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Noc

 

“What does this do?”

“It counts how many steps you take and you can input what you’ve eaten, what exercise you’ve done, how much water you’ve drunk, and it tracks how far you’ve walked, how many calories you’ve burned, how long you’ve been active, things like that.”

Complete silence.

Then.

“And what does this do?”

“Uh, well…it’s a scale.”

“A scale?”

“A scale.”

“What sort of scale?”

A different kind of silence, then…

“You step on it and it tells you how much you weigh.”

“Why would you need to know that?”

“Um…”

Noc was having trouble not busting a gut laughing.

He really should intervene. The sales guy at the phone store probably made squat. He didn’t need two parallel universe women asking him a million questions.

Though, Josette was the one asking the questions. Frannie was standing tucked close to his side, her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders, being quiet and watching her girl take in her new world and doing it with a sweet, sexy smile on her face.

From what he’d experienced since taking Franka to Valentine’s so she could change clothes and get ready for the day, then taking both her and Josette out for beignets, Noc knew the guy was in for it. But it was so hilarious, and Josette was having so much fun, he couldn’t bring himself to stop it.

He’d learned that day when she’d cried out in Café du Monde, “By the goddess Hermia, there are Maroovians everywhere! Isn’t it divine?” that Josette was into black dudes seeing as, as far as Noc could tell while in their world, people from Maroo (as well as some from Keenhak) were black.

And the sales guy was a good-looking black dude.

Another reason Noc didn’t intervene.

Though, after realizing she was attracted to black guys, he’d spent some time in the car explaining political correctness to help her out in not putting her foot in it. He just had to hope Josette took it in from her place in the back with her nose pressed to the window and her mouth hanging open.

“Never mind,” Josette said to the sales guy. “Where are you from?”

“Uh, where am I from?”

“You know, what country on this planet?”

The guy looked from Josette to Noc and Franka, got no help, so he looked back to Josette.

“America,” he answered.

Josette turned to Noc. “That’s where we are now, right?”

“Yeah, babe.” Noc’s voice was shaking, “That’s where we are now.”

Josette turned again to the sales guy and declared, “You’re very handsome. We don’t have many handsome men like you where I’m from.”

The guy’s eyes got huge then they dropped to Josette’s impressive rack.

At that, Noc had to take half a step back (taking Frannie with him) and bend at the waist a little to alleviate the pain in his side from controlling his laughter.

“Darling,” Frannie murmured but said no more, and he could hear in that one word she thought it was hilarious too.

“I’m uncertain what the etiquette is,” Josette went on. “Where I’m from, I’d just ask you, after you’re finished with your duties, if you’d like to meet me at a pub for an ale and then take me to your bed.” She again turned to Noc as he made a choking noise. “What do you do here?”

“Uh,” he pushed out, “not that…exactly.”

Josette took in Noc’s position, expression and tone, and not stupid, she interpreted all of them.

Which meant she returned her attention back to the guy, murmuring, “Pity.”

“Jesus, where are you from?” he whispered.

“Not here,” Josette gave him the understatement of the decade, looked to the display of stuff at her side and asked, “What’s that?”

“Same as the other band but it has a clock on it and monitors your heart rate,” the guy answered, sounding strangled.

“Now, why on earth would you need that?” Josette asked.

“Young fellow,” Franka called before he could respond, and Noc swallowed a bark of laughter at the words she chose.

Josette and the sales guy turned their attention to her and when they did, the sales guy again had big eyes, probably because he’d never been called “young fellow” in his life.

Franka went on, “We’re here for telephones. As illuminating as this is, perhaps we should move on to that part of our expedition.”

“Right this way,” he said quickly and moved even quicker. He started his spiel before they got to the phone section. “We have a wide selection, a number of plans, different data options, our coverage is the best in the country and—”

“I’ll take that one,” Franka declared, pointing at a rose-gold iPhone.

“Yes, pink!” Josette exclaimed. “I’ll take that one too.” She whirled to Franka. “We’ll have twin telephones, Franka! Won’t that be divine?”

“Indeed it will, my dear,” Franka murmured, again sounding amused.

The salesman stood in the midst of a sea of phones and looked to Noc.

“Let’s just go with that, yeah?” Noc suggested.

“Right,” the guy mumbled.

“To make this easy on you, they’re probably not gonna need more than three gigs on the plan,” he told him. “They’re also not gonna need the larger storage capacity on the phone.”

“Gotcha,” came the reply. “I’ll go get ’em now.”

And he took off.

Fast.

“Well, that’s somewhat rude,” Josette muttered, eyeing him as he went and looking put out.

“My assumption from his earlier reaction is,” Franka started and Noc looked to her, “regardless of the fact that the women wear far less clothing, as do the men on some occasions, the sexual mores here are more stringent than they are at home, am I correct?”

Since he still had her in his hold, Noc curled her into his front, enjoying watching that slim, gorgeous neck of hers arch further back to keep hold of his gaze as he answered, “Not sure I can answer that question accurately. Didn’t go on the prowl in your world, sugarlips.”

She nodded smartly, sharing, “Josette told no tales. In our world, it’s not unusual for a young woman, or man, to approach someone they find attractive and offer to share their bed. Flirting is sometimes utilized, but it’s also often abandoned. No use wasting time when you can discover quite quickly if both parties desire the same thing. Is this not done here?”

He fought a grin as he shook his head and added, “Nope.”

“Oh dear, was I rude?” Josette asked, sounding horrified.

Noc looked to her. “I figure he’s never gonna forget today, not in a bad way, and right about now he’s trying to decide if you saw his wedding band so he can take it off, come back out and take you up on your offer.”

“Wedding band?” Franka asked.

He looked down into her beautiful face, still unable to decide if it was more beautiful made up or not.

When he did he thought of seeing that face for the first time in months the night before.

He also thought of all the brilliance that came after.

Especially the brilliance of what she’d said right before she drifted to sleep in his arms.

He then forced himself to stop thinking about this because, if he didn’t, he’d drag Frannie to his Suburban, take her to his new place and not give a shit they were leaving Josette behind. And that would not only not be cool, Josette was not like a babe in the woods.

She was like a kid in a candy store.

And that was worse.

“The band on his left ring finger,” he shared. “If a man has a band there, that means he’s married.”

“How marvelous!” Josette cried. “And what an excellent idea.” She turned to Franka. “If our men wore bands, a woman would know and she wouldn’t have to walk into a pub and unexpectedly have some wench accost her, tearing at her hair and clothing and spitting in her face.”

Clearly, this was something that had happened to Josette.

Christ.

Franka, already relaxed into his body and his hold, relaxed deeper while noting, “I never did quite understand the impulse of the wronged wife going after the lover. If the lover knew about the wife, all’s fair and I bid her strength in every pull and as much spittle as she can produce. If she didn’t, why tear at her hair and spit in her face? The lover was wronged as well, perhaps not as wronged as the wife, but she was wronged. The wife should be tearing at her husband’s hair and spitting in his face.” She tipped her head back and looked to Noc. “Do you agree? Or are vows of fidelity not practiced here as Cora and Circe shared they were?”

“They’re practiced,” he replied. “And I agree. A dude cheats, his wife cuts off his dick, my thoughts, he’s got no place to complain.”

A sweet, happy light lit in Franka’s eyes at his words.

“His dick?” Josette stage-whispered to Franka, she turned to her girl and Noc lost that light.

But he’d had it, he liked it and he was good with that.

Midnight soul.

Not even fucking close.

“I do believe, with that term, that Noc’s referring to a man’s member,” Franka stage-whispered back.

And Noc was again fighting laughter.

“They vow fidelity here?” Josette asked.

“They do,” Franka told her.

“Odd,” Josette mumbled.

Noc was surprised. “You don’t in your world?”

Frannie looked back up at him. “As they speak an ancient tongue, no one actually knows what the Vallees are saying during the marriage ceremony, even, in some cases, the Vallees. But my understanding is, no. Fidelity is not vowed in the Dwelling of the Gods when a man and woman are officially wed. Expected by the lower classes, definitely.” Her mouth tightened. “Expected from the females of all the classes, also definitely. Expected from the males of the Houses, no.”

“I take it you don’t like that much,” Noc observed.

“What’s expected for one should be expected for all,” she replied.

Noc again beat back laughter as he curled her closer and dipped his face to hers. “Listen to my Frannie, just a few months ago you were all about class, conservative to the core. Now you sound like a socialist.”

“I’ve no idea what that means but the teasing light in your eyes and the grin on your lips I have seen on a variety of occasions. As such, I do know what they mean and they make me think I should be finding you annoying right now,” she returned.

“Not today, baby,” he murmured, giving her a squeeze. “Today started great, it’s going great, and it’s going to keep going that way so let’s get along.”

“With delight,” she agreed. “But only because you called me ‘my Frannie’ and it’s the first time you’ve called me anything, outside Franka and sweetheart, that I like, so it’s put me in a good mood.”

Noc liked that she liked that.

And he liked that she looked almost as good in jeans and a designer tee as she did in that unbelievable dress she’d worn last night. He liked that she wasn’t letting the heels beat her and she had on another pair (or it could be that Valentine had only supplied those and she had nothing else, Valentine wasn’t at her place when they showed that morning and didn’t return before they left—not that he’d ask about Frannie’s shoes, but he would express his gratitude).

He also liked that she dug beignets so much, after she’d swallowed her first bite, she’d kissed him right at their table at the very crowded Café du Monde like they had their own private room. She did it long. She used her tongue. And she tasted of dough and powdered sugar when she did it, which made a fucking great kiss even better.

Further, he liked having her curled close. He liked that not only because he liked her curled close, but because she was close and not half a continent away on a parallel universe so he could curl her close.

And onward from that, he liked that he had his Frannie back so she could act uppity and cute, making him want to laugh, which he did right then.

But more, he liked all that knowing she’d be in his bed that night, and after he did what he was going to do to her there, she’d sleep in his arms again.

Oh yeah.

He liked all that.

A fuckuva lot.

“I’ve heard you chuckle, of course,” she said, her voice lower, meant only for him, and as she studied him her eyes were warm. “But I’ve never seen that particular look on your face.”

“That’s a happy look, sweetheart,” he told her. “Though, I’ve been happy around you so let’s just say it’s a seriously happy look.”

One of her brows went up. “Happy to be home?”

“Happy we’re both home.”

His words made her melt into him, doing it lifting her hands from where they were sitting light on his waist to rest them on his chest and giving him a sexy smile that he took as her being happy too.

“Here they are,” the sales guy cut into their moment, and Noc tore his gaze from Franka, feeling her turn slightly in his arms, but she didn’t take her hands from his chest nor did she turn in a way she’d lose contact with him at all.

He liked that too.

He also liked the glance he caught of Josette watching them with a look on her face that couldn’t be interpreted as anything but ecstatic.

He had her best girl’s approval.

He wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t.

But it didn’t suck that he did.

They set up the phone plans and got the phones, doing it using credit cards in Franka’s and Josette’s names that Valentine had left behind for them in envelopes that also included driver’s licenses, social security cards, passports and debit cards.

The cop in Noc didn’t like that. But there was no way around it. They didn’t exist in this world and they were going to be living there. This meant it had to be done so they didn’t have to live off the grid like criminals.

He still didn’t like it.

Regardless, Noc wasn’t a cop anymore. Valentine had returned him to that world a week ago so he could get his shit sorted, find a place to live, move his stuff that was in storage into that place and start his life so he’d have all of that out of the way when Frannie showed.

But when Valentine had brought him home, she’d given him a choice. She could pull strings to get him a job on the force or he could work with a private firm who she contracted with to do jobs for her. They’d seen his résumé, talked to his captain in Seattle and received a referral from a valued client (Valentine). They wanted to meet him.

After he sat down with them, he had an official offer within an hour.

All this was done within two days of arriving home.

The pay was three times more than working for the city, he had a lot more autonomy, his hours were more flexible and he liked the two guys who owned the place.

He took the job.

He started in two weeks. Two weeks to get Frannie settled. Two weeks to settle them.

And then back to life, one with Franka in it.

All was good.

Better, the plans he’d made to wine and dine Franka in order to talk her around to his way of thinking about where they should take what they had, he didn’t have to spend time doing because they took it that way the night before.

Now he could spend his time wining and dining her and end that with her beautiful face, great hair, fantastic body and adorable attitude in his bed.

Which meant all was great.

They were walking out of the store, Frannie again tucked in his side, arms around each other when she asked, “What’s next for our day?”

“I’d like to learn to operate one of these conveyances,” Josette declared, her attention on the cars parked outside the store.

“Think maybe you should give it a few days before you get your first driving lesson,” Noc replied, saying a few days, meaning a few months.

“I’d like a luncheon repast of pizza,” Frannie announced, and Noc smiled.

His girl liked her pizza. That was not in question.

And that was something else Noc liked.

“Pizza? What’s that?” Josette asked.

“You have to experience it to understand the wonders of it,” Frannie answered.

Noc felt his smile getting broader.

“Circe took me to what she called ‘a boil’ last night,” Josette shared. “She said it’s quite the done thing here. It was very unusual. After boiling the lot of the food, they drained it and dumped all of it on a table and you ate it with your fingers. The food was delicious and it made eating fun. Though, while consuming it, Circe said her favorite food from this world is tacos. She explained what they were to me and they sounded most odd but also most delicious.”

Franka had wobbled on her heel when Josette started speaking.

As Josette kept talking, Noc tightened his hold and, after she righted herself, murmured, “Good?”

It seemed she wasn’t meeting his eyes when she replied, “Yes, good.”

“What do you think for next?” Josette carried on. “I agree with luncheon. As delicious as those morsels were at the café this morning, I’m starved. So this pizza? Or tacos? And I should make it be known that I’d be happy again with a boil. The shrimp here are exceptionally succulent. And their petites homards are almost as flavorful as home.”

“Tacos,” Noc decided, watching Franka’s profile, all he had since she was keeping her face averted.

She didn’t only seem to be avoiding his eyes, she was also suddenly stiff, and he didn’t get it.

“I’m happy with that,” Josette decreed. “Franka?”

“Fine,” Franka said softly.

Noc beeped the locks to his SUV and Josette skipped to it excitedly.

She dug riding in cars, as in really dug it.

Franka didn’t feel the same.

He steered Frannie to her door but didn’t open it.

He turned her into him in a way she had no choice but to look up at him.

When she did Noc knew she was hiding something.

“Everything okay?” he asked quietly.

“Fine,” she repeated, moving to pull out of his hold and turn to the car.

He curled her closer and her gaze that had skidded away came back.

“Babe, you sure?” he pushed and added, “Cars are safe, sweetheart, and I’m a good driver.”

She nodded but made no verbal reply.

He looked into her eyes.

She was totally lying.

“Frannie, what’s up?”

“Nothing, Noc, though I am hungry so perhaps we can move along to luncheon?”

“We have that word, Frannie, but it’s mostly called lunch here.”

“Ah,” she murmured, her gaze again sliding away.

He didn’t like her weird change of mood, the suddenness of it or the fact she was lying about it. It could be she was nervous about taking another ride, she hadn’t taken to being in a vehicle like Josette had done. It could also be she was embarrassed by her misstep on her heels. Frannie didn’t make many missteps. She wore her dignity like armor and didn’t do embarrassment very well.

It could be something else.

But Josette was in the car. It was time for lunch. Then he had to get them somewhere they could charge their phones and he could teach them how to use them.

After that, he’d be leaving them so Frannie could get ready, and he could go home and do the same, because he was taking Frannie out to dinner.

Noc decided to give her her space now and talk to her then.

At that moment, he moved in and touched his lips to her temple.

His touch got him her eyes again and the remoteness he’d seen a moment earlier wasn’t totally gone, but some of the warmth had come back and he knew it’d all be good.

Franka could go into her head. He’d find a way pull her out.

He reached beyond her as he shifted her out of the way of the door, muttering, “Climb up, sweetheart.”

She did.

He shut the door behind her, rounded the hood and took his two other-world girls to find tacos.

Not surprisingly, tacos were a hit.

 

* * * * *

 

The door to Valentine’s place opened and Noc stood still, staring down at Frannie.

Jesus, but Valentine had good taste.

“Fuck, baby, you look beautiful,” he said quietly, staring at her dress.

It was a little black one made of lace. One shoulder had lace over it. The other was bare. The material under the lace looked nude. And the fitted skirt was short so her long-ass legs went on forever, especially in those pumps that showed her toes and had bows.

Her hair looked amazing, poofed out and falling over her shoulders in big soft curls.

And she’d become a master with makeup in a very short time.

“Josette is enamored with the gadgets called ‘curling irons,’” she declared when his attention fixed on her hair. “We have something like this at home, but of course they’re not heated through a string that’s pushed into a wall.”

Noc shook himself out of it, moved into her, rounded her waist with an arm and shuffled her in, grabbing the door and throwing it to behind them.

“Encourage that obsession, Frannie,” he advised, dipping his face to hers.

“My hair is extremely…” she seemed at a loss for words but settled on, “large.”

He grinned and dipped the half an inch he had left for his lips to hit hers.

“You work it,” he murmured there.

“I assume that’s good,” she murmured back.

“Mm-hmm,” he replied then he pulled her close with both arms and took her mouth.

He felt her fingers circle the back of his neck, but only vaguely.

It was all about her tits pressed to his chest. The feel of his hips snug in hers. The smell of her. The taste of her mouth.

Noc slanted his head and deepened the kiss, bending her over his arm, wondering if he was hungry or if he’d be good just feasting on Frannie.

The thought made him break the kiss but he didn’t pull away too far.

He liked to watch from close as she swam up from one of his kisses. She took her time opening her eyes like she was still lost to his mouth and didn’t want to admit it was gone. And her gaze—usually so sharp, alert, guarded, missing nothing—was open, vulnerable, giving everything.

“Much as I want more from that sweet mouth of yours, sugarlips, we don’t stop, we’ll be goin’ right to my place and not the restaurant.”

A flare of interest sparked in her eyes before she nodded, pulled away, ducked her head and smoothed her skirt along her hips in an agitated move that exposed the effects of his kiss.

A move that was so fucking feminine and so goddamned hot, he felt his dick start to get hard.

“Okay, maybe you should stop moving,” he said.

Her attention shot to him. “But…why?”

“Frannie, you’re making me hard and I’m not even touching you anymore.”

He watched it move over her face, the smug satisfaction that softened her mouth, hooded her gaze.

“Fuck, now just lookin’ at your face, I’m gettin’ hard,” he grumbled.

“You need to control yourself, Noc,” she purred.

“Think back, baby. Not sure those words would have come out of your mouth last night.”

He saw the pink hit her cheeks even as her eyes narrowed. He liked both. Enough he didn’t even bother to try to control himself from reaching out a long arm, hooking her at the waist and pulling her to him for a quick touch of the lips.

“Josette settled in for the night?” he asked when he lifted his head.

“Yes, but I’d like to say farewell.”

He nodded. “Let’s get to that.”

“She’s watching the television,” Frannie told him, detaching from his hold. But the instant she did, she reached out a hand, captured his and took him down Valentine’s hall.

“Way Valentine lives, looks like the witch business is good,” he observed, this not being the first time in the last week he’d been to Valentine’s place. One that looked expensive on the outside but it actually hid the opulence of the inside that managed to be both lavish and utter class.

“She’s said that her secretary has set up some tours of homes for Josette and I over the next several days. I’m hoping she finds much the same for us as this is more than adequate.” She stopped and looked back to him. “I know you have a good deal to attend to yourself, darling, after having just returned home, but if you could find time to accompany us and give your opinions, I’d be grateful.”

“I’m there, Frannie,” he promised. “But did you see Valentine?”

She gave him a small smile at his promise, but at his question she only gave him a short nod, turned ahead and kept walking, sharing, “She was here briefly, thus our understanding of the existence of curling irons. She said she has much to do to catch up.” It was quieter and reflective when she finished, “She seemed very distracted.”

Before he could ask after that, she was stopping them inside a door.

Josette was on the couch in that room, shoveling popcorn in her mouth from a bag, her eyes glued to the television where Interview with a Vampire was playing.

“Josette, my dear, Noc’s arrived and we’re about to be away,” Franka called.

Josette turned her head to them.

“This food says it’s flavored with cheddar but it’s not any cheddar I’ve ever tasted. That said, it’s the most delicious thing I think I’ve ever eaten, outside tacos,” she declared.

After tacos, while they were waiting for the phones to charge, Noc had taken them grocery shopping. He’d bought them a cart and a half full of food. He’d also subscribed them to Netflix and showed them how to pull it up on Valentine’s TV so Josette would be set while he and Frannie were out for the night.

He didn’t know if Netflix had Interview with a Vampire in their queue. Though, it being that movie, maybe local stations played it on a continuous loop.

“The creatures in this program drink blood,” she went on. “It’s gruesome and wonderful.”

“I’m delighted you’re enjoying yourself, my sweet,” Franka said with a smile in her voice. “Now, you have all our numbers in your telephone and remember how to use them in case you need anything, yes?”

“Yes, Franka.”

Noc put a hand to the small of Frannie’s back and started to move her out of the door as she bid her girl to “Continue enjoying your evening.”

“You enjoy yours as well, and hello and goodbye, Master Noctorno!” Josette called.

“It’s Noc, babe. And here it’s really just Noc,” he told her, giving her a smile even if his words were firm.

“Noc,” she said on a huge return smile then gave a swift wave and looked back to the TV.

Noc guided Franka down the hall. She stopped at a table to grab a black clutch. He nabbed the wrap that was thrown over a chair and draped it around her shoulders, kissing her neck while he did it, doing it to touch her, have her taste on his lips, but earning himself another look of soft satisfaction that he felt in his dick.

When he had her ready, he took her out to his car.

While they walked, she said, “You look very nice as well, Noc. Most handsome, or more than usual.”

He pulled her closer with the arm he had around her waist, murmuring, “Not surprised my Frannie likes me in a suit.”

“What you’re wearing is called a suit?”

“Yup.”

“Clever, seeing as it suits you.”

He chuckled, beeped the locks and helped her up into his Suburban.

He’d learned the times she’d been in it to start it up and then take her hand.

Even when he did, he felt her tenseness come fast, fill the cabin and he saw her other hand move out and latch on to the grip on the armrest at her door.

“You’ll get used to it, sweetheart,” he said quietly as he hit the gas, not wanting to call too much attention to it.

His Frannie, she had pride. She’d appreciate the assurance but not so much him pointing out she needed it.

And he knew he was right when she said nothing but her fingers flexed in his hand.

They were on their way when he brought it up.

“We can get you different shoes.”

He felt her gaze on him when she asked, “Pardon?”

He glanced at her then back to the road before he answered, “Different shoes. Ones without high heels like all the ones you’ve been wearing since you got here.”

“Do you not like these kinds of shoes?”

“Oh yeah, I like ’em,” he told her, gave her a squeeze of his hand and dropped his voice. “But, baby, until you’re used to walking in them, you can wear other stuff. I’ll take you guys to a mall tomorrow. Josette’ll like that and I figure you will too. And since Valentine took some of your stash, converted it to cash and opened you both bank accounts, you got a shit ton of money to spend, so you can have some fun.”

“I’m perfectly fine in the shoes Valentine bought me, Noc. I’m growing accustomed to them. And just to say, I had time this afternoon to go through the things she procured for me and there are five similar pairs in my chamber and they’re all very lovely. I’m looking forward to donning them.”

He wondered if she’d lose the way she talked the longer she was in his world.

He hoped she did, she’d fit in better and he didn’t want her to feel awkward.

He also hoped she didn’t because it was so Frannie.

“You can have both,” he said.

“I like what I have,” she replied.

He gave her hand another squeeze. “Babe, what I’m trying to say without saying it is that today, when we left the phone store, you tripped and then went funny on me. I don’t know if that’s why you went funny, could be you’re not used to riding in cars and you weren’t looking forward to getting back in mine. But whatever it was, I noticed it, and whatever it was, I want you to know I’m here to look out for you. So let me do that.”

She didn’t say anything and this lasted so long, he glanced to her from the GPS he’d programmed, something he needed because a week in NOLA was not near enough to know how to get around.

His eyes went back to the road and he noted gently, “Nothin’ to be embarrassed about, Frannie. Again, just lookin’ out for you.”

“I know,” she murmured.

“You wanna keep the heels, I am not gonna complain. You look great in them.”

She was silent a moment before she said, “It isn’t about the shoes.”

“Right,” he replied. “Then you’ll get used to being in cars. Seeing them. Hearing them. The speed they can have. The number of them there are. Coupla weeks, it might help if I take you somewhere open with no one around and show you how to drive. You’re in control of the car, you’ll understand it better and maybe be better sitting in the passenger seat.”

“It’s not about your vehicle either, Noc.”

That caught her another glance. “Then what was it about?”

She didn’t answer.

“Frannie, you shut down on me for a while there. You bounced back at lunch but I’ve been in your world. I know how freaky it is when everything around you is new. It can be overwhelming. And I can’t look after you if you don’t share what’s on your mind.”

At first she didn’t say anything and Noc was about to prompt her when she spoke.

“Is it safe, having a discussion while you’re operating this machine?” she asked. “All the lights, knobs, wheels, levers, it seems a lot to look after.”

He gave her hand another squeeze, but let it go thinking that maybe she’d feel more comfortable if he was using both of his to drive until she got used to riding around, doing this while he answered, “I’ve got a lot of practice. Been driving a car for twenty-two years, officially. This is not counting my dad teaching me how to drive at fourteen, with my stepmom having a conniption that he did it, and me joyriding with the guys numerous times before we got caught and Dad put a stop to it.”

“Joyriding?”

“Taking a car out without permission and driving it around. Legal age to drive is sixteen. We were not legal.”

“You’re thirty-eight years of age?”

She sounded shocked and that bought her another glance.

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

“Odd how I didn’t know that,” she murmured.

“Babe, we’re off the subject. To confirm,” he said with a grin in his voice, “I can have a discussion while operating this machine.”

Even after he confirmed, she didn’t say anything.

“Frannie,” he pushed.

“I know,” she said softly.

But she didn’t say anything else.

“You know what?” he prompted.

He felt her eyes on him when she stated, “About you and the Circe now in this world.”

Fuck.

He didn’t have to ask what she knew.

He knew what she knew.

Fuck.

He glanced at her again. “How do you know?”

“I saw you…that night, I…” There was a long hesitation and then, “I was coming down the hall. You were both in her door. It was obviously, er…after. I could…well, I could tell what had occurred. I retreated. Not much later, you walked into the sitting room and…” Another long pause before she finished, nearly on a whisper, “You know the rest.”

After they got their phones, Josette had mentioned going out to dinner with Circe and Franka had tripped. Clearly, she did this not because she wasn’t used to her heels. Clearly she did it because this was on her mind.

“I…well, I…” she went on uncertainly. “I considered this often when we were parted. Of course, I could not know what would happen upon our reunion. I will admit, as I’m sure you can gather, that I was desirous of that being the path we took and you’re very aware that I’m happy that we’ve taken it. But I couldn’t assume it would be what would happen. What I knew was that you’d been intimate with Circe. You two, well…you suit. She’s here. You’re here. And I’m—”

Noc cut her off with words he hoped would set her mind at ease. “It was a one-time thing. We had that one time. Now it’s done.”

Again with the silence before, very quietly, she shared he had not come close to setting her mind at ease.

“Noc, what we have, it’s very new. I understand I have no claim on you. You need give me no promises.”

Fuck.

That time, it was him that was silent and he was that way looking for a place to pull off.

He found it, indicated, swerved carefully into an open parking spot at the side of the street, put the truck in park and turned to her.

She was holding tight to the door grip and staring with big eyes through the windshield.

Apparently, he hadn’t swerved carefully enough.

“Frannie, look at me.”

Slowly, she tore her eyes from the window and turned her head his way.

And before he could even open his mouth, she opened hers and the words suddenly spewed out, but this time they came without hesitancy and they came fast.

“I just want you to know that isn’t why I agreed to do what I agreed to do with Valentine in regards to Circe. To take her from you. To create a clear path for me. That was not my intention at all. Those are no longer my ways. Well, they are, obviously with what Valentine and I are planning. A little intrigue. Some conniving. But not for sport. And not to harm. Our meaning is kind. It’s actually the natural order of things, in a way. But if you intend to continue on with her or, have, well…” she swallowed and it looked painful, “already started things up again on your return, that’s not my business. Or it is, in the sense that I should know so I can tell Valentine and we can stop doing what we’re doing so you can have a chance or, erm, whatever…with what you intend with Circe. And I will just…you and I will simply—”

“Stop talking,” he gritted.

She did as told and looked relieved to do it.

Noc took a deep breath and endeavored not to lose his mind and fuck up like he did the night before.

When he got his shit together, he stated, “Okay, I’m gonna make this crystal clear right now, Frannie, so we don’t fall into this again. That means I want you listening close, baby. Are you listening?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Right. Good. Here it is,” he began, took a big breath and gave it to her. “On a night months ago, after me and a bunch of folks I did not know saved a world, no matter what happened just before, I sat down to wine and whiskey with a beautiful woman and by the time I watched her walk out of that room, she had me wrapped around her finger.”

He heard her intake of breath but he kept talking.

“She didn’t know it and obviously still doesn’t know it, but since that day, it’s all been about her. That her being you.”

“Noc.” His name came husky and sweet, it was gorgeous, he loved hearing it, but he still kept at her.

“And now I’ll take the time to share that I’m not that guy. When I’m with a woman, I’m with that woman. I expect her to be with me too. If I have a woman in my life, it’s about her, getting to know her, seeing where things are gonna go and focusing on only that. It’s not about playing the field, being sure to keep myself open so I don’t miss anything or getting as much pussy as I can. It’s about her and me. Right now, I’m with a woman. Very with her. And in that current scenario, Frannie, I’ll repeat, that her is you.”

“All right, darling,” she said soothingly.

“I’m not done.”

By the dashboard lights, he watched as she closed her mouth.

He did not.

“So what I do with my time is your business and what I do with my dick is definitely your business, is that understood?”

A quick nod with her “Yes.”

“And I expect the same from you. I’m in your business and that beautiful body of yours, Franka, is only for me. You still with me?”

Now her “Yes,” came breathy.

He loved hearing that too.

But he still kept at her.

“And to demonstrate what I’m talking about, no one has gotten what I’m gonna share with you, and no one is going to get it except you. When I say that, I mean I haven’t shared and I’m not going to share with anyone but you. I expect you to keep this between you and me as well because it’s only your business due to what you mean to me, who you are in my life, where I’m hoping what we got is gonna go. Other than that, it would be only Circe and my business.”

He gave her a chance to let that sink in, she indicated it did by slowly nodding, and then he kept going.

“She approached me. You could call it coming onto me, because mostly, in an inexperienced way, it was. I don’t know why she did. Maybe she was feelin’ it after helping to save the world. Maybe she was beside herself the world had been saved and she wanted to celebrate. Maybe it was just the time for her to do it. I don’t know what it was and I didn’t ask. That’s only hers. I did know about her. Valentine told me everything about everybody before she took me to that world. So I knew what her approach meant, how huge it was, and what an honor it was she picked me. Serious…and I am not saying this shit to make you feel better, it’s just true…she’s not my type. She’s gorgeous and we shared something that was intense and all good, but normally, I wouldn’t go there. I went there with her because I knew what her choosing me meant for her and I’d just put my life on the line to help save a continent. I was feelin’ in the mood.”

“Of course,” she whispered when he took a breath.

“That’s it,” he continued. “Before we took it there, she made it clear she wanted no more and I made it clear I was down with that because I felt the same. We parted friends. We’re still friends. She’s phoned since I’ve been home but I’ve been too busy to catch up with her. But again, she’s just a friend, that’s all she is and that’s all she’ll ever be. We got what happened between us in our history and it means something to me. It was a beautiful moment in my life, her trusting me like she did, and I hope I gave that beauty back to her. But then it was done. And by the way, to make something else clear, you are my type. That hair. Your eyes. That fuckin’ mouth of yours. Your neck, which is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen on any woman. The uppity cute shit you got going. Totally my type.”

When she got it that he was done speaking, she said softly, her words carrying a shit ton of feeling, “Thank you for sharing all of that with me.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Frannie. The gig is, you should expect that shit from me because that’s who I am to you. I’m yours. I’m your guy. And there’s nothing of mine that’s not yours to have.”

She leaned his way as far as her seat belt would let her and put a hand his knee.

“I, well…that means everything to me, Noc, and I wish you to know you should feel the same way about me.”

“I already do,” he returned.

He saw her lips tip up and he wanted to kiss her, looking at her face, the relief there she didn’t hide, the emotion she had for him she also didn’t hide, feeling her hand curl on his knee.

But they weren’t done.

“Now we got that clear, what are you and Valentine planning to do with Circe?”

Her hand disappeared from his knee and she leaned away.

He caught it before it was out of reach and pulled her back, resting both their hands on his thigh.

“You just told me there was nothing of yours that’s not mine to have, sugarlips, so spill,” he demanded.

He watched her bite her bottom lip.

“Frannie…” he warned.

He watched her let her lip go and she drew in a deep breath.

On the exhale, she said quickly, “The Lahn of this world lives in this city.”

Noc’s eyes went directly to the ceiling of the cab as his lips muttered, “Christ.”

“It’s the natural order of things,” she defended.

He looked back to her. “The natural order of things would put me with the Cora of that world.”

Her upper lip curled.

She knew of Cora of the other world. The woman made the shit Franka pulled all her life to keep people distant look tame. Cora of the other world wasn’t just a bitch. She was a cunt.

She was also dead and Franka knew that too.

“Well, that doesn’t bode well for our futures,” she murmured, her eyes drifting away. “And I must say, I have thought on this before last night and quite often today and it troubles me.”

“Babe,” he called.

Her attention came back.

He studied her face.

Then he said, “You don’t know.”

“What don’t I know?”

Shit.

He released his belt so he could get closer to her, curved her fingers around his thigh and lifted that hand to hold her at the side of her neck.

“You…the you of this world, sweetheart, she passed years ago. A boating accident when she was seventeen.”

Her gasp was audible.

“Yeah,” he said gently. “Valentine told me last week.”

“That…I…” She shook her head and it took her time to get it together. “This news…it’s peculiar. Before, I was concerned about running into her and how awkward that might be. But now, knowing this, all I feel is sad.”

“That’s because it’s sad, knowin’ a girl had her life cut short before she even got a chance to start living it. Fucks with my head, knowin’ that girl looked just like you.”

“Yes,” she agreed quietly.

“As sad as that is, Frannie, it still balances shit out.”

“Pardon?”

“You and me. My destined mate of that world is dead. The you of this world is also sadly passed. Think Valentine told me this just so I’d know, because of that, there’s balance.”

“Oh,” she whispered, and that was all she gave him after that mammoth piece of news.

He grinned and teased, “Yeah. Oh.”

“Well, that’s one thing we don’t need to worry about.”

He kept teasing. “Yeah, strike that off the list of non-existent shit we should worry about since this just works between us, what we got, so we really don’t have anything to worry about unless you make it up.”

Her eyes narrowed.

He leaned close and touched his lips to hers.

When he pulled away he ordered, “Leave Circe alone.”

She drew both of her lips between her teeth.

“Seriously, Frannie, let her live her life.”

She let her lips go. “Valentine thinks—”

“I don’t give a shit what Valentine thinks.”

“But, I agree and—”

“Then you’d be wrong.”

Her eyes narrowed again.

“You’re interrupting me, Noc,” she warned.

“Babe, this is serious,” he returned.

“You are correct, it is,” she retorted. “Very serious. And being serious, I wish for you to explain to me, right now, why Circe is not allowed her happiness. Of the players in this game of universe hopping, Finnie and Frey have found their bliss. Circe and Lahn of Korwahk. Tor and Cora. Maddie and Apollo. And I daresay, when you aren’t being vexing, you and me. So what of the Lahn of this world and the Circe of the other? Are they not to find their bliss?”

“If that’s gonna happen, let it happen.”

“Even if it were to happen without intervention, by the time they get together, Noc, the Circe and Lahn of the other world will have at least three children, that being if Circe doesn’t deliver twins on her husband again, making it four. The Circe and Lahn in this world already have to catch up. There’s no time to waste.”

“You tell yourself that and Valentine tells herself that so you can meddle, seein’ as you’re both addicted to it.”

She pulled away from his hold, saying archly, “And let us see, Valentine has meddled in precisely three relationships, my clothing and shoes yesterday being not an unintentional fashion selection in the slightest. She planted me where she planted me the way she planted me knowing precisely what the results would be from her machinations. You may disagree, for reasons unknown, but from the results…including Finnie and Frey, Maddie and Apollo, and you and me…I would estimate she’s quite skilled at what you call her meddling.”

Shit, she had him there.

“And do you think for even a moment that Valentine or I would wish Circe harm or do that first thing to harm her?” she demanded to know.

“Frannie, calm down,” he urged. “Of course not.”

“Then I fail to see your problem with our plan.”

He didn’t like it. But she was right, which meant he had no choice but to live with it.

“Just, whatever you plan to do, be careful,” he muttered.

She pulled away even further and snapped, “But of course!”

“Baby, she’s spent her entire life being used and violated by men. I’m the only man she’s ever chosen of her free will. I’m protective of her and it’s partly because of that, partly because I’m human, and lastly because I’m a man and I fuckin’ hate that my kind has put her through a lifetime of shit. You say you’re gonna fix her up with a huge dude that I can’t imagine looks any less scary in this world than the other, I’m gonna react. Cut me some slack.”

“And cutting you some slack would mean allowing you your erroneous reaction, which was insulting, and forgiving you for it even if you haven’t admitted you were in the wrong and apologized,” she returned.

Noc fought a grin. “Yeah, that’d be what cutting me some slack means.”

“All right, Noctorno, I shall ‘cut you some slack.’”

He didn’t need to fight a grin anymore.

“Babe,” he said shortly. “Making something else crystal clear right now, something I don’t want to tell you again, I do not like being called Noctorno.”

“I have heard you say that, repeatedly. But it is your name, it’s a regal, manly name, and when you’re being vexing it’s mostly when you’re being very much a man, and a high-handed one to boot, so that’s how I’ll refer to you. And I will admit I’m not beneath using something I know annoys you to do just that after you’ve annoyed me.”

Noc sighed.

Franka held his gaze.

“It’s good you taste so goddamned sweet, or even with all the rest, you might not be worth it,” he muttered.

“I do hope you jest,” she bit out.

“Just finding things that annoy you that I can use after you’ve annoyed me.”

She glared at him.

Then she burst out laughing.

Noc stared at her.

Fuck, he’d never seen or heard her laugh like that. Not like that. Totally giving into it. Totally giving him all of it.

Christ, even her laughter sounded like a purr.

Beautiful.

She was still doing it when she undid her seatbelt and erased the distance between them, putting her laughing mouth to his and sliding her hand up his thigh.

“I do believe you need to feed me, darling. I’m quite famished.”

He couldn’t stay ticked. Not after what she just gave him and now, with her mouth on his, hearing her humor in her voice and seeing her eyes dance in the dashboard lights.

“Best get you to some food, then,” he muttered, brushing his mouth against hers.

He was about to pull away when she caught him with her hand cupping his cheek.

“We balance worlds,” she said softly.

He felt those words in his gut.

“Yeah,” he replied softly.

“You’re my type too, Noc, even though I didn’t know it until I met you,” she shared.

Fuck.

That did it.

They had a booking. They didn’t have the time to sit in his SUV and have a conversation.

But it was important and it had to be had.

So they had it.

Now they did not have time for him to make out with her the way he wanted to make out with her to show his appreciation of not only how she ended an argument, but what she’d just said.

But it was important.

So he took that time.

They were twenty minutes late for their reservation.

The busy restaurant sat them regardless.

And Noc was not surprised that every man followed Frannie with his eyes as she passed, which meant no way in fuck he could wipe the satisfied grin off his face that all that was her was all his.

He was also not surprised his Frannie liked shrimp étouffée better than pizza.

By a lot.