“The DOD isn’t going to bust up in here,” Daemon said, pulling out the keys. “Not in public.”
“But Blake could freeze the entire place.”
“So can I.”
“Oh. I’ve never seen you do that.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, you have. I froze the truck. Remember? Saved your life and all?”
“Ah, yes.” I fought a grin. “You did do that.”
He reached over, flicking me gently under the chin. “Yeah, you better remember that. Plus, I’m not a show-off.”
Opening the door, I laughed. “You? Not a show-off? Okay.”
“What?” Fake outrage crossed his face as he shut the door and loped around the front of the SUV. “I’m very modest.”
“If I remember correctly, you said modesty was for saints and losers.” The bantering helped ease my nerves. “Modest is not a word I’d use to describe you.”
He dropped his arm over my shoulder. “I never said such a thing.”
“Liar.”
Daemon shot me a roguish grin as we headed in. I scanned the restaurant for Blake, my gaze dipping over the natural rock clusters jutting out of the floors and beside the booths, but he wasn’t here yet. The server seated us in a booth near the back, cozied up to the roaring fireplace. I tried to keep myself busy by ripping the napkin into tiny pieces.
“Going to eat that or are you making homemade hamster bedding?” he asked.
I laughed. “Organic kitty litter, actually.”
“Nice.”
A redheaded waitress appeared, wearing a bright smile. “Daemon, how are you doing? Haven’t seen you in ages.”
“Good. How about you, Jocelyn?”
Of course I had to give her more than a passing look, since the two were on a first-name basis. Not out of jealousy or anything. Yeah, right. Jocelyn was older than us but not by much. Maybe early twenties, but she was really, really pretty with all that red hair piled up in thick curls, surrounding a porcelain complexion.
Okay, she was beautiful…as in, Luxen beautiful.
I sat straighter.
“I’ve been real good,” she said. “I stepped down from managing since the babies. Working part-time instead, since they’re a handful, but you and your family should visit soon, especially since…” She looked at me for the first time, and her smile drooped. “Since Dawson has come back. Roland would love to see both of you.”
Total alien, I thought.
“We’d love to do that.” Daemon glanced at me and winked slyly. “By the way, Jocelyn, this is my girlfriend, Katy.”
I felt a ridiculous surge of pleasure as I extended my hand. “Hi.”
Jocelyn blinked, and I’d swear her face got even whiter. “Girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend,” Daemon repeated.
She recovered fast and shook my hand. A faint spark jumped from her skin to mine, and I pretended not to notice. “Nice…nice to meet you,” she said, quickly releasing my hand. “Uh, what can I get you two?”
“Two Cokes,” he ordered.
Jocelyn skedaddled off after that, and I raised my brows at Daemon. “Jocelyn…?”
He slid over another napkin for my pile. “Are you jealous, Kitten?”
“Pfft. Whatever.” I stopped tearing. “Okay, maybe a little until I realized she was in the ARP.”
“ARP?” He stood, coming to my side while saying, “Scoot.”
I scooted over. “Alien Relocation Program.”
“Ha.” He dropped his arm over the back of the booth and stretched out his legs. “Yeah, she’s good people.”
Jocelyn returned with our drinks and asked if we wanted to wait until our friend joined us to place our orders. That was a big fat no. Daemon ordered a meatloaf sandwich while I decided to eat half his order. I wasn’t sure I could stomach anything more.
He angled his body toward mine as soon as he finished deciding between fries and mashed potatoes—fries won. “Nothing’s going to happen,” he said, voice low. “Okay?”
Putting on a brave face, I nodded as I looked around the diner. “I just want to get this over with.”
Not even a minute later, the bells above the door jingled and before I could glance up, Daemon stiffened beside me. And I knew—I knew right then. My stomach lurched into my throat.
Spiky, bronze-tipped hair—styled messily with a ton of gel—came into view, and then hazel eyes locked on our table from the door.
Blake was here.
Chapter 12
Blake had a confident air about him as he walked up to our table, but it had nothing on Daemon’s deadly swagger or the cool and arrogant smile he was wearing that instant. It was a purely predatory look.
Suddenly, I wasn’t sure a public place was a good idea.
“Bart,” Daemon drawled, his fingers tapping along the booth behind me. “It’s been so long.”
“I see you still haven’t figured out my name.” Blake slid into the seat across from us. His gaze dropped to the pile of torn napkins, then to me. “Hey, Katy.”
Daemon leaned forward. The smile was still on his face, but his words were like the arctic winds. “You don’t talk to her. At all.”
There was no stopping He-Man when he came out to play, but I pinched him under the table. Daemon ignored me.
“Well, only talking to you is going to make this conversation real rough.”
“Like I care?” Daemon said, placing his other hand on the table.
I exhaled slowly. “Okay. Let’s get to the point. Where are Beth and Chris, Blake?”