Chapter 2

I couldn’t stop looking at Evan’s wings.

They were almost transparent, and a soft silver glow shimmered over their surface.

They were beautiful enough to make anyone curious.

I had never been especially good at resisting temptation.

I gave Evan my most innocent expression.

“Can I touch your wings?”

Maybe all that sugar had put him in a generous mood.

He lounged against the back of the dining chair and nodded, granting permission far more easily than I had expected.

I reached out and brushed my fingertips over one wing.

It wasn’t delicate or brittle. It felt cool, smooth, and surprisingly strong.

I followed its curve downward.

Halfway to the tip, the wing trembled beneath my touch.

I paused.

“Can you hide them whenever you want?”

Evan glanced at me with open annoyance.

A second later, the wing vanished from beneath my fingers.

He didn’t say anything.

The look on his face said plenty.

Evan threw himself into fulfilling my wish.

A few days later, he stood in front of me wearing a pair of my old pajamas. They hung loosely from his frame and made him look far more approachable than he probably intended.

He handed me a thick stack of files.

His voice practically overflowed with pride.

“I screened every candidate according to your exact requirements. There is no chance you’ll be disappointed this time.”

I lowered my head and began flipping through the pages.

The files were disturbingly thorough. Each one included a photograph, height, weight, age, income, education, hobbies, and even Myers-Briggs personality type.

I rejected them one by one without the slightest hesitation.

I held up the first profile.

“No. His idea of a perfect weekend is building Lego sets.”

I picked up the next.

“Also no. His equipment is underwhelming, and I happen to appreciate generosity.”

Another page.

“I’m sorry, but his face and my eyes are not compatible.”

I moved on.

“Respectfully declined. I prefer someone pretty and innocent.”

Then I reached another profile and stopped.

“This one might have been acceptable if he weren’t my boss. I lose my appetite just looking at him at work. The fact that I don’t insult him under my breath every day proves I’m a person of exceptional restraint. Who would willingly date that man? I’d rather eat gas-station sushi.”

I continued through the stack.

With every rejection, Evan’s expression grew more vacant.

He looked dangerously close to the breakdown he’d had when I first made my wish.

Finally, I reached the last page.

My tone changed.

“Wait. Isn’t this the fitness influencer whose videos I keep liking? Face, body, overall presentation, definitely elite.”

Hope sparked in Evan’s eyes.

“See? I told you the others were minor mistakes. I knew this one would satisfy you.”

He never got to finish.

“But he posts thirst traps for half the city. If I brought him home, my friends would roast me for the rest of my life. No, thanks. Give me a sweet, low-key homebody.”

Whatever confidence Evan had left shattered.

He stood there in silence, looking genuinely traumatized.

“Humans are impossible. I’m never going to finish my first assignment.”

I heard his quiet complaint.

I tossed the files aside, stood, and patted him on the shoulder.

“My wish isn’t that difficult. You just have to know your client. Once you understand everything about me, you’ll understand what I really want.”

Then I added, “And for the record, that influencer might be gorgeous, but he doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

I only said it to cheer him up.

Then I remembered something far more important.

“Oh, and if you want to study my preferences, you can start with food. I want sticky barbecue ribs tonight. Extra cilantro.”

Evan seemed to find my logic questionable, but he couldn’t come up with an argument against it.

He turned and obediently headed for the kitchen.

I sighed.

I liked him better when he was being arrogant.