Page 60 of Blood & Lace
LUCERO
“I feellike this is a reward for you. Even though I won.” My husband tapped his perfectly manicured sharp nails on the table.
Yes, it was. However, I wasn’t about to confirm his thoughts. Onyx was liable to get up and leave and I couldn’t have that. Who knew when the next time I could convince him to go out with me would be. “Get whatever you want, bella.”
Onyx closed the menu and sat it on the table, watching me intently. Neither one of us said anything for a long while. I was content with watching him and being in his presence. The small shop wasn’t too full although they’d been fairly popular as of late. There was a steady stream of people coming in but no one was too loud.
“Is this a date?” I asked.
“No.”
“But we are out of the house, and I’m buying dessert. We are married and we are sexually interested in each other.” I ticked off every reason this could be a date on my fingers. “You’re dressed up.”
“I’m always dressed up.”
“You wear lingerie around the house a lot more lately.”
Onyx squinted at me. “Are you complaining?”
I shook my head so hard the world spun around me for a second, and even when I stopped. “I love it.”
“Then shut up.”
I snapped my mouth shut for all of five seconds. “Our first date.”
“You’re—”
“Welcome to Creme Noire, sorry for the wait. Can I get you started with anything to drink? We have our signature teas and mimosas currently at half price during happy hour,” the waitress said, interrupting Onyx.
He glared at me but gave the waitress an award-winning smile. “Yes, I’ll have the house tea with milk on the side, please.”
“Of course, and I love your outfit. You look absolutely beautiful.”
Onyx’s laugh was light and made my insides flip. I reached under the table and pulled his chair closer to me.
His laughter was for me and me alone.
The waitress glanced my way for a short second. She offered me a smile but it wasn’t nearly as big as the one she offered to my husband.
“And for you, sir?”
“Coffee, black.”
She nodded. “Do you need more time on what desserts you want to try?”
We both put in our orders. Onyx ordered half the menu, and to make sure he was satisfied, I went ahead and ordered the other half.
The moment we were alone again, Onyx twisted to look at me. “What was that for?”
“You’re not wearing your wedding ring and you laughed.”
He looked at me as if I’d grown a second head. I wasn’t crazy. Although Onyx had a dating history of only men in his past, hehad a few women he’d taken to bed. I knew everything about my husband.
“Will you tone down the crazy if I put it on?”
“Yes.”
I’d taken to slipping the ring on Onyx’s finger every morning when I got the chance. Today had been an exception. He’d been up well before me, pouring over paperwork that had come in from one of his contacts.
