Page 35 of Locking Down Qetesh

"Which can only be a good thing," he responded.

"It is." I put my fork down. The food was delicious, but in all honesty, I'd barely been paying attention to it, the company was too good for that. And the conversation was making me consider things in a way I never had before.

I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to do with that, but it was helpful to me figuring out who I was. Which sounded like a ridiculous thing for me to say, even to myself, when I was a few thousand years old, but at least I'd gotten here, and that was the main thing.

I looked across the table and smiled at Jacob. He looked relaxed, which wasn't a surprise. It was easy to be around him, and that was why I kept searching him out. And I had every reason to think that he felt the same.

Chapter 14

JACOB

Tesha turned around the moment I entered the room and flashed me a smile that made my heart skip a beat. She put down the plant pot she was carrying and came over with a confidence that could only be gained from knowing herself so well. Even so, I was reasonably sure that since she'd told me she was ace, she'd grown even more so. It made sense. By saying the words out loud to me, she'd fully accepted it about herself, even if she'd known inside for a long time.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi," she responded.

"I brought you a coffee."

"Thank you. I didn't even realise you knew I was here."

"I might have only worked here a few weeks, but I noticed you always come at this time to get ready for the party tomorrow."

"I shouldn't be nearly so predictable."

"To be fair, it's your work schedule, it's okay to be predictable." I held out the coffee for her and she took it.

"Thank you, this was very sweet."

"I got one for myself too," I said, lifting my other hand so she could see my coffee cup. "It was time for a break."

"Well, you are the hotel manager, you do get to decide when people go on them. Except for me, because I'm technically not under you. Not yet, anyway."

I laughed. "Innuendo, really?"

"Sometimes, it's funny." She grinned.

"True."

"So, I was thinking," she said, tapping her finger against the cup.

"Oh?"

"About another date."

"Then we've been thinking about the same thing," I said. "What did you have in mind? I picked last time, it only seems right that you pick this time."

A slightly hesitant expression came over her face. "I thought you could come over and see my plants."

I chuckled. "Is that meant to be a euphemism?"

"No. But also, not no. I do want to show you my greenhouse, it's important to me, and we're getting to know each other, right?"

"Yes," I said.

"But I guess I also wouldn't be upset if we did have sex afterwards. Well, after dinner."

"You want to have sex?"

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