“Are you coming with us?"He looked down at me, his eyes a cool mint green. He seemed to have calmed down since Cadan left. "If you wish.""I would feel better if you were close," I whispered. "Cadan freaked me out.""Then of course," he said. "I'll follow you anywhere.”

“Good-bye, Cadan,' I said, backing out the door.'If I hear anything new, I’ll come to you.''Be careful,' I warned. 'My guard dog bites.'He grinned, and that impish gleam returned to his eyes. 'And you don’t?''Wouldn’t you like to know.''Don’t get me excited.”

“Then of course," he said. "I'll follow you anywhere.”

“Maeghan is local, Berengar is Liege.""Shotgun on Liege," I said quickly. The reapers all stared at me like I'd grown a third eye. "What?" I asked, not the least bit embarrassed. "Their waffles are world famous. I'm going to Liege if only for their awesome waffles.""I like waffles," Cadan said.I beamed at him. "All right. You'll be on Team Waffles with Will and me."Will just shrugged. He accepted me for who I was and he didn't seem to mind being on Team Waffles. Marcus gave Ava a pathetic look. "Why can't our team have a cool name?”

“Can I ask you something?”“Of course.”“You told me once that you loved me because I was human,” I said, my voice tiny. “Will you stilllove me when I’m an angel? Even if I won’t be human anymore?”“Always,” he said, green eyes bright. “Even if you stop loving me.”I felt myself begin to crumble and I left the armory and him sitting on the”

“He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the small of my back, tugging me to his chest. I threw my arms around his shoulders, sliding my nails up and down his neck gently. “Stay with me. And with Nathaniel and Lauren. All day. Be happy today.”“That’s it?”He bent down and kissed me richly. “Each time I look at you, I want to see a smile on your beautiful face.”“Will you be looking at me a lot?”“I’m always stealing glances,” he confessed. “You rarely notice.”

“Kiss me,” I whispered slowly, a desperate plea, and I stroked my thumb across his bottom lip. My heart pounded, and I wanted him so badly it felt like I’d jump out of my skin.His mouth parted, and his eyes fell to my lips before flickering back up. His hands slid around my hips, and he pulled me against him. “No,” he said, but his body betrayed his pledge.“I order you to kiss me,” I said into his lips. My fingers dipped into his waistband and began to unbuckle his belt and jeans. He took a deep breath and his hands tightened on my hips, but he didn’t stop me.He turned his face into my neck and let out a long, frustrated groan, burning my skin with his breath and sending shivers through me. He nuzzled my hair, drinking in my scent as my fingernails ran softly down the back of his neck. “You can’t do that to me,” he said huskily, his lips brushing my skin.I slipped my hands under his shirt, and I smoothed them over his solid abdomen. “Then kiss me because you want to.”