Page 24 of Dante
“Are you certain you’d like to go out to eat?” I asked. “I’ve been gone a week. I’ll gladly take you out if you desire. But we could just as easily have something here. It’s just more?—”
“Yes. That. Can you do that thing and get us something? I don’t care what. Anything. But when we’re here, it’s just more private, and we can talk about things without having to worry who is listening.”
I chuckled. “Absolutely.” I stood and held out my hand for Banner, and when he took it, I smiled down at him. I knew mysmile was a bit lopsided, and the reason was because my beard hid secrets. I had several scars, and one ran down my face from my cheek to my chin. My beard hid most of it, but if you looked closely enough, you could see where the hair was missing. I also had a nasty scar across my torso from the tiger shifter that had attacked in the jungle. I was told that now that I had my magic back, I shouldn’t scar going forward when injured, but I hadn’t tried to heal the marks on my skin. Now that I had Banner in my life, maybe I should consider it.
“Are you okay?”
I blinked down at my mate and realized I was still holding his hand. I nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. I was thinking about something completely unrelated. Are you ready for pasta? I got your favorite,” I said, pointing over my shoulder toward Banner’s table, where I had Italian food from his favorite place down in Timber Valley.
“Really?” His eyes widened.
“Yeah. Loaded spaghetti, extra parmesan, and a dozen breadsticks just for you.”
Banner moaned as he started toward the dining room. “You really didn’t have to.”
I shrugged. “I could have gotten it for you while I was on assignment too. You didn’t ask though, and I didn’t think to offer.”
Banner stopped. “Wait. You can do that?”
“Yes. I know where you are and where your dining room is. I can set up food for you if you wish. I apologize for not offering. I didn’t think to.”
Banner tilted his head to the side. “There’s no need to apologize. You don’t have to feed me. I’m perfectly capable of cooking for myself.” Banner’s eyes suddenly widened. “Did you hear that they’re expanding the kitchen in the cafeteria? They’re going to have a takeout window outside that is open from elevenin the morning until nine at night. That’s going to be a huge hit, I think.”
“I hadn’t heard that, no. I do know they tried a diner-type place up here, but it didn’t really seem to work well.” From what I’d heard, it had been early days for the council, and all of the enforcers were eating in the cafeteria, and everyone who was mated was eating at home. It didn’t get much traffic, and they decided to turn the building into the omega clinic instead.
I pulled out the chair for Banner, and he offered me a smile before he sat. “That was before my time here, I think. Maybe. I know when I first arrived, I didn’t do much. I stayed in the medical ward for a bit, and then I was in a house with a few other omegas.”
I nodded. “Yes, it was before we came to the council.” I sat next to Banner and waited. He gave me another smile before he picked up his fork.
“I feel bad. I should be cooking for you.” He took a bite of loaded spaghetti and moaned. “So good.”
I chuckled. “Why is it that you should be cooking? There is nothing that says you have to cook. Even if one of us didn’t have magic, there is nothing that says either of us has to cook. Some people just get takeout all of the time.”
Half of a breadstick disappeared into Banner’s mouth, and I had to look away to keep my mind from wandering to places it shouldn’t. Yes, I was taking things slowly with my mate, but that didn’t mean I didn’t desire for all of the things that I knew a couple could experience together.
“Uh…I don’t know what’s better. The spaghetti or the breadsticks.”
I nodded slowly. “I think both,” I said. I stared down at my own plate of food and picked up my fork. “I would ask how your week was, but I think we covered that while I was gone.”
“Yeah,” Banner said after a moment. “Was your assignment successful?”
“It was more frustrating than anything. We’re still trying to get to the bottom of things where the New Mexico pride is concerned.”
“What about the noise?” Banner asked. “You know, the one that sent you to that weird place that seems to be a complete time suck.”
I chuckled. “No sound from the Nexus this time around. Titus and Azar still don’t know how exactly they got sucked in from this realm. They shouldn’t have, since they didn’t have their magical powers.”
“Have those been returned yet?”
I snorted. “No.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. They were pouting that they still didn’t have their magical powers returned to them. I didn’t understand why though. They’d been with us for three months now; they should have them, to be honest. “I don’t know if it’s because the goddess just hasn’t gotten around to giving them or if Master Edison hasn’t felt as if they should have them. Either way, they are both irritable about it.”
“I have never had them, but you are generous with your magic. I can certainly see how they would be upset with not having theirs back yet. Magic makes things so easy.” Banner shrugged. “Beau and Lewis use magic at the bakery. It really makes our job easy.”
“I can sympathize with them. It took a few weeks after we were rescued for my magic to return to me.”
“Weeks?” I nodded. “Dante, it’s been months since they were brought here. Should I be worried about them? Are they not to be trusted?”
“I don’t think so. If Master Edison was worried about them being around, they wouldn’t be here on Treasure Ridge. Same for the demons.”
