Destiny has other plans, indeed.
“You,” I growl as our waitress stands there, none other than Delilah, blowing a giant pink bubble.
She snaps it with a pop, leering at me before fluttering her eyes as she turns to Beau. “Sir, is this man continuing to bother you?”
“My date, you mean?” Beau slides his arm over my shoulders as Delilah's snarl turns murderous. “Don’t have any flour hidden in your pockets, do you?”
“Unfortunately, no,” she sighs, sounding as though she truly is disappointed. “Sweetheart, what did he do to make you think he’s the best choice? Whatever tricks he does with his mouth, I promise I can do them a hundred times better.”
Beau stutters, choking on a cough as his face flames. “You need to go. How do I request a new server?”
“Oh, don’t get your panties in a wad, sugar. I’ll send Beatrice over to your table.”
She walks away, and I’m immediately suspicious. “That was too easy.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” he murmurs. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I knew I’d seen her before when she was bothering you at the store, but I didn’t remember she worked here, or I never would’ve brought you. We can go somewhere else, if you want.”
“No, it’s fine… really. The food smells amazing, and besides—she shouldn’t win.”
A smirk tugs on his lips. “Competitive, are we?”
“Actually, no, not at all,” I say with a laugh. “I was always so happy to be picked for a team that I never cared if I won or lost. But with bullies like that, it’s always about how much they can take. If we leave, she’ll just push harder.”
“Hmm, knew you were smarter than me.” He leans in and presses a kiss against my temple as a sudden rush of gratitude weighs on my chest.
No one has ever thought I’m smart.
It’s always been clumsy, scatterbrained Az. Others have never called me dumb outright, but you don’t always have to use the word to get its meaning across.
And they did. Loud and clear.
My throat gets tight, and I’m stuck not knowing what to say, but Beau doesn’t appear to need a response. I’m saved from my internal battle as a different woman walks our direction with a sweet smile. Beatrice has graying hair and a portly build, taking our order with no drama. My guard remains up, but a fraction of the tension eases from my shoulders. “No peanuts,” I remind her as she walks away, and she acknowledges me with a nod as she jots it on her notepad.
Yes, Cherubs can have allergies.
It’s an extraordinarily low percentage, but of course, I defied the odds. Other than myself, I only know of one other Cherub that requires the occasional EpiPen.
Yay, me.
Dinner passes in a breeze, and by the time we’re done eating, the buttons on my vest are more than a little stressed. “Dessert, huns?” Beatrice asks, and I rub my palms over my bloated belly, shaking my head. A fleeting moment of disappointment flashes over Beau’s face, which makes me laugh.
“You can’t still be hungry.”
“Hey, I’m a growing boy.” He rubs a palm over his own stomach as he casts one final woeful glance at the dessert menu.
“How about a coffee to go?” she asks.
“We will take you up on that,” Beau says, and when I quirk my eyes at him, he leans into my ear. “Can’t have you falling asleep on me, now, can I?”
Heat creeps into my cheeks as we wait for the bill, and I fidget with the flip top on the plastic lid of my coffee, steam rising from the small hole. Beau insists on paying, despite my protests, though he allows me to leave the tip.
Hand in hand, we walk through the parking lot, and I take a few swigs of my coffee as I build my nerve. “Tonight has been perfect,” I say, and he glances at me with obvious affection.
“It has been, hasn’t it?” He helps me into the truck,passes me the coffees to put in the cupholders, then leans closer as once I'm settled. Flat-footed on the ground, he tilts his head up to look at me, the dusky sun reflecting off his eyes. “Have I earned a kiss yet?”
My palms land on his cheeks and I inch nearer, smiling when he brushes his nose against mine. “Don’t make me regret this,” I whisper as I push my lips to his. A shock of something electric arcs down my spine and I shiver, both of us absorbing the feel of each other.
Beau breaks the spell first, reaching around my neck to pull me closer as our mouths start to move. Patient, cautious kisses mix with deeper, more insistent ones. Heads tilt and nosesbump as we learn each other, his breath huffing softly across my skin.
