“Lia.”
Lia’s heart hammered hard in her chest when Kane walked into his bedroom and said her name firmly. His eyes were serious and, for some reason, she had the fleeting, completely inappropriate hope that this was an indication that he had enjoyed their conversation as much as she had. As if, perhaps, she was going to receive something more from him. Maybe some kind of affection. But that would be too much to ask for, and even in her millisecond of hoping, she had already talked herself out of it.
“Hi,” Lia said, sitting up and putting her book on the end table. “I can turn the lights out if you’re heading to bed now.”
“That’s not it,” Kane said.
He was standing in the doorway, his hands and arms still greasy from working on Courtney’s engine. He looked shockingly sexy, wearing a tight white tank top that showed off the contours of his well-muscled body; something that was normally hidden behind the stylish chic of the suits he wore to class.
“Well, what is it then?” Lia asked, averting her eyes from Kane’s body quickly. Shifters certainly seemed to age much better than most human men. She would never have guessed he was twice her age by looking at him, except for his salt and peppered hair.
“I forgot to talk to you earlier. About Max. Courtney said…”
Lia’s heart constricted and she shuddered involuntarily at the sound of Max’s name. The last thing she wanted to think about was the horrible man and the potential danger she was in. She had resigned herself to helping the shifters, no matter what the cost to her personal life. Whether she liked it or not, that meant dealing with someone like Max.
“It’s really nothing,” Lia said quickly. “He was just looking at me funny. Probably trying to guess at what our relationship must be like.”
Saying the word relationship in terms of Kane brought a light blush to her cheeks and she tried her best to laugh it away.
“I guess we’re going to have to step up the game. Be more convincing about it. And, if you don’t mind, I’d like to try to keep an eye on you. Especially when you’re at school. Just to make sure nothing happens to you. I wouldn’t forgive myself if…”
“I’m sure it’s going to be fine, but sure, if it makes you feel better,” Lia said quickly, avoiding Kane’s dark, brooding gaze. God, he was sexy.
“Have lunch with me tomorrow. In my office. You’re free at one o’clock, right?”
Lia was taken aback by the sudden invitation and nodded dumbly.
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “One o’clock.”
“Right. It’s right after my class, so we can walk to my office together. It won’t look like a big deal to most people, but to Max, it could mean everything.”
“Yeah…”
Lia was still startled when Kane abruptly crossed through the room and let himself into the bathroom with a towel, so as to keep the doorknob from getting covered with grease.
“All right,” he said. “See you then.”
Kane disappeared into the little bathroom and Lia listened to him begin to run the water in the shower as the new plan sunk in. She was going to be spending more time with Kane. Kane, who was clearly looking exhausted right now. It didn’t seem fair for him to give up his bed for her, so as quietly as she could, she picked up her book and got out of bed and climbed into the arm chair across from it where Kane had been sleeping lightly the night before. They were both in this together, whether against their wills or not, so they would just have to share the burden of uncomfortable sleeping.
By the time Kane was finished showering, Lia was already lying as comfortably as she could possibly be in the chair, sound asleep.
***
The next morning, Courtney’s car was running like a dream and they headed to SU together, Courtney telling Lia all about how Eric was planning to take her out for the weekend, and how Lia would have to cover for her.
“But if your dad finds out, won’t he kill us both?” Lia pointed out. She had been doing everything humanly possible not to upset Kane. He was such a dark and powerful man; there was no telling what kind of things he may be capable of.
“That’s why he isn’t going to find out,” Courtney said. “And you’re going to help me.”
“Nghhh…” Lia murmured, but Courtney laughed light-heartedly.
“Oh come on,” she said with a grin. “It’s going to be fine. All you have to do is smile and nod. And who could resist that smile of yours?”
Courtney winked at Lia and she felt immediately uncomfortable. It felt like a mistake to admit to Courtney that she was attracted to Kane, even if she was her best friend. It was still a strange situation for everybody involved.
“Where are you and Eric going?” Lia asked, hoping to change the subject. As much as she would like it if Courtney was right and Kane liked her smile, she knew it wasn’t possible. Not only was he much older than she was, but he was clearly still in love with his wife, whether she was alive or not. Just because she had woken up with a blanket draped neatly over her body didn’t mean Kane felt any closer to her. In fact, he probably saw her as just another daughter, if anything. He wasn’t the kind of man who would just throw all of his morals away because he was attracted to someone. He was nothing like Max.
“Eric and I are going to a cabin his parents own just a little bit outside of Stonybrooke. It’s beautiful there! He’s always talking about it, and now I finally get a chance to go, so please, please, please, don’t tell my dad anything!”
“Do you realize how weird it’s going to be for me to be alone in the house with Professor Desmond?” Lia exclaimed. “I barely know him!”
“Well, now’s your chance then!” Courtney said. “You two are such nerds. Just do nerd things together and everything should work out fine!”
“Thanks, Court,” Lia said sarcastically. “We’ll probably just avoid each other like the plague.”
“Well, whatever you do is fine as long as you aren’t blabbing to him about me and Eric being together. He really wouldn’t like me being with a human. I’m surprised he wasn’t weirder about us being friends, honestly.”
“Well, I can’t blame him,” Lia said darkly. “Humans weren’t exactly the biggest allies during the war.”
“Yeah…” Courtney said, trailing off as she pulled into the campus parking lot.
“So, if I’m not allowed to tell him where you are, then what am I supposed to say?”
“That I’m cramming for a test with some friends and that he should be very proud of his extremely studious daughter who never lets him down,” Courtney said with a charming smile.
Lia laughed despite herself.
“That’s a mouthful. And it would probably sound better coming from you.”
“Well, whatever you tell him, just let him I’m safe and will be back when I say I will.”
“All right,” Lia sighed. “Look at me. I’m already lying to my fiancé. I am not going to be good marriage material.”
Courtney snorted.
“I don’t think it’s that big of a problem,” she said, grabbing her backpack out of the trunk of her car and then slamming the trunk shut. “You two are engaged now. Things have a way of working themselves out when it comes to true love.”
Lia studied Courtney’s face briefly before her friend turned her back and began walking toward her first class. There was something in Courtney’s eyes that made Lia feel as if she was only half-joking. But hell would freeze over before anything happened between Lia and Kane. And even if something could, she knew that once he found out about her past, it would all be over.
With a heavy heart, Lia took a deep breath and resigned herself to spending the next forty-five minutes in her math class with Max giving her the creeps. She would be gladder than she could possibly describe when all of this was over with. Just a few more weeks and she would finally be able to rid herself of this stupid situation once and for all.