Page 18 of Bound By Destiny

I give the vendor an apologetic look. “Thanks, but we’re vegetarians.”

With that I pick up the pace, glad to hear Dane follow suit.

“Good call,” he tells me below his breath. “You’ve got to stay on top of the trends, you know? Since we’re immortal, we often come across as a bit disconnected from reality, which can raise suspicions.” He straightens to his full height and lets a smug smirk spread over his face. “I’ll show you. I’m an expert at this.”

I’m starting to have doubts about that.

With a sigh, I stroll by his side to the fresh produce aisle. My faith in Dane’s acting skills take a definite plunge when he makes a terrible display of appraising the fruits and vegetables, in particular the melons.

“I wish he’d touch mine like that too,” I hear a feminine voice say nearby. “Have you seen that guy? It’s like he walked straight out of a billboard.”

“Yeah,” another one replies wistfully. “Except he’s not paper thin and he’s got the muscle to prove it.”

“Do you think he’s with that girl in the dress?”

I blanch at the venom dripping from her voice as a strange monster awakens in my chest. I can’t quite pinpoint the emotion, but my fingers curl with the urge to strangle the pair of women.

“Dane, I think you checked those melons quite enough,” I snarl. “Let’s move on.”

I never knew grocery shopping would give me goosebumps, but I suppose Dane is just exceptional like that. Come to think of it I’m not sure I’ve ever been to the supermarket with a boyfriend, not even Caleb. Pushing the cart with this man while he empties out the whole cereal aisle gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.

Like we’re together. Like those envious glares I get from each unmarried female in the store are justified. Like we’re going to drive home and cook a great dinner tonight, but Dane will ruin it by pushing me against the counter and kissing me, and then–

“Seventy percent off all portable heaters!” a shrill voice calls in the distance. “Perfect to heat even the coolest of nights!”

My nights are everything but cool ever since this guy barged into my life,I think to myself with a blush, recalling the hot fantasies that haunt me even in the sanctity of my bedroom.

“Aha,” Dane’s whispers into my ear, sending entirely inappropriate shivers through my body. “See, this is a great example of how to manage an unfamiliar topic, since phoenixes don’t need heating.”

I bite back a groan.What kind of supermarket sells heaters?With his awkward interaction in the entrance still fresh in my mind, I shake my head.

“Sounds like a great cut on my utility bill, but we don’t need to do this.”

“This is the bargain of a lifetime,” the lady pushes. “Honestly at this price, I’d buy a dozen.”

I’m about to politely disengage, but Dane beats me to it.

“My furnace has been working great, actually. Just shovel some coal into it, and it’s nice and toasty inside.”

How old is Dane again?,I wonder in consertantion.Three, four hundred...?

Dane is the only one who seems perfectly satisfied with his response. I remember his earlier advice about trying to seem up to date about the world. Is this what he calls ‘staying on top of the trend’?

The saleswoman is equally flabbergasted. “Goodness, I can’t even remember if my grandparents heated their house with coal.”

Embarrassment burns across Dane’s cheeks. For all his ruggedness, I’ve noticed his skin flushes red very easily. Kind of charming, for someone so big and strong.

“Yeah, well I like things the old-fashioned way,” he mutters sheepishly.

The lady plasters on an indulgent smile. “I see. Well since you’re the traditional type, you should know that space heaters help make a cozy place for two, even three if that’s in the plans…”

This time I’m the one turning crimson. Dane is already shaking his head.

“Oh no, we–“

“As a matter of fact,” the saleswoman pursues relentlessly. “We have a model here, the Tornado-baby that’s designed especially for nurseries.”

I never got to see the heater in question because Dane darted away before she ever reached the box, and I was none too eager to follow.

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