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"You can't keep doing this," she groaned. "You need a break."
"Well … if you consider that I'm always Lissa's guardian…"
"For now," she said knowingly. I felt sicker than I had last night. "There's a big pool
tournament going on upstairs."
"I can't," he said, but the smile was still on his face. "Even though I haven't played in a long
time …"
What the—? Dimitri played pool?
Suddenly, it didn't matter that we'd just had a discussion about him treating me like an adult.
Some small part of me did know what a compliment that was—but the rest of me wanted him
to treat me like he did Tasha. Playful. Teasing. Casual. They were so familiar with each other,
so completely at ease.
"Come on, then," she begged. "Just one round! We could take them all."
"I can't," he repeated. He sounded regretful. "Not with everything going on."
She sobered a little. "No. I suppose not." Glancing at me, she said teasingly, "I hope you realize
what a hard-core role model you have here. He's never off duty."
"Well," I said, copying her lilting tone from earlier, "for now, at least."
Tasha looked puzzled. I don't think it occurred to her I'd be making fun of her. Dimitri's dark
look told me he knew exactly what I was doing. I immediately realized I'd just killed whatever
progress I'd made as an adult.
"We're finished here, Rose. Remember what I said."
"Yeah," I said, turning away. I suddenly wanted to go to my room and veg for a while. This day
was making me tired already. "Definitely."
I hadn't gotten far when I ran into Mason. Good God. Men everywhere.