Chapter 6: The Disaster Date Setups

The next day, it began.

At 10 a.m., Cassie leaned down and pressed a soft, almost affectionate kiss to Briar’s forehead as she worked at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee.

“There,” Cassie said, straightening up with a small smile. “That’s your kiss. Happy?”

Briar had been halfway through reading something on her phone, but she paused, blinking in surprise. She hadn’t expected Cassie to do it so easily, without teasing or sarcasm. But there it was—a simple gesture. A kiss.

“Cassie,” Briar said, raising an eyebrow as she watched Cassie walk away, “don’t think you’re getting off that easily. I’ll be watching the clock.”

Cassie didn’t respond, just shot her a quick glance over her shoulder, her lips curling into a teasing smile. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

Briar snorted, leaning back in her chair, but that feeling—the one she had been trying to push aside—twisted in her chest again. Something soft, something unfamiliar. She’d almost forgotten how warm the kiss had felt.

By noon, the ritual was already starting to become routine. Every hour, Cassie would come to find Briar, wherever she was in the apartment, and place a quick, gentle kiss to her forehead.

Briar had initially thought she could resist. She would act like she didn’t care, like it was nothing. But the more it happened, the more it began to… well, it began to feel like something.

Cassie was attentive. Always appearing on time, every hour, without fail, offering the smallest of gestures that made Briar’s chest tighten in a way she couldn’t quite place.

At one point, Briar had caught herself waiting for the next kiss. She’d been pacing the living room, her arms crossed, muttering to herself about how ridiculous it was, when Cassie appeared at the doorframe.

“There’s my kiss,” Cassie said, tilting her head slightly, like she was genuinely curious. “What’s on your mind, Briar?”

Briar’s heart skipped a beat at the sudden, easy way Cassie asked the question. She blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the genuine care in her tone. “Nothing,” she said quickly, her voice sharper than she meant it to be. “I’m just… not used to this.”

Cassie’s lips twitched upward. “The forehead kisses?”

Briar’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, yeah. What’s your point?”

Cassie shrugged, stepping closer, her presence warm. “I’m just trying to be a good girlfriend, you know? You did demand them after all.”

Briar opened her mouth to retort, but found herself at a loss. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but this—this was different. Cassie wasn’t making fun of her. She wasn’t mocking her for the silly request. Cassie was just… doing it.

It was comfortable. Too comfortable.

Cassie leaned in then, her hand brushing Briar’s cheek as she pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “There,” she said again, her voice low, like she was savoring the moment. “Another one, just for you.”

Briar froze, her heart pounding unexpectedly. She hadn’t expected the sudden warmth of Cassie’s touch to affect her like this, but there it was, lodged deep in her chest. She didn’t want to admit it, but... the kisses were working.

For a brief second, Briar didn’t pull away. She simply stood there, feeling Cassie’s lips against her skin, her breath slow and steady. Then, she pulled back, brushing a hand through her hair as if the moment hadn’t shaken her at all. “You’re way too comfortable with this, you know that?”

Cassie’s smile didn’t fade. “I’m just keeping my promise.”

The next few hours passed in a blur, each kiss coming with its own little pang of something Briar couldn’t quite name. They weren’t even long kisses—just the softest of touches, quick and sweet, as though Cassie was savoring each one. It made Briar feel… seen.

By the time evening rolled around, Cassie had made it a habit—an hourly ritual that Briar couldn’t escape, no matter how much she wanted to. And strangely enough, the more it happened, the less Briar wanted to escape.

At 9 p.m., Cassie sat next to Briar on the couch, the glow of the TV screen casting soft shadows across the room. She nudged Briar gently, her fingers brushing against the demon’s arm.

“Well?” Cassie asked with a smile. “Ready for your kiss?”

Briar hesitated, then gave a small, reluctant nod, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were trying to hide a smile. “I suppose so.”

Cassie leaned in, this time taking a moment, lingering just a bit longer than usual. When she pulled away, she gave Briar a knowing look. “You know, it’s almost like you look forward to it now.”

Briar didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, she reached for the blanket on the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders, avoiding Cassie’s gaze. “It’s... it’s just a kiss,” she muttered, trying to play it off. “Nothing more.”

But Cassie wasn’t fooled. She watched Briar, her eyes soft with something unreadable. “Sure. Nothing more.”

And yet, even Briar couldn’t help the tiny, irrational hope that fluttered in her chest. Because maybe—just maybe—it wasn’t just a kiss anymore.

Maybe it was something more.

Briar had had enough.

She was done. Done with Cassie. Done with the stupid contract. Done with being bound to this... this human.

It wasn’t like Briar didn’t have options. She was a demon, for goodness’ sake. If anyone could figure out a way to break a binding contract, it was her. But each time she’d tried to escape, she’d only ended up right back with Cassie. No matter what she did, Cassie remained unfazed, always calm, always understanding, always... there.

And that, frankly, was the problem. The girl had wormed her way into Briar’s life, into her heart, in a way that no demon was supposed to allow.

But Briar couldn’t admit that. Not even to herself.

So, she’d come up with a plan—a brilliant plan, if she said so herself. If Cassie was so good at being unaffected by everything Briar did, then maybe she could be convinced to break the contract on her own. All Briar needed to do was make Cassie fall for someone else.

That was it. The foolproof plan.

Cassie needed a distraction, someone else to occupy her heart. And Briar was going to find that person, even if it meant playing the role of an accidental matchmaker.

The first candidate was an easy choice: a hunky firefighter who had recently moved into the apartment next door. Briar had seen him a few times, standing out on the balcony with a tight shirt that showcased his muscles in a way that made Briar roll her eyes dramatically.

He was perfect—too perfect.

Cassie, of course, was the one who’d noticed him first. She’d casually mentioned him in passing, describing how nice he seemed when he helped her carry groceries once. Briar had taken that as a green light.

“Okay, Cassie,” Briar began one afternoon, fully adopting her wingman mode. She perched on the armrest of the couch, her eyes shining with a mischievous gleam. “I’ve been thinking, you need to get out more. You deserve someone who’s gonna—” She paused for dramatic effect. “—spoil you.”

Cassie looked up from her laptop with a raised eyebrow. “Spoil me?”

Briar’s smile was almost too sweet. “You know, take you out on exciting adventures. Like that firefighter guy you mentioned. What’s his name?”

“Sam,” Cassie replied, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.

“Sam, right!” Briar leaned forward, her grin widening. “He’s like… perfect for you. He’s strong, confident, and he probably lifts cars for fun. Imagine how safe you’d feel with him around. Plus, firemen are always saving people. Like… your hero. The total package.”

Cassie blinked. “Uh, yeah, he seems nice, but—”

Briar cut her off with a flick of her hand. “You need this in your life. Trust me. I’ll talk to him. I’ve got it all figured out.”

Later that week, Briar set it up. She made sure to “casually” mention to Sam that Cassie had been raving about how great of a neighbor he was, how she loved the way he always helped with the trash (because she’d once asked him to carry her bags down the stairs).

Briar even went as far as setting up a dinner at Cassie’s place, leaving her very subtle hints about it.

Then, of course, it was time to watch her handiwork unfold.

The date started off fine, Sam was charming and handsome, but by the time the appetizers were done, Briar’s opinion of him had started to sour. And as the evening progressed, she couldn’t help herself.

“You know, Cassie, I’m just gonna say it,” Briar chimed in, suddenly appearing in the kitchen doorway, where the two were having a drink. She leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, her eyes flicking to Sam. “This guy? Smells like smoke.”

Cassie turned, blinking. “What? Smoke?”

“Yeah, like a barbecue,” Briar added, crossing her arms and nodding knowingly. “You want your hair to always smell like you’ve just walked through a fire? Trust me, you’ll end up smelling like charred meat every time he touches you. And no one wants to smell like that.”

Sam gave her a confused look, and Cassie raised an eyebrow. “Briar, it’s really not a big deal—”

“I’m just saying,” Briar pressed, holding up a finger. “Think about it. Every time he hugs you or gets close? A faint scent of smoke. Forever. You could have a nice, clean-smelling life, but nope—smoke.”

Cassie sighed, rolling her eyes. “Okay, okay. We get it, Briar. You’re a walking, talking fire extinguisher.” She looked at Sam and smiled apologetically. “Sorry about that.”

Briar could have sworn she saw a slight flicker of annoyance in Sam’s eyes, but he played it cool. “It’s alright,” he said with a grin. “I’ll make sure to wear some cologne next time.”

Briar scowled, muttering under her breath, “It’s not gonna help.”

The next candidate was a sophisticated professor that Briar had met through one of her old contacts. The man was suave, refined, and impressively knowledgeable. Surely, Cassie would fall for him—anyone would.

Briar set up the meeting like an expert matchmaker, inviting Cassie to a “casual” coffee shop meeting. The professor was there, looking all dapper in his tweed jacket and glasses, his smile like a charm that could melt any heart.

But within minutes, Briar started to notice things she just couldn’t ignore.

“So,” the professor said to Cassie, smiling warmly, “have you read The Art of the Abstract Mind? It’s a fascinating book, full of insight on the human psyche and how—”

Before he could finish, Briar cut in. “You know, Cassie, he’s really going to bore you to death if you keep talking to him. Imagine every date being some long-winded lecture on philosophy. Yawn.”

Cassie blinked, looking at Briar with an incredulous expression. “Briar—”

“Seriously, do you want to fall asleep halfway through dinner?” Briar said, waving her hands dramatically. “You’d be nodding off, trying to look interested while he’s droning on and on about academic stuff. Zzzz.”

Professor Tweed Jacket shot Briar a sharp look. “I was merely offering to engage in intellectual conversation…”

Briar shrugged with a smirk. “Yeah, but Cassie’s not looking for a philosopher in her life, trust me. She’d rather talk about... I don’t know, anything but philosophy."

Finally, Briar moved on to the gentle, artistic barista at the local coffee shop, thinking that this would be the perfect match. The girl was sweet, easy-going, and artistic. What could go wrong?

Well, apparently everything.

“Look, Cassie,” Briar said, hyping up the barista in the same way she had the others. “She’s got the softest hands, perfect for drawing, and she’s got this artistic soul that you’d love. Plus, she makes you really good coffee.”

Cassie, who had already been to the coffee shop several times, didn’t seem convinced. “She’s nice, but I don’t know… I don’t think we’re exactly on the same wavelength.”

Briar didn’t give up. “You have to try! She’s amazing! She’s got this whole artsy vibe. Her coffee is great, by the way, but you’ll love her even more after you see her sketching and talking about art.”

Later that day, Cassie went to meet the barista. The date started out fine, but a few minutes later, Briar couldn’t hold back anymore. She stormed over, arms crossed, and frowned at the barista's overly sweet coffee.

“Three sugars?” Briar blurted, staring in horror at the cup in Cassie’s hand. “Three?! That’s weak.” She turned to Cassie with wide eyes. “She’s literally putting sugar into your veins. You need a good strong coffee. I mean, come on.”

Cassie let out a long exhale, shaking her head, trying not to laugh. “Briar, you’re impossible.”

Finally, Cassie turned to Briar, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I think you’re getting jealous, Briar.”

Briar froze. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and her mouth opened and closed, as though she were trying to form words, but none came out.

“What?” she stammered, glaring at Cassie in utter disbelief. “I—jealous? No!”

But Cassie just grinned wider. “You are. I can tell. Maybe you’ve got feelings for me after all.”

Briar’s brain went blank.

Cassie chuckled, and Briar felt like she might combust.

“I… I’m not jealous!” she snapped, before scowling, her face burning. "You’re just... impossible, Cassie!"

But deep down, she knew the truth.