Page 73 of Day Shift

The kid blushed. “Yeah, it’s me. I know exactly how she likes it. Would you want anything else?”

“Everything looks good. Surprise me.”

Elliot grinned. “She also loves our shrimp Alfredo.”

“Perfect. I’ll take that. Thanks, kid.”

When the food was paid for and packed up, I headed out. On my way to her place, I stopped at a nearby liquor store and picked up a couple of bottles of Chianti Classico, a perfect match for the Italian feast.

I was standing at Angel’s doorstep with the bags of food and wine in one hand, ringing the intercom with the other, when I heard footsteps behind me. Curious, I turned around. Lucian was coming up the steps, carrying a bottle of whiskey and a couple of carryout bags.

“No surprise to find you on her doorstep like a lost puppy,” he said, smirking.

“Yeah, well, great minds must think alike. I see you’ve got dinner too. Good thing I know her favorite,” I replied, holding up my bags.

Lucian shrugged. “I’ve got a bottle of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, her favorite. It’ll make for a nice dessert.”

Anastasia opened the door barefoot. She was wearing a cute pair of pink-and-white sleep shorts and a pink tank top. She rolled her eyes dramatically. “You two are like twins. I swear.”

“Stop rolling your eyes,” Lucian and I said in unison, then exchanged a brief glare.

She sighed. “Come on in, you guys. We’ll make it a smorgasbord.”

Angel went about getting plates and glasses while we organized the food on a little round table by the window.

I handed Lucian a glass of wine and took a generous sip from mine.

“Conan, first time in New York?” he asked, passing a dish over.

“Yeah, the city’s a beast. Nothing like Tacoma.”

Angel handed me a forkful of carbonara. “It’s not so bad once you get used to it. There’s always something to do, and we are, after all, a cultural and entertainment mecca, with all the theaters, museums, and galleries. Not to mention the culinary diversity. Everything from Michelin-starred fine dining to the food carts at the Queens night market. There’s something for everyone all the time. You know, the city that never sleeps.”

Lucian laughed. “Yeah, hot and crowded in the summer and cold and windy in the winter. But the nightlife makes up for it.”

“And Club Xyst is a whole other world,” Angel said. “Speaking of… Lucian, why did you leave early tonight? Last call isn’t until three.”

Lucian shrugged. “Wanted to make sure you were okay. I know how stressful everything’s been for you.”

“Oh, that’s sweet. I appreciate it, but I’m good, considering…well, the circumstances,” she said, her tone softening as her eyes fell to her plate.

Lucian raised a brow. “So, what exactly happened with the wreck? Why were you in the hospital for so long?”

I jumped in. “She had to be cut out of the car using the jaws of life. The wreck was horrific. She’s lucky to be alive.”

Lucian’s eyes widened. “Damn, that must have been some impact.”

“She was unconscious for days, covered in bruises and burns from the seatbelt and airbags, and she got a big ole gash on her forehead,” I explained.

Lucian nodded. “I noticed the scar earlier at the club.”

Frowning, Angel reached up quickly to touch her forehead, her fingers tracing the thin, raised line as her chin dropped to her shoulder.

Talking about the wreck had upset her, and she was obviously self-conscious about the scar. I cursed myself for bringing it up. Rising from my chair and moving behind her, I gathered her hair in my hand. God, how I loved her thick, long chestnut locks. Taking her chin in my fingers, I turned her face gently and kissed the scar on her forehead, trailing kisses down the side of her face and along her neck. She sighed softly and leaned into it, her body relaxing.

Lucian watched our every move. Angel licked her lips and gave me a come-hither look. Smirking, I pulled back and returned to my seat.

“Damn, Ana, if you keep looking at him like that, we might have to skip dessert,” Lucian said. Although he seemed amused, his words held the hint of a challenge.

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