Nice Guy Matt stayed back in Ashland. Or better yet, was wiped off the map entirely.

Her cheeks pinked and the delightful shade spread down her body to places he wouldn’t have minded exploring. Hopefully the blush wasn’t because another man was on her mind.

But all hope was lost when a look of defiance twisted her lips before she spoke. “Whelp, Mr. Nosy Noserton, if youmustknow… I’ve got a date with Matt. I’ll talk to him then, but I should be able to go tomorrow morning.”

His heart stuttered.

A date.

A motherfucking date.

Obviously, he knew they werefriendly, thanks to Matt’s little pop-ins while she visited. But Nora had never actually said the words to him out loud. Fuck, being physically stabbed would’ve hurt less than the way he felt right then.

Her admission sent his mind spiraling, and the thought that someone’s name, other than his own, was being moaned from those perfect lips… it somehow made it more real to him. He’d wanted to know how to play this and she’d just given him his answer.

No more staying on the sidelines.

“You want to hold off for a fuckingdate?”

She pushed her shoulders back before facing the screen again. “Is leaving tomorrow too late for us to act on this unknown information that may—or may not—give us any kind of clues whatsoever?”

Hawk tapped his lips with steepled index fingers. “I don’t think so. We’ll be able to get in touch with you if we find out more information, right?”

“Yeppers, Cap’n. Got my handy-dandy cellular phone right here.” Nora held up her phone and her false smile made Draco want to turn her over his knee.

“Good,” Hawk replied. “We can always count on you.”And how many fucking times have they had to do that?“We’ll keep in touch. You’ll go on your date tonight and leave in the morning—”

“Why don’t we leave after your date?” Draco interrupted.

Nora’s nose wrinkled. “I, um… Draco. I don’t know when it’ll be over.”

“Come on, it’s not like it’s gonna take all night.” He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, especially when her rosy cheeks deepened to ruby red.

Well, fuck.

“Oh… got it.” Except there was no way in hell he was going to sit on his ass at home while Nice Guy Matt got to watchhisPix come. No. Fucking. Way.

An odd look passed over Nora’s face before she whispered. “I’ll… I’ll see what I can do, that’s all I can give you right now.”

“Alright, good.” Hawk nodded. “It’s settled. Let’s move on…”

Whatever the rest of the meeting was about, Draco had no clue. He was still reeling over Nora’sdate.

The original plan had been to let her come to him, to not scare her away, and have her figure out that Matt wasn’t the one for her. Nora was a free spirit, and Draco had been afraid that coming on too strong would scare her away. But it seemed like sitting back in the wings wasn’t working. What if she never came to that conclusion all on her own?