Page 79 of All In
I wasn’t a fan of violence, but some strange, primal urge in me almost hoped the guy had pushed Theo back, just so I could watch Theo defend me again. Protect me because I was his to protect.
Oh my God, get a grip. You’re setting the feminist movement back fifty years.
The hostess sat us at a tiny table. I fanned myself with the menu while Theo studied his intently, totally oblivious to my reaction. It took an eternity for the waiter to show up, then another eternity to bring the food. When it finally arrived—chicken fricassee for me, and shrimp jambalaya for Theo—my dinner date took one taste, wrinkled his nose, and started pouring on more hot sauce.
“Are you crazy?” I said, laughing. “My mouth hurts just looking at that.”
“It was warmish,” Theo said with a grin. “Now it’s satisfactory. Barely.”
I shook my head, my chin in my hand. “You must’ve been a fire-eater in a past life.”
He laughed and we dug into the hot Louisiana night, and the hotter dinner. The pre-show music hung in the heavy, humid air like pungent smoke. I imagined spirits dancing in the shadows in this city of vampires and voodoo.
We talked easily, and he laughed readily, drinking beer to my lemonade. Still, something in me felt tipsy. High and exhilarated, my thoughts running unchecked down a road I’d never taken before.
Jonah once told me I went up to eleven. Theo went up to one hundred, I mused. Nothing ever halfway. He was the kind of man who, if you wronged him or hurt someone he loved, he’d cut you off without another word. But if he was yours, he was yours for life.
If he was mine…
The thought startled me so badly, I nearly knocked over my lemonade glass.
Theo glanced up from his food. “You okay?”
I nodded, noticing his eyes were watering. I jerked my chin at his plate. “Why do you eat that if it’s so hot?”
“I like it.”
“It looks painful.”
He gave a lopsided grin. “Hurts so good.”
“God, you’re such a man.”
“Last I checked.”
I laughed and the other half of his smile widened before he went back to his food. I started into my dish, but my eyes kept straying to Theo. He took a too-big bite of his jambalaya, sweat beading his brow because he’d made it inferno-level hot. On purpose. He washed down the shrimp with a chug of beer, blowing out his cheeks, then hunched over his plate, intent, both inked forearms on the table, gearing up for another huge mouthful.
I wondered if I’d taste the heat on his tongue if he kissed me.
My knee jumped, sending my napkin to the floor. I bent to get it, not coming back up until my face was composed. God, the atmosphere in this place was making me stupid.
Theo took another steaming forkful of spicy food. Another bead of sweat slid down his temple as he licked his lips.
Oh yes, without a doubt, if I kissed him, he’d burn me.
“I got something in my teeth?”
I blinked at him. “No, nothing. Just thinking.”
“About what?” Theo asked. His eyes stayed on me as his lips wrapped around the beer bottle and took a swig. I watched the swallow go down his throat. All my sordid thoughts visible on my face, or spelled out in neon, flashing above me. A blush inflamed my cheeks as I fought for an answer.
“This place has a lot of atmosphere,” I finally said.
God, are you serious?
Theo nodded and another dark look came over him, similar to the one he’d worn confronting the drunk guy in line. Only now it was turned on me. His whiskey-colored eyes igniting another primal urge. Theo, shirtless and sweaty, putting a flat hand on my chest and curling his fingers into the fabric of my dress. Instead of pushing me away, he hauled me roughly to him, intent on taking what was his…
Oh my God.
