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Alex picked up a screwdriver, tapped it against the floor. “So how’s that whole unrequited love thing working out for you, anyway? Hasn’t she figured out you two are meant to be yet?”
Seb lifted his head and gave him a long look. “Please tell me that you don’t seriously want to have this conversation. Because, personally, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do less. ”
“Yeah, I do want to have it, actually. ” Alex tossed the screwdriver aside. “Does Willow know you’re just biding your time, pretending to be her friend?”
Seb’s gaze was cold. “I’m not just biding my time. I am her friend. ”
“Oh, sorry. No, I guess it’s never even occurred to you that if you hang around long enough, being the perfect friend, she’ll come to her senses and fall for you. Right?”
Shaking his head in disgust, Seb closed his eyes again and settled back against the wall. “You are so far off base, hombre. ”
Remembering his conversation with Willow on the balcony – her pink cheeks as she tried to explain away Seb’s feelings for her – Alex had an insane urge to ask Seb if Willow felt the same way about him. Just having the thought made him feel like an idiot. God, he was glad Willow wasn’t listening to any of this.
“What’s the scar from?” he asked after a pause, nodding at Seb’s arm.
“Dios mío. ” Seb gave a soft, snorting laugh. “Have I told you how much I enjoy these conversations of ours? It’s from a sword fight. Or a knife fight, take your pick. The other guy won, if you’re interested. ”
“Not really. Can you shoot a gun?”
Genuine amusement flashed in Seb’s hazel eyes as he lifted his head to look at Alex. “Are you challenging me to a duel? Pistols at dawn, best man gets the girl?”
“Dream on,” said Alex. “No, I’m thinking about when you and Willow go into the cathedral – if I should give you a gun or not. I’ll be right there on the other side of her when you both ask to be blessed, but if anything happens to me, you’ll be the best-placed person to defend her. Because she’s not bad when it comes to shooting at targets, but if she had to take a shot at another person—”
“She wouldn’t,” said Seb immediately. “Not unless someone was threatening you. Or maybe me. But it’s so totally against her nature – I can’t see her doing it to protect herself; I think she’d hesitate. ”
It made Alex’s jaw tighten to realize how well Seb knew Willow – not to mention that he’d included himself in that list. Though Alex had an uncomfortable feeling he was right. “I know; that’s what I’m afraid of,” he said. “So – can you?”
“I’ve shot one a few times,” said Seb. “Tin cans in fields, that kind of thing. I couldn’t do what you do, but I could probably peg someone who was coming at me. Or Willow,” he added.
Alex made a face. Why was he not feeling reassured? “Are you any better with a knife? You’ve got one, I’m assuming. ”
“Yes, and yes. ” Seb pulled a leg up and rested his forearm across his knee; his expression as he regarded Alex wasn’t friendly, exactly, but it held understanding. “Look – you really don’t have to worry about this,” he said. “If Willow’s with me, I’ll keep her safe. No one will hurt her while I draw breath. ”
“Yeah, I know that,” confessed Alex. And he did – it was one good thing about knowing that Seb loved Willow as much as he himself did. The only good thing, in fact.
Willow came back downstairs then. She gave them an arched-eyebrow look, as if she knew they’d been talking about her, but didn’t comment. “That should do it; they were completely black,” she said as she started reconnecting the spark plugs. “Between them and that bag choking the flow to the carburettor, it’s no wonder the poor Shadow was acting draggy. . . it could hardly breathe. ”
Alex smiled, but was uncomfortably aware of what he and Seb had just been talking about, and what Willow would think if she knew. Meanwhile, smells of dinner were starting to drift out of the kitchen – he could hear Liz moving around in there.
Seb stood up, stretching silently. His T-shirt lifted, and Alex glimpsed another scar on his flat stomach – a raised, ugly one this time, like a twisted worm on his skin.
As Seb dropped his arms again, Willow gave him a teasing look. “Aren’t you glad you quit smoking?” she asked, her eyes innocent.
Seb shook his head slightly. “You can always tell,” he said.
Willow began putting the air cleaner cover back on, twirling the screwdriver deftly. “Well, it’s not difficult. You are practically oozing with nicotine cravings, dude. ” There was a smudge of grime from the spark plugs on her cheek. With her short hair, it gave her an urchin-look that made Alex want to pull her into his arms.
He saw the same warm look in Seb’s eyes; then Seb gave a sigh, mock-resigned. “Thank you for the sympathy, it’s very comforting. I’m going to go take a shower before dinner. If we’re finished?” he added to Alex.
Alex nodded. And as Seb headed off, all he could think was: Willow could sense Seb’s nicotine cravings, but not the fact Seb was in love with her? When it was completely evident even to him, who wasn’t psychic at all? No way, he thought, gazing at her. She just doesn’t want to face it for some reason.
Why not? Was it to protect herself somehow? Maybe if she let herself see the depth of Seb’s feelings, she’d have to acknowledge her own. The thought came from nowhere, slithering coldly into his stomach. No way; he knew that wasn’t true.
But Willow’s pink cheeks on the balcony. Her hand on Seb’s arm. You’re blocking me out, I can feel it.
Willow peered up at him from the bike. “So, what were you and Seb talking about just now?”
The words came out with no thought. “Couldn’t you sense it from him?”
She briefly closed her eyes, and then gave him a level look. “I didn’t try. We don’t get everything from each other psychically, you know. It’s just flashes when we’re talking sometimes. ”
“Okay,” he said. It felt like there was something hard and icy lodged inside him. He picked up one of the screws from the floor; rolled it between his fingers. “It sort of seemed like more than a flash, though. The way you were looking into each other’s eyes, before. ”
She touched his hand. “Alex. . . he’s just my friend, that’s all. You know that. ”
In what universe does that guy only want friendship from you? Alex didn’t say it. “Yeah, I know that,” he said. “It’s just that it’s a pretty intense friendship, isn’t it?”
She went still. “Is it?”
He shrugged, putting the screw down. “In each other’s heads. Talking together all the time. ”
“We don’t talk all the time. But yes, I guess we do talk a lot. ” Willow drew her hand away from his. “Look, it’s just being with another half-angel, and both of us being psychic. I suppose there’s a sort of bond between us, without us even thinking about it. ”
“You really care about him. ”
Her green eyes were steady. “Of course I do. ”
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