“Are you here to get fucked, Remi?” he rasped.

The way he said it, the heated look delivered with those words, told her it wouldn’t take any convincing on her part to make him reconsider his stance.

There was a razor’s edge to his voice, and she could smell the bourbon on him. He was stone-cold sober because he never drank too much. Never let himself get too out of control, except in bed with her. And now he was suffering because of it.

“No. I’m here to make you dinner,” she announced, pushing past him and ignoring the way her blood zinged through her veins when her arm brushed against his. He didn’t stand back to give her room, merely towered over her as she dropped her bags and shed her boots and coat.

“What...” He cleared his throat and tried again. “What are you wearing?”

“Pajamas,” she said, picking up her haul and heading toward the kitchen. “I marinated a couple of the chicken breasts you gave me. I hope you like the recipe.”

He followed her into the kitchen and watched as she began to unload the bags. “What are you doing, Remi?” he asked.

She turned and looked him in the eyes. “I’m dating you.”

“Dating me?”

She nodded. “I’m making you dinner, and we’re gonna watch a movie.”

He stood there and watched as she slid the casserole dish into the oven and turned it on. Magnus appeared and wound his way between her feet.

Remi picked him up and gave the cat a loud kiss on the head. “Hey, buddy. I brought you something, too,” she said, producing a toy from one of the bags.

Magnus’s yellow eyes went wild and he pounced on the patchwork mouse.

She couldn’t look directly at Brick or she’d break into a million pieces, lose her nerve, and run screaming for the door. “I’ll be a couple of minutes,” she said, flashing a smile in his direction. “Why don’t you get Netflix ready to go? We can eat on the couch as long as your grandma doesn’t find out.”

He ran a hand over his beard, considering.

She pretended to ignore him while she cued up the Date Night Playlist she’d made for tonight. She was committed to whole-assing this relationship thing no matter what. If it failed, it sure as hell wouldn’t be because she didn’t try.

He came up behind her, stopping short of touching her, but she felt him all the same.

“Remi,” he said quietly.

Crap. It sounded like a “You need to leave” Remi. Or maybe an “I don’t want to be around you anymore” Remi.

She turned around and smiled brightly, hoping to confuse him. “Yes?”

“What do you mean you’re ‘dating me’?”

“You thought I was using you for sex.”

He winced and rubbed a hand through his beard. “I didn’t actually mean—”

She held up a hand. “It’s what you were feeling. You don’t talk much, and when you do, it’s what’s actually happening inside behind that big brick wall. I heard you. Now I’m showing you I can do better. That I want more from you than just your supernatural ability to make me orgasm.”