Ridiculous is what this was. Anyone else, I would’ve done this with anyone else, but stuck traveling with him? Ridiculous. I wouldn’t have agreed if I had any choice but there were no other options. Three day’s travel with an insufferable, arrogant man.

“Don’t think about me too hard, you’ll get wrinkles.” Mattheo gleamed, my eyes snapped to his, if only looks could kill. His smirk grew and he picked an invisible piece of lint from his jacket.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” I murmured, focusing on the narrow path ahead.

He fell into step beside me, the rocks crunching beneath our shoes. I gripped the bag around my shoulder and took a deep breath. From a side glance, I could see him sizing me up and down. “You know, for being as short as you are I’m not surprised you have such a bitter attitude.”

“Spending three day’s with you makes me bitter. Plus, I’m closer to hell, being as short as I am and all.” I spat, kicking a small rock ahead.

Mattheo chuckled, “And here I was thinking we were going to have such a wonderful time together.” I rolled my eyes. Insufferable. Arrogant bastard. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep the rebuttal to myself. “Darling, why are you so upset?”

My head snapped to him, stopping dead in my tracks, “Don’t call me that!”

A playful darkness danced in his chestnut eyes and he smiled, taking a step closer. He reach over to pick out a leaf from my braid, “Now why is it, you think we cannot enjoy these next three days together?”

I shoved his hand from my hair and glared, “I can’t stand you. Mattheo, the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me and my friends! Why would I enjoy it? If I didn’t need your help- I would’ve killed you already.”

He beamed, “You’d have to be an absolute fool to believe that, darling.” Fire began to heat my veins, “I wasn’t there to hurt any of you. You and your friends would have been dead if I didn’t come to your rescue.” He stepped closer, “Besides, you couldn’t kill me, even if you really wanted to.”

It was my turn to laugh, “Oh, I most certainly could.”

Another step. His eyes leering. He was close enough that his scent of mahogany filled my nose. He leaned in, I couldn’t pull back. He paused, so close we were breathing the same air. My body froze when he lifted my chin and our eyes met. “You most certainly could not.”