Page 108 of The Curse of Redwood
“Are you calling me your boyfriend?”
My face heated. “Um. I don’t know.” I peeked over at him, becoming even more embarrassed when seeing his amused smile. “Do you wanna be?”
“There are many things I wish to be, Carter.” Zeke brought our hands up and kissed my knuckle. “I care not what word we use to say it. I just want to be yours.”
“You are. And I’m yours,” I answered, then swallowed the lump in my throat. “No matter what happens later tonight, that will never change.”
“What if your friends hate me?” he asked, stopping on the sidewalk. “Or look at me like I’m a freak at the circus? What if they find our relationship off putting?”
“They won’t,” I said, slipping my arms around his neck and standing on my tiptoes to give him a kiss. “Ben’s bringing Theo… the ghost I told you about before. They of all people will understand.”
“And the handsome one will be there as well?” Zeke asked with a slight snarl in his voice.
I grinned up at him. “Be nice. Taylor’s a great guy. You’ll see.”
Hand in hand, we continued toward the café, stopping when Zeke wanted to look in the store windows or ask about someone’s costume. He was better adjusted to modern times than I had thought he’d be. Reaching the café, he opened the door for me.
“After you, my sweet,” he said.
I giggled. “You’re such a dork.”
The café was filled with the sounds of silverware clanking against plates, scattered conversations, and sizzling coming from the kitchen where the cooks were frying eggs and bacon. My stomach growled at the smell.
“They’re already here,” I said, nodding to the left where my friends sat at a table positioned away from everyone else. Ben must have worked his magic so we’d have more privacy.
Catching Ben’s eye, I waved. His gaze instantly flickered to Zeke, and his brows shot up. In fact, many people we passed nearly snapped their necks to look at him.
“Why are they staring?” he whispered.
“Because you’re striking,” I answered, bumping his shoulder as we walked. It was more than his looks, though. The very air shifted in his presence. He was power, confidence, beauty, and charm wrapped up into one sexy body.
Once we reached the table, all three of my friends stood to greet us. Taylor was the first to pounce. Of course.
“Hey, I’m Taylor,” he said, shoving out a hand toward Zeke. “C’s told me a lot about you.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” He shook his hand. “I’m Ezekiel, but please call me Zeke.”
Ben greeted him next. “We’ve somewhat met before, I believe, though we didn’t get a chance to speak. I’m Ben Cross.” He then stepped back a fraction and put a hand at the small of his lover’s back. “And this is Theo.”
“Hello,” Theo said. The deep lines on his forehead, caused by him frowning, took away some of the politeness in his tone. “Do excuse my staring. I have not met another like me before.”
“It’s all right,” Zeke responded, examining Theo in the same way. “I regret to say I’ve met many like us.”
The waiter chose that moment to interrupt, asking Zeke and I what we wanted to drink. We both ordered coffee before taking our seats at the table. Zeke sat between me and Taylor, while Ben and Theo sat across from us.
“May I have a refill on coffee?” Theo asked the waiter when he came back by to drop off our drinks.
“That’s your third cup already,” Taylor said to him. “You better slow down or you’ll be bouncing off the walls.”
“Well, you go a year without coffee and tell me then how you feel,” Theo responded, before dumping creamer into his newly filled cup and taking a drink. It was then I noticed what he was wearing; a navy-blue sweater and skinny jeans. Ben must have bought him some new clothes so he wouldn’t be walking around town in his old timey ones.
Ben chuckled and rested his arm on the back of Theo’s chair. He then looked at me. “What time do you need to meet Callum?”
“He’s coming over around seven,” I answered, nerves fluttering in my belly as I thought about the ritual. I wanted to change the subject. “Do you and Theo have anything fun planned for today?”
“We do, actually,” Ben answered. “I’m taking him to New York right after breakfast. The drive is a little over two hours from here, so he’ll get a nice road trip along the way.”
“I’ve never been to the big city,” Theo said with excitement in his brown eyes.
