Emperor’s new clothes. Half of Vegas knew who she was, so why hadn’t anyone found her?
It didn’t equal out. Without my powers, all I could do was guess and tear my hair out. Two days of caring for Jenny had taken their toll in ways I didn’t want to explore.
I’d tried to distract myself by keeping tabs on the guys and the situation with Steel. We’d sent our best lawyers, but he hadn’t needed the help. When you gave testimony to Verity, lying wasn’t an option. There’d been no rape, and Steel’s accuser had broken down with a confession and an apology.
Now he was headed back to Vegas, along with official orders that Jenny return his powers. If she could give them back.
Would the two of them have to play make-out session? How many men had she kissed to give and take powers?
Crash .
The glass in my hand shattered, spraying the sink with orange juice and shards. I tossed the broken pieces and went under the sink for a paper towel.
Damn.
I was jealous. And I already knew Jenny’s kitchen better than she did.
I needed to get away from her.
She breezed out of the bathroom in a sundress and a loose sweater that covered her shredded arms. It was better than the T-shirt, but she still looked impossibly vulnerable as she finger-combed damp hair. She armed herself with perfume and lace when she needed plate mail.
“You ready?” Jenny grabbed the cherry-red stilettos she’d left on the balcony and took her time buckling the straps.
“Let’s go.” I tore my gaze from her legs and held the door open. She swept past, smelling like passion fruit shampoo and seven kinds of sin. The girl was driving me crazy.
I glimpsed Seth at the gaming tables as we crossed the lobby, but Jenny didn’t notice him. His eyes hardened. I smiled before I caught myself. We weren’t competing and Jenny wasn’t my girl, whatever it looked like from the outside.
But damn, I couldn’t help messing with him. Did he really think he could handle her?
Jenny strode for the exit, producing a pair of huge red movie-star sunglasses as we stepped into the heat. “Want to walk?”
“You sure?” Even if no one recognized her as Temptress, she looked like someone famous. And I was famous. We’d be spotted before we crossed the street.
“I don’t trust you in a limo.” She smirked.
“You don’t trust me?” I said it with a half laugh.
“Or myself. Shall we?” She strode ahead, leaving me to catch up. I did a lot of that with her.
The afternoon was fading and couples packed the street. It was older Vegas—off the strip—but plenty of people were out. A guy jostled Jenny, bumping her shoulder, and she hissed with pain. I thought about clocking him, but he was already gone. Instead I pulled Jenny close, gently wrapping her fingers around my arm. “You need to take better care of yourself.”
Tension pressed through her fingertips, but she let me guide her. We made our way past the lines of guys cracking their strip club cards, but despite Jenny on my arm, they wouldn’t let us go. When one of them elbowed her, Jenny finally lost it. She dragged me down an alleyway, using enough muscle that she had to be channeling Steel. At least she hadn’t blasted the poor bastard.
“Screw this. We’re flying.”
There was no way she could handle that. Not for her, let alone both of us. “You can’t be—”
“Tank? I’ve got it. The flying doesn’t hurt.”
“Okay.” I filed that away for later. “What about the invisibility?”
Jenny shrugged. “What’s another headache?”
“And the super-strength?”
“I won’t use any.” She lowered herself so I could jump on her back. “I’ll piggyback you.”
“I’m not going to—”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear it. I’m a girl, you’re a superhero, blah blah blah. Bottom line, these shoes are killing me, and I’m not walking another step. Get on my frickin’ back.”
I’d rather carry her, but she’d have a tooth pulled before she agreed to that.
It didn’t equal out. Without my powers, all I could do was guess and tear my hair out. Two days of caring for Jenny had taken their toll in ways I didn’t want to explore.
I’d tried to distract myself by keeping tabs on the guys and the situation with Steel. We’d sent our best lawyers, but he hadn’t needed the help. When you gave testimony to Verity, lying wasn’t an option. There’d been no rape, and Steel’s accuser had broken down with a confession and an apology.
Now he was headed back to Vegas, along with official orders that Jenny return his powers. If she could give them back.
Would the two of them have to play make-out session? How many men had she kissed to give and take powers?
Crash .
The glass in my hand shattered, spraying the sink with orange juice and shards. I tossed the broken pieces and went under the sink for a paper towel.
Damn.
I was jealous. And I already knew Jenny’s kitchen better than she did.
I needed to get away from her.
She breezed out of the bathroom in a sundress and a loose sweater that covered her shredded arms. It was better than the T-shirt, but she still looked impossibly vulnerable as she finger-combed damp hair. She armed herself with perfume and lace when she needed plate mail.
“You ready?” Jenny grabbed the cherry-red stilettos she’d left on the balcony and took her time buckling the straps.
“Let’s go.” I tore my gaze from her legs and held the door open. She swept past, smelling like passion fruit shampoo and seven kinds of sin. The girl was driving me crazy.
I glimpsed Seth at the gaming tables as we crossed the lobby, but Jenny didn’t notice him. His eyes hardened. I smiled before I caught myself. We weren’t competing and Jenny wasn’t my girl, whatever it looked like from the outside.
But damn, I couldn’t help messing with him. Did he really think he could handle her?
Jenny strode for the exit, producing a pair of huge red movie-star sunglasses as we stepped into the heat. “Want to walk?”
“You sure?” Even if no one recognized her as Temptress, she looked like someone famous. And I was famous. We’d be spotted before we crossed the street.
“I don’t trust you in a limo.” She smirked.
“You don’t trust me?” I said it with a half laugh.
“Or myself. Shall we?” She strode ahead, leaving me to catch up. I did a lot of that with her.
The afternoon was fading and couples packed the street. It was older Vegas—off the strip—but plenty of people were out. A guy jostled Jenny, bumping her shoulder, and she hissed with pain. I thought about clocking him, but he was already gone. Instead I pulled Jenny close, gently wrapping her fingers around my arm. “You need to take better care of yourself.”
Tension pressed through her fingertips, but she let me guide her. We made our way past the lines of guys cracking their strip club cards, but despite Jenny on my arm, they wouldn’t let us go. When one of them elbowed her, Jenny finally lost it. She dragged me down an alleyway, using enough muscle that she had to be channeling Steel. At least she hadn’t blasted the poor bastard.
“Screw this. We’re flying.”
There was no way she could handle that. Not for her, let alone both of us. “You can’t be—”
“Tank? I’ve got it. The flying doesn’t hurt.”
“Okay.” I filed that away for later. “What about the invisibility?”
Jenny shrugged. “What’s another headache?”
“And the super-strength?”
“I won’t use any.” She lowered herself so I could jump on her back. “I’ll piggyback you.”
“I’m not going to—”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear it. I’m a girl, you’re a superhero, blah blah blah. Bottom line, these shoes are killing me, and I’m not walking another step. Get on my frickin’ back.”
I’d rather carry her, but she’d have a tooth pulled before she agreed to that.
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