Chapter 5 #2
“A place down under. You’ll like it.”
“You think so, do you? Because you know me so well?” Val poured the drinks and set them on a tray before signaling the waitress.
Loki touched her hand again. “Yeah. I do.”
Val gritted her teeth as sensations washed over her and memories from the night before returned.
She yanked her hand away. “Why do you do that?”
His eyebrows drew together. “Do what?”
“Make me go all tingly and shit.”
Loki grinned. “My touch makes you tingle? Is it just tingly on your hand or maybe-” He looked down. “Other parts as well?”
Val grabbed a paring knife and slammed it down between his fingers. “Stop.” It wasn’t a joke, and she wasn’t playing his game.
Loki’s gaze went to the knife, and when he looked back at her, his eyes had turned icy blue. He picked up the knife and twirled it between his fingers before skidding the shaft down her bare arm.
“I am happy my touch makes you tingle in embarrassing places, darling, but I can promise you it has nothing to do with any kind of spell on my part. Is it so inconceivable that what you are feeling could be between you and me?”
Val snorted. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
Again, Loki’s eyes flashed ice blue. He flipped the knife over and handed it to her. “Do you like irritating me on purpose, or is that a talent?”
Val took the knife and wiped it with a towel. She couldn’t help being who she was. She couldn’t help pushing men away. She’d never been anything but used and abused by them, so being irritating was her best form of self-protection.
“So, steak?” she said. “I like mine thick and rare.”
“If that’s what you want, that’s what you shall have.”
A pang of guilt struck her for the way she’d treated Loki. After all, what had he done to her really? He’d flirted, taunted, followed through with no satisfaction to himself… hel, that was more than most men would do. And now he was asking to take her to dinner?
“It is,” she said.
A trace of a smile whispered across his lips. “As you wish.”
Elle walked down the stairs, tying her apron.
“So, meet me here at one thirty.”
Loki nodded. “You’re not gonna have another strange late-night visitor, are you?”
“Only you.”
Loki chuckled, and she laughed.
“Wow! An actual smile and a laugh. I never knew I was so funny,” said Loki.
“Technically, it was my joke.”
“At my expense.” His smile widened.
She couldn’t argue with that.
Elle approached the bar, and her eyes met Val’s.
Val dropped her smile and slapped his arm. “Get out of here.”
Loki’s gaze slid to Elle. “What? Are you ashamed of being seen with me?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
Loki grabbed his chest. “Thou doth wound me to the core, M’lady.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Loki winked at her. “Don’t stand me up.”
She tried to think of a witty comeback, but nothing came to mind.
Loki walked to the edge of the bar and disappeared down the stairs.
Damn. How did he do that? She’d not been able to keep her eyes off him, but he’d not looked back once. Strangely, the knowledge pricked her with a tinge of disappointment.
She pushed the feeling away and turned to Elle.“Take tables, three, four, and six.”
Elle nodded and looked like she might say something, but she didn’t. She simply picked up her tray and headed off.
It was nearly closing time when the door to the bar opened, and Marek walked in.
Val’s gut tightened at the sight of him.
Crap. What was she going to do about him?
On the one hand, she liked him. But on the other hand, she couldn’t deny that something had started with Loki, and like it or not, she couldn’t ignore it.
“Howdy, beautiful.” Marek walked to the bar and leaned on it.
Unlike the last time he’d been flirty, something felt off.
“Hey, yourself. Can I get you something?”
“I was wondering if you were busy after work.”
“I actually am. Sorry.” The conflict grew inside. She wanted to go out with Marek, but she wouldn’t turn down Loki for him. What did that mean?
He nodded. “Is your Norse friend showing up again?”
She wondered if Marek knew who Loki really was. She had to assume he didn’t, otherwise she figured he’d never speak to her again.
“He’s not my friend, but yes.”
“Are you two together or something?”
Val bit her tongue at the ‘no’ that she’d been about to say. “Or something, I guess.”
Marek’s gaze grew heavy. “Is it serious?”
Val’s chest tightened. She didn’t like all the questions.
Questions she wasn’t ready to answer or even think about.
Hel, she had no idea what was between her and Loki.
They’d fooled around once, sort of, and now they were having dinner.
Was that something? Maybe. But with Loki, you could never tell.
And she wasn’t ready to give up a possible chance with someone else for something that was most likely nothing. Loki was Loki after all.
“No,” she finally said. “It’s nothing really.”
Marek smiled. “Then I still have a shot. Good. I am going to try out a new place tonight. Actually, your Norse friend suggested it. If it’s good, maybe we can go there together sometime.”
“If it’s good.”
Marek chuckled. “I can tell you’re a woman who likes nice things.”
Val snorted. “Trust me, I’m not one of those women. It’s just that I’ve spent so much of my life going without or the bare minimum that I promised myself when I came here, I’d not waste my time or settle. I’ve done enough of that in my life.”
“I like a woman who knows what she's worth and won’t settle for less.”
Val couldn’t help but like Marek. Not only was he handsome and hunky, but he was also… nice? Was that the word? No. Easy going. His easygoing presence made her comfortable. Which was strange because she’d never heard of a ‘nice’ Alpha before. It made her wonder why he didn’t already have a mate.
Elle glanced her way, and Val stiffened.
“So can I pour you anything before last call?”
“Nah. Just wanted to stop by and say hi. I’ll let you know if the place I go to is any good. If it is, I’ll make reservations for us for Friday night. Does that work?”
Val nodded, despite the knot in her stomach.
Marek winked and tapped the counter. “Hope you have a good time tonight, but not too good.”
Val chuckled. “You too.”
Marek looked like he wanted to say something, but he just smiled and left.
Val watched him go, appreciating the view of his round full backside.
His walk was completely different from Loki’s, as was his rear.
Where Loki stalked toward people like a lithe panther who would rip out your throat at a moment’s notice, Marek lumbered toward people in a non-threatening, yet I’ll-knock-you-on-your-ass-if-you-mess-with-me sort of way.
The moment she caught Elle watching her, Val turned to scrub the bar.
Two men. Two. Val had never even thought she’d have one man looking at her. But two was just… too much. Was it even two? Or was Loki only interested because she was another challenge? Another conquest?
She shook her head. What was she thinking? Why had she even told Loki yes to going to dinner? She stopped scrubbing and wondered if Loki had used some kind of influence magic on her. That had to be it. Every time he touched her, he did something to her.
All right then, she determined not to allow him to touch her at dinner to see if anything changed. Because if it didn’t… she would be in real trouble.