Page 9 of How Not to Charm Your Human Colleague (Falling for Demons #2)

THE GIFT OF WARMTH

Aofe

I t was early when Aofe woke. For a while, she just lay there, staring out the window at the starlit sky.

There were just enough lights visible from the street that she suspected it was closer to morning, and she would have confirmed it if she’d had the energy to roll over and check the clock on the shelf behind her.

But despite her current awareness, there was still a hazy fog over the last…

how many days? Selfish sugar, Kizros must be so upset with her.

She had to have missed a day of work, possibly more, but she had no recollection of how long she’d been in bed.

Sweat had dried at her temples, and she felt the stickiness of a fever lingering in her muscles, but th e pain had receded to just a mild headache, which could have been a lack of food.

With great effort, she swung her legs out of the bed, clutching her head until her empty stomach and hollow bones could settle.

She blindly fumbled for her crutches, then reconsidered trying to hobble to the bathroom with her eyes closed.

Blinking, she tried to focus on the blurry outline of her walking aids leaning against the nightstand.

The throbbing in her head stuttered as she set eyes on her bedside table.

There was a tray of food set out—little pastries, diced fruit, nuts, and a glass of water—but also a tiny vase with a single blue flower.

It was rose-like, but the petals were more flared, and with such a rich blue, it could only be from this realm to be so bright.

Aofe had no recollection of these things being there when she fell asleep, so did that mean…

She wobbled to stand, then hurried through her morning routine as quickly as she could with stiff movements.

A harsh scrub in the bath with too much soap to erase the lingering smell, cleaning her teeth and immediately regretting it when she bit into a sugary pastry, and then a much too long struggle with her pants before she was somewhat presentable.

At this point, there was nothing she could do about her limp hair and fading blue dye.

With a sigh, and one last glance out the window at the rising moon, Aofe opened her door.

“You’re up.”

Aofe jerked to a stop, cheeks burning as she locked eyes with Kizros. He stood in the kitchen, hands frozen in the middle of whatever food prep he was doing, then he quickly shoved his glasses back up his nose with the back of his wrist. His eyes were wide, but that was a hopeful smile on his face.

The sight was so… normal , she momentarily forgot her worries.

Thoughts of him coming into her room, leaving her food, but also seeing her in her most vulnerable state, should have had embarrassment curling around her gut.

Instead, she thought of the flower he’d left on her bedside table, and the care he’d put into making sure she had something to eat when she woke.

“I’m… up,” she said, offering a half smile.

“Are you feeling okay? Did you eat enough?” he asked, wiping his hands on a towel. He lifted a tray of something then tapped the rune on his oven before sliding the baking stone inside. “These scones should be done in five minutes now that the glaze is on, but there’s more meat, eggs, rice?—”

“Isn’t the shop opening soon?” Aofe wondered. She gestured toward the stairs. “I can clean up and prep, and then just stick to the back room and finish the potions I was working on for the other women so no one sees me?—”

“No!” Kizros blurted, standing up so quickly he nearly clipped his horns on the ceiling-mounted pot rack.

Her shoulders immediately deflated, and all her worries came crashing back down as she sank her weight on her crutches.

Of course he didn’t want her down in the shop.

She’d already cost him business, and now she’d missed days of work.

Those echoing words were back in her skull, reminding her that this was inevitable.

Everyone got tired of her eventually, and when she was unreliable, how could they possibly keep her around?

“Oh, right, okay.” What else could she say? Ask for one last favor so she could have a bag to pack her things?

“Wait, no,” Kizros blurted again, this time getting his horn tangled in one of the pots.

He swatted at it a few times, knocking his glasses askew in the process, and if Aofe hadn’t been so devastated at him getting rid of her, she might have thought it endearing to see him fighting a pot. “Aofe, that’s not—fuck, get off me.”

He finally unhooked himself from the rack, flinging the pan across the room before scrambling around the counter. “That’s not what I meant, I just… I closed for today.”

Aofe frowned. “You… but you’re already losing business because of me. Can you afford to close?—”

“First off, making assumptions about my financials is rude, little human,” he said, walking toward her with a finger upraised.

She blushed, twisting her lips to fight a smile at how teasing but reassuring his tone was.

“Second, I already finished your contraceptive so you wouldn’t be stressed about that, not because I didn’t think you were capable, but because you needed to focus on getting better.

And third, no work today because I have something I need to show you. ”

Her heart caught in her throat. “Show me? ”

A dozen more thoughts flooded her mind. Something to show her meant walking, or even a ride in a cart tugged by one of those beasts, and she wasn’t entirely sure she had the energy for something like that.

Then, the thought of being out on the streets when the apothecary had become so comfortable sent nerves fluttering around her stomach.

The shop was safe, and even if she trusted Kizros, Heck was still an unknown she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to face.

So many demons watching her, towering over her, seeing her weakness compared to them, but also…

did Kizros not understand what her presence was already doing to his status?

It wasn’t just about losing business. What if word got out?

What if it got worse than demons avoiding his shop?

There had to be some importance to demon social life if they had a council and a social class hierarchy.

Kizros took a step away, almost stumbling before his tail flicked quickly behind him to keep him balanced. “Sorry, that’s a lot of things at once. You, uh…” He scratched behind his horn. “Your freckles are more prominent now that there is color to your cheeks again.”

Aofe choked on a laugh, thankful for the distraction away from her thoughts. She rubbed at a cheek. “Thank you, Kiz.”

He perked up, smile broadening into something… well, something quite beautiful, if she were being honest. But he still stood there, oblivious to his continued staring, until she remembered the answer he was waiting on.

“Right, yes, I would like to see this… something. But that scone also sounds de lightful.”

Kizros clapped his hands together. “Excellent. I wanted your consent, but I also would not accept no.” He hesitated, cheeks darkening, then began flailing with his arms. “Not that I wouldn’t respect you if you did say no, just not about this.

I mean, I might have to ruin the surprise to try to convince you—not that I’m pressuring you!

—but there’s this thing, and it’s very unique, but it was supposed to be a nice gesture after I?—”

“Kiz, it’s okay,” Aofe reassured him, pressing a hand to his forearm to slow him down. “It can remain a surprise.”

Aofe absolutely hated surprises, but he seemed so relieved at her answer, it would be cruel of her to demand he spoil it.

With a final nod, he hurried to his oven, turning it off with the same rune and opening the door to the most delightful sweetness Aofe had ever smelled.

While she knew he hadn’t used the human equivalents, she could almost taste the cranberry and vanilla before even seeing the pastries.

The sight of them—a purple glaze over yellow dough—didn’t quite match her memories of one of her favorite treats, but the taste did, and if Kizros hadn’t been watching her every movement with his charming stare, she might have moaned.

What she did do was groan, loudly, at the sight of the stairs to leave the apartment. No amount of honey—or whatever the demon equivalent sweetener was that may or may not have come from nightmare bees—could soften the soreness that still plagued her body.

Kizros stepped closer, fiddling with his shirtsleeves. “I think this would be considered a rude question, but… would you like me to carry you down?”

Aofe let out a long sigh. “I’m going to be honest. It’s probably one of the most humiliating things I’ve ever considered saying yes to.” And she was truly considering it. Maybe. Probably not.

His brows crashed down, and then he slid past her, taking the first step before turning to look at her. He still towered over her, but it was probably more for the effect. “Aofe, it’s not humiliating. The apartment is up a narrow set of stairs.”

She almost snorted at his definition of narrow, considering everything in his shop and apartment were wide enough to accommodate her comfortably. The bed, the bathtub, the aisles and workroom, though the counters were a little bit too tall. Not challenging like the stairs, though.

“If anyone is humiliated, it’s me for not noticing soon enough.

” Kizros grunted. “Blazes, I shouldn’t even have to notice.

Basic accessibility should just be a given, so until I can get the proper ramp commissioned for the front step, or something to make our apartment accessible, please let me assuage my guilt and do the least inconvenient thing in the world like carry you. ”

Our apartment .

Stunned by his declaration, she mumbled an okay before fully comprehending what that would entail.