Page 15 of Knotty Bargain (Monster Holidays #3)

CHAPTER 15

LEVIATHAN

I chop the vegetables with lightning speed, my four arms a blur of motion. Each hand wields a knife with precision, dicing onions, mincing garlic, and slicing peppers into perfect strips. The scent of sauteing spices fills the kitchen.

Fuck, it's so good to use my four hands for a change. I pity poor humans with their two arms. There's so much one can accomplish with four.

The hot oil hisses when I add onion to the pan. I move the vegetable around until it gets transparent, as mentioned in the recipe.

Turns out cooking is great to get your mind off things. I cooked only a handful of times in my life, so every part of the process is a challenge. It gets worse because it's human food and I don't even know how it's supposed to taste or look. But it helps with keeping dangerous thoughts away.

Mostly.

Maybe keeping some distance by staying in my devil form will tamp down this growing infatuation.

I sigh. No. Infatuation is not the right word. I know the right word, but I refuse to use it. These feelings have burrowed inside me, spreading roots, and it terrifies me. I'm immortal darkness; she's mortal sunshine. We could never?—

"Sorry to inform, but Miranda said she's still looking for a way to unbind us."

I glance up to find Cordelia leaning against the counter. And here I've been trying to hide from her.

"She can take her time," I reply, focusing on my task.

Cordelia approaches. "That smells amazing." She leans on the counter, wonder sparkling in her cerulean eyes as she takes in my extra appendages. "You're like a culinary octopus."

A surprised chuckle escapes me. Her delighted smile sends warmth blooming in my chest. I clear my throat.

"Just trying out some things. I finished 90 Days and moved to this baking competition show."

"Oh, I saw it on the TV's home screen. I used to watch that with my ex when it first came out. The one with the celebrity chefs?"

My grip tightens on the knife. Jealousy sears me. I'm being ridiculous—of course she's had other relationships. Even if she said she's never been in love, she had other men touch her. Kiss her.

Meanwhile, I've not had any action in centuries. And never with a human. Fuck. I hadn't thought from this angle. Even if we ever did something more than kissing, there's a good chance I won't know what to do . She's so different from me.

She's so much smaller. Could she even fit me?

Fuck. No. No no no . I shouldn't have thought that. My cock twitches to life and I have to hide my hips behind the counter.

I roughly slide the vegetables into the pan, oil sizzling. After popping the shepherd's pie in the oven (strange name: it doesn't look like a pie), I vigorously scrub the counters, avoiding her gaze.

Cordelia's brow furrows. "Did I upset you?"

"No," I bark back, too fast.

"Then why did you sound upset when I mentioned my ex?" She takes a beat. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were slut-shaming me." An edge of hurt laces her tone.

I freeze, dishcloth in hand. "Slut-shaming?" I meet her eyes.

"Yes. Shaming me for having slept with someone."

I lower my gaze. "Your past is your own. I'm not one to judge."

"Then why are you upset?"

I can't answer. I can't tell her I'm mad with jealousy that anyone other than me ever touched her. This is ridiculous. She doesn't belong to me. She belongs to no one. This is so stupid.

And yet, I can't reel my feelings in. They rise in my chest and pour out unbid. I stare at her. "You said you never fell in love, right?"

"Right." She arches an eyebrow. "So?"

My heart races. That's what matters. I've never been in love either. Not until...

Not until her.

"Is this about yesterday's kiss?" she murmurs, stepping closer. "I'll understand if you want to pretend it never happened."

"Pretend?" I shake my head. "Cordelia. I can't pretend that never happened. Fuck, I can't stop thinking about it."

She chews on her bottom lip. "Levi." Her hand touches my arm and I stop. It all stops. There's only the two of us in the entire world. "It's my fault. I know it. That we're stuck together. That you're far from home. And you went ahead and accepted my fake dating proposal. But if you want to stop... I know we're not real and..."

Something in me snaps. I'm in front of her in one stride. Pulling her flush against me, I capture her lips in a searing kiss. She gasps and I deepen the kiss, tasting her sweetness, breathing her in. My arms wrap around her soft curves as I pour my pent-up longing into the kiss.

She tastes fucking amazing. Every time our tongues touch, my cock jumps. There's no way I can hide my raging erection now.

After a moment, I tear myself away, both of us panting. Her eyes are wide, cheeks flushed, pink lips kiss-swollen.

Resting my forehead against hers, I rasp, "Don't." I catch my breath, my eyes on her face. "Don't ever say this isn't real."