Accidentally…Evil? (Accidentally Yours #3.5)(7)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Oh, horse pucky. Being near him triggered a lapse in sanity—an added bonus to the danger equation.

Yes, but that vision. That kiss.

He hit you, and he speaks to animals, Maggie. Hit. Speak. Animals. Bad. Maggie ground the heels of her palms into her temples. That’s right. Gather your wits, Margaret O’Hare. It doesn’t matter who or what he is; the man made it clear he intends to keep you prisoner and have his way with you. You. Need. To. Leave.

Doggone it! All right. Play nice, get his guard down, and make a break for it.

This was her only choice. After all, her father wouldn’t notice her missing and the people in the village minded their own business when it came to outsiders, so no one would come looking for her. She was on her own. And strangely, she didn’t feel afraid; she felt like this entire situation was some bizarre test of her will.

Chaam huffed and then proceeded to grind his teeth, never breaking his feral gaze. “I am very sorry I slapped you. A rather large, thirsty mosquito landed on your face. I sometimes forget my own strength.”

Oh sure! And I’m Al Capone’s private Alcatraz chef.

Maggie, play nice. Find something pleasant to talk about.

“I forgive you.” Maggie pasted on a sugary sweet smile. “Say, what’s that cologne you’re wearing? It smells divine.”

Suspicion flickered in his glorious turquoise eyes. “It is my natural scent. It is infused with potent male pheromones to induce euphoria. Like brain candy.”

Eww. “Brain candy? I’m not so sure that candy made from brains would induce euphoria”

A smile twitched across his lips. “My apologies. That is a term often used by my sister. She is quite mad but her odd phrases have a way of sticking. What I meant to say was that my scent is a treat to the senses.” Treat to the senses? Carrying around that huge ego must give him back pain. And is he referring to the same sister who sprang from the lake? She was about to ask but had a feeling the topic would only drag out the conversation.

“So, you say you’re a deity of some sort. Got any super powers besides that brain candy of yours?”

He stood a little taller. “In fact, yes. But we can discuss the details later.” He gestured toward a small circle of stones toward the edge of the clearing farthest from the lake. A large log lay beside the fire ring. “Please sit. I’ve brought you wine and food to eat while I build a fire and set up our hammock.”

Our hammock?

Chaam reached into the satchel she’d noticed him carrying and handed her a small bundle wrapped in paper and string. It smelled heavenly.

She sat on the log and unraveled the package. Fresh handmade tortillas, a wedge of hard cheese, and a few Mexican pastries—her favorite, deep-fried dough sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

“Ummm, churros. How did you know?” Maggie’s stomach growled like a…

Like a… Chaam?

She took a bite, then another and another. Before she knew it, she’d devoured every last crumb.

“You were hungry, I see,” Chaam said in a shocked sort of way.

Yes. She’d finished it all. Without sharing. Take that! “Oh my. Was that intended for both of us?”

Chaam kneeled and ignited the flames. “Yes, but don’t worry; I do not need to eat.”

“Right. Because you’re a god.”

He laughed. “You still do not believe me.”

Well, now that they were on the subject…

Hold on! Play nice.

“Sure I do,” she said.

“Good. Then you know it is unwise to anger me.” Crouched, he glanced over his shoulder and winked. “Now, I want you to tell me who and what you really are.”

Tread carefully, Margaret. Very carefully.

“What do you think I am?” she asked.

He turned away and poked at the flames with a stick. “Something other than human.”

“Why would you think that?” Did he know something she didn’t?

“My kind cannot have intimate contact—or much contact in any form—with mortals. Our energy is deadly.”

“So because you kissed me, and I didn’t keel over…?”

He nodded yes and then sat beside her. Close. Too close. Her body began to tingle with that familiar tension.

Oh, no. Not again. She scooted down the log, but it wasn’t nearly far enough. A couple of continents might do the trick. An entire solar system would be better.

He ignored the move, pulled a bottle of wine from his satchel, and poured the ruby liquid into two metal cups, one of which he offered to her. “Come closer. I do not bite.”

“But you hit, bully, and kidnap. Biting would really make the package complete.” She slapped her hand over her mouth.

He rubbed his forehead. “You are correct, Maggie. I haven’t treated you kindly, and it’s no way to start our life—excuse me—our evening together.”

Life? Crap! He really, really didn’t plan to let her go. Ever.

“But I promise,” he said, “to spend the entire night making it up to you.” Once again he held up the wine.

The entire night? He’s out of his loco sombrero if he thinks I’m sleeping with him!

For the briefest of moments, Maggie considered telling Chaam the truth: Her father was missing and she needed to go. This insane little game had to end. But what if he said no? And if he knew her situation, he’d deduce her desperation to leave. He’d never let his guard down. No, she’d keep the facts of her father to herself and stay the course. Play nice. Guard down. Run like hell.

She pasted back the smile, moved down the log, and took the cup. “Why don’t we get to know each other a little better?” She sipped the sweet, tangy wine. “You were saying something about not being able to touch humans?”

He made an approving nod and continued, “I can suppress my energy if I focus my thoughts on doing so. But when being intimate, such pleasure does not create an atmosphere where one is in control. A lesson learned the hard—”

He stopped.

“Did you hurt someone?”

His gaze dropped to the fire. “No. Another of my kind attempted to take a lover, many times, in fact. Each instance ended poorly.”

“Poorly? As in dead poorly?”

“Worse. Her lack of success has driven her mad. But let us not discuss this. Our situation is special. You are special.” He looked at her with those divine eyes, and an intense wordless exchange ignited.

I want you, his eyes said.

Do you, now?