Page 27 of Heart Stopping
Cass laughed. "You'd be surprised. Some of us can only hope to get flipped."
He put down his pretzel on his lap and placed his hand on his forehead. "You must think I'm the lamest lame that ever lamed. The cringiest cringe to ever cringe. The… You get the idea."
"I don't think you're lame or cringey," I assured him. "I think you're sweet. Sometimes it can be difficult to meet people."
I didn't get the impression he was the kind of man who lived in his parent's basement, spent all day playing video games and then wondered why he couldn't get the attention of a woman. He was awkward, but he had no problem putting himself out there. Like he said, he wasn't good at social cues. That didn't stop him from trying.
"When I first got to the city, I was working sixteen-hour days," he said. "The only people I met were people from my office. They're nice enough, but even if I was interested, office romances can turn ugly." He pulled the straw out of his milkshake and drank the rest straight out of the cup.
"That's totally understandable. I don't want to date anyone I work with either," I said.
Of course, they were all women, but that was beside the point. He was right, things could turn ugly. It was easier not to go there. Especially when I was the boss. If they didn't quit, I'd have to fire them, and I always struggled doing that. Yeah, killing people was easier than letting them go. I know exactly how fucked up that sounds.
"Could you see yourself dating me?" Cass asked. "I mean, this is kind of a date, but maybe, I don't know, something more intimate."
I should have turned him down flat right now for both our sakes. Told him we could be friends and that was it. Stood up right now, walked away and hope he didn't follow. Whatever it was between me and Boner was complicated enough already, right?
Even so, I found myself saying, "I like you."
"I like you too." His smile was soft and full of hope. "So, dinner? I could cook for you. It won't be as good as your cooking, but I'd like to think it's edible."
No. Absolutely not. It was a terrible idea.
"I'd like that," I said, the words coming out of my mouth, which seemed intent on ignoring my brain. "I'm sure whatever you cook will be delicious." I admit the idea of someone else cooking for me was appealing. As much as I loved to cook, doing it every night got tedious.
His eyes widened. I could almost see him thinking, scrambling. Trying to figure out why he offered to cook for a professional chef. But then realizing even if he fucked it up completely, we could order food to be delivered. It wasn't the meal that mattered, it was getting to know each other.
Which, in spite of myself, I wanted.
"Tell me where and when and I'll be there," I said.
"Next Monday?" Once again, he looked relieved and hopeful at the same time.
"It's a date," I said.
What are you doing?I asked myself. The only answer I could give myself was that I was getting to know a normal guy, hoping like hell I didn't ruin his life.
Considering who I was and what I did in my spare time, I was going to have to be incredibly careful.
In spite of myself, I was looking forward to it. Maybe I could juggle normal and avenging angel.
Somehow.
CHAPTER 11
HARLOW
I was being followed. I knew by the way the back of my neck tingled. Goosebumps broke out on my arms.
At the next set of lights, I crossed to the other side of the street, using the reflection from car windows to look behind me. For a moment, I thought it might be Cass.
Then I saw him.
He wasn't really trying to be subtle. Of course not, that wasn't his style. It still begged the question, why the hell was he following me? That was definitely what was going on here. Someone like him didn't just happen to be walking the same way I was.
I stopped suddenly outside a shoe store and admired the display in the window. A girl could never have too many boots. And theirs were particularly nice. Did the red ones come in my size? They'd go perfectly with my black skirts.
I glanced over my shoulder to see him walk past, the momentum of the crowd carrying him forward. To his credit, he didn't look back at me.
