Page 10 of Unexpectedly In Love

“Think of it as a trust exercise on our first date.” I begin to share food on one plate.

* * *

ANISE

Igiggle. “Are we on a date? I can’t remember you asking me out?” I squint at him.

Eryx smirks, and that’s as much as I could get from him. Most of his expressions are in his eyes, everything else is stoic but sexy. He has an unhurried charm about him.

“Yes, we are on a date. The moment you choose me to help you,” he replies as he cuts into the mac and cheese on his plate.

“I can feed myself, you know,” I complain. I feel like I’m losing myself to this man slowly but surely, and we only recently met.

“I am taking care of what is mine. I will feed you only best from my plate, come,” he responds as he gathers the food on a fork.

“Is that right? I am yours now?” I flirt. Eryx’s eyebrows raise, like he is waiting for me to object. He cradles the fork in his hand as he pushes it toward my mouth.

Instinctively, I open my mouth, the rich savory taste of the oxtails combined with creamy mac and cheese makes me moan in delight.

“Oh, delicious,” I say, licking my lips, getting the brown sauce off. His eyes focus on my mouth as I chew. Instantly, I cover my mouth.

“Don’t do that,” he gives me a subtle command.

“What?”

“Cover your mouth when you eat. I’m enjoying seeing you savor the food.”

I nod as I watch him cut the finest pieces of meat for me. It’s like he was choosing the best pieces for me. If any other man had done this, I would have asked him if I was a child. Hell, I would have been upset. Eryx does it and I feel cared for and special. It’s the little things that make me happy and psycho.

It took us a half an hour to eat, well for me to eat.

He eats the remainder of the food. I glance across at the other table on the far end of the room where the three men from earlier are sitting. The first man sitting on the right has auburn hair tied low on his neck. He is sunk down in his chair, arms folded over his chest, legs spread wide. He is so stoic, so still. The only thing that is moving are his dark grey eyes.

The dark haired one on the left acts nonchalantly, like nothing matters. He is the moment. His gestures are wide, his voice bellows as he talks. The poor hostess doesn’t stand a chance, he is currently flirting with her, lightly touching her hair. His smile is broad, it gleams under the lights, but they never reach his eyes. In fact, if you observe closely, you would realize that his smile is dead.

But it’s the blond with a low Caesar cut…he has my attention. Unlike the others who seemed to be occupied by their own thoughts…The blond has been the focused one. His jaw rocks, his eyes are intense, and his head swivels slowly as he takes in the room.

I stare across the room into his dark eyes wondering who will break the invisible stare match. Unfortunately, it was me. I direct my attention back to Eryx.

“Are you finished ogling at my cousins?” Eryx asks as he wipes to the side of his mouth.

“I wasn’t ogling. They give me bodyguard vibes.”

“Because they are bodyguards.” He wipes his hands and mouth on a white linen napkin and throws it down to the table.

“Oh, do you need guarding? What from?” I ask.

He strokes his beard slowly. “From dangerous men and, at times, dangerous women. Are you a dangerous woman Anise?”

His fingertips graze lightly over my wrist.

“Eryx, I am danger. You have been warned.” My voice sounds so husky.

His dark chuckle surrounds me. “I guess today, I will live for danger.”

Chuckling to myself, I proceed to reach for my clutch to get my wallet.

“Rosemary?”

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