Page 52 of Love Sick

I gasp. “Did you just say the f-word?”

She stares around the restaurant. Our friends have abandoned us and now we’re stuck on what could accurately be deemed adate.

A possessive and predaceous monster inside me grins—not a promising sign. Despite my own sound logic, I lean toward her, wanting to know if she’s brave enough to stay. “We doing this, then?”

The freckles across her ashen skin stand out stark. “I already have my drink, Julian. It’s sacrilege to leave Mambo Taxi on the table.”

“Then drink up, Sapphire. You’re going to need it to deal with Lex Luther all evening.”

A sly smile curves her lips. “How was your date with Maleficent by the way?”

“The dragon didn’t do it for me.” My nonchalant shrug has her laughing.

“Does that mean Khaleesi doesn’t have a chance, either?”

I stir my drink. “You familiar with the Hot Crazy Matrix? The Mother of Dragons is way too high in the danger zone.”

She snorts. “As if you’d have a chance.”

“I don’t know.” My finger taps against the glass. “I can be pretty adorable when I want.”

With a roll of her eyes, she says, “I will pay offyourstudent loan debt if you can prove that’s true.”

“An impossible task. You hate me, so how could I prove it?”

Her stare drops to my hand for two seconds, then jerks to the side. She takes a large draw on her drink. “I don’thateyou.”

I bark out a single disbelieving laugh.

She shakes her head. “I justwantto hate you. You make it impossible.”

My pulse abruptly decides to sync to an EDM beat. “Oh yeah? How’s that?”

“You’re absurdly nice, even when you’re heckling me. You buy me sugar and defend my honor and give me rides. And you do that—that thing.” She waves her hand in my general direction.

My skin is on fire. “What thing?”

“With your mouth. You know, thething. When you’ve said something funny or clever, or when you’re getting under my skin. You do that smile without smiling.”

I stare, at a loss. “Huh?”

“Ugh. Never mind.”

The server returns and we both order our usual—Tacos Mi Tierra.

When he leaves, she tilts her head, studying me. The green in her eyes is brighter today. She’s never allowed me close enough to examine all the colors, but the fading light from the windows ignites a hint of jade and emerald.

“So you think you’re adorable?” Her nose scrunches. “I think I’d like to see Adorable Julian in action.”

My sixth sense prickles, and I narrow my eyes. Where is this going? “His charms are reserved for children and women he has a chance with.”

She laughs. “At least you’re honest. So no girlfriend, then?”

“Why?” I raise one eyebrow. “You interested?”

A dorky little snort buzzes in her nose and she coughs to cover it. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you? Mocking material for the rest of time.”

“What about you, then?” I ask. “Where’s your lucky man?”

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