Faking it with the Demon: An Australian feel-good paranormal romantic comedy (Raising Hell Downunder Book 1) by Rhiannon Hartley

Author:Rhiannon Hartley [Hartley, Rhiannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-25T16:00:00+00:00

14 ZOE

The trip to the beach had been almost magical, Zoe thought, as she washed the sand from her feet in the shower. She had never known that there could be so much water, and her feet had never before touched sand. The air had smelled fresh, clean, and salty. It had made her soul - whatever was left of it - sing with joy to see Misty bouncing through the waves after the stick that Ryan had thrown for her.

Once she was sure that she had washed off every last grain of sand, she turned off the shower carefully and stepped out, drying herself off. Ryan had told her that when she was human, she'd need to wear sunscreen to avoid being burnt if she went to the beach again. Zoe examined her long limbs and wondered what sunburn might feel like. Maybe she wouldn't wear sunscreen, the first time she went to the beach, just to see how it felt. If Ryan let her get away without it.

Then Zoe stopped, remembering that when she was human, Ryan wouldn't be with her. There would be no more trips to the beach, lunches by the water, dinners with his family. No more morning trips to Foam-o and the dog park. She'd be free to do whatever she wanted, no longer bound to stay within 17 metres of Ryan. She could explore the whole world. So why, then, did it make her sad to think of that? Why was it almost painful to think of being alone? Alone, without Ryan.

Zoe shook herself. She was being foolish. She was probably just nervous about finding her place in the human world by herself, with no one to assist her. Ryan had been more than kind as a guide and host, and she knew that he would be willing to keep acting in that role even when she did become human. But she wouldn't let him do it. Wouldn't let him be too generous. No, once she was no longer useful to him as a pretend girlfriend, once she was no longer bound to him, she would make her own way in the world. She wouldn't let Ryan make her mortal life too easy just because his one fault was his overly generous nature.

Zoe redressed in a pair of tight jeans and a white t-shirt and went back downstairs. Misty greeted her with a wag of her tail, and Ryan was stirring something on the stove.

"What meal are you preparing?" Zoe asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Stir-fry," Ryan said. Zoe could smell the fresh vegetables cooking in oil and hear the pieces of chicken sizzling in the pan. "Usually, I put fresh chillies in it, but I can leave them out if you want to try it."

"No, put them in," Zoe insisted.

"You're getting a taste for spicy things?" Ryan asked, eyebrows raised.

"Absolutely not," Zoe said flatly. But then she smiled. "But I don't want your meal to be spoilt on my account. I will be just as happy with a can of Coke.

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