Page 100 of Speechless
I narrowed my eyes at the woman. She was pretty, and I was feeling my own healthy dose of possessiveness.
A large hand enveloped mine and wove our fingers together. “I know you can’t sense it yet, but I promise you, the desire I have to even look at someone else is in the negative percentages.”
“Is that even a thing?”
“For the purposes of this conversation? Yes.”
We followed the hostess toward the back of the restaurant, where it was open to the ocean. Our table was practically next to the railing. An alcove enclosed with curtains so fine and sheer they shone. As the sun fell to the horizon, the deepening color of sunset matched the candles around the restaurant.
Our table was cozy, with a rounded seat carved from the rock and added cushions. We could sit next to each other, but it didn’t feel weird the way it did when couples sat on the same side of a booth.
My feet rejoiced as I sat. “I’m glad you chose a restaurant with these shoes. These are display shoes only.”
“How do you know I’m not taking us dancing later?” I shot him a look that made him laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m not.”
“Are we doing something else after?”
A tall man poured water into our glasses. The menu on my plate was a gilded single sheet with a few options. And… oh.
I took a slow breath. This was probably something I should have thought of, but I hadn’t. Food and I had a weird relationship. One reason I hadn’t given Logan my list of foods was that I was a picky eater. I always had been, much to my own embarrassment and everyone else’s frustration. I would try things, but sometimes I just didn’t like them, even when everyone else seemed to.
Here in Clarity, that meant a lot of seafood. I’d never liked it, and I’d tried. And this menu, other than dessert, was fish.
Probably should have seen that coming. But it was okay. I was used to finding my way through menus that didn’t cater to me. Hell, I had to do that for most of my childhood. I certainly wasn’t upset with Aiden. He had no reason to know my preferences yet, and him bringing me here was still incredible.
This place wasbeautiful.
“What’s wrong?”
I looked over and found Aiden closer than I expected. He leaned into my space, that delicious chocolate and cherry scent curling around me. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”
He tilted his head and looked at me, like he was puzzling something out. “We’re doing this to get to know each other and figure out if we’re a good match, right?”
“Right.”
“Then I’d like to act that way. As your Alpha, and your dom.”
Because dancing around each other without testing the reality ofwhat being together might be like, this was a waste of our time. “I’m okay with that.”
“I’d like to touch you and kiss you. Everything else I’ll ask.”
“Yes.”
Aiden pulled me closer across the seat and cupped the back of my neck. Tilted my face upward with his thumb. “Good.” He closed the tiny distance between us and kissed me.
CHAPTER THIRTY
_____________
AIDEN
Trinity melted into the kiss. It was a miracle I’d lasted this long without tasting her lips. Sweet and so fucking soft. Every inhale burned my lungs with the soul-deep knowledge that this woman was meant to be mine.
It felt right to kiss her. It felt right to step into our roles even if we weren’t there yet. I kissed her a moment longer before I pulled back to look in her gorgeous eyes. “Now, tell me what’s wrong, please.”
Her hands were in her lap. Fidgeting. Her gaze darted away before coming back. “It’s all right, Aiden.”
I raised a single eyebrow, telling her without words I wasn’t going to let her sidestep this question. She’d winced and wilted when she saw the menu. Small reactions she kept under wraps.
