Page 32 of My Blind Date is a Demon

“And Rachel does make good cocktails,” I say. “Okay, fine. We will go.”

“You were thinking of not going?”

“I was trying to figure out a way out of it. I mean, it’s not like she is dragging me there by my ear. Though, I wouldn’t put it past her. I could just not go. But I’d hate to face Beverly tomorrow if I did that.”

“Come on,” Damon says, shaking my shoulder. “We can make a night of it. Just think about how much you could drink on Beverly’s tab. And since demons don’t get drunk, I can be your designated driver!”

I let out a sigh. The night wasn’t sounding so terrible after all.

I decide to make an effort. After I shower, I blow dry my hair, wear makeup, and put on a little black dress and heels. I know I’m just going to dinner with Damon since I can’t be very far away from him, but it’s my first night out in months. And it’s a Friday night; the place will be packed. I can at least try to look like a normal human being and not the depressed, housebound introvert I usually am.

“Wowzah,” Damon says when I walk into the kitchen. He looks pretty much the same, since he always wears a suit, but he still looks pretty amazing.

“Thanks,” I say. Dash dances around my feet, bouncing on her hind legs. “Does someone want a treat?” I reach into the cabinet and grab a dog bone for her. Mr. Darcy meows at me from where he is perched on the counter. I get a bag of cat treats out and pour them into a little bowl for him.

“Seriously, Tamzin,” Damon says. “You should dress up more often.”

“I don’t usually have much of a reason to dress up,” I say, grabbing my purse and making sure I have my phone. “It’s not like I date.”

“You don’t have to date in order to take care of yourself,” Damon says.

“Well, if I’m being forced to go to dinner, I’m glad it’s with someone who knows how to give a compliment.”

“I can do a lot more than that,” Damon says.

My body warms up and my stomach turns to jelly at his innuendo. I know he doesn’t mean anything by it. He was sent here to torture me, after all. But still, I look up into his smokey eyes and see waves of heat radiating from him. I lick my lower lip as my mouth is suddenly parched.

“Can you…?” I try to ask to end the moment.

Damon takes a few steps closer to me and looks down into my eyes. For the first time, he’s close enough that I can smell him. He smells like a roaring fire in a winter cabin, far away from anyone else.

“Can I…what?” he asks, the warmth of his breath wafting over me.

I fumble with my purse looking for something, anything to bring this longing I’m starting to feel come to an end.

“Can you…drive?” I ask, grabbing my keys and holding them up between us.

“Umm.” Damon takes the keys from me and chuckles. “Yeah, I can drive.”

“Let’s go, then,” I say. “Ribs and cosmopolitans await!”

“Why don’t you want to drive all of a sudden?” Damon asks, using the key fob to unlock the doors.

“Umm…” I try to think up an excuse. “I’m a lady of luxury tonight.”

“Well, if anyone deserves it, it’s you,” Damon says.

It’s a quick drive to The Eat, the restaurant owned by local werewolf Rachel Holland. It’s one of the few nice places in town to eat with a restaurant and full bar. It’s right by the ocean, so there is a great view year-round. It’s off-season right now, though, so while the restaurant is busy, it’s not too crowded. As I suspected, it’s mostly full of locals.

“Hey, girl,” Rachel says when she sees me waiting at the hostess stand. “Long time no see.” She then notices Damon and takes a long look up and down. She then wrinkles her nose in a sniff. “Not a vampire… What are you? Because you are definitely not human.”

Damon takes Rachel’s hand and kisses the back of it. “Damon, at your service. I’m Tamzin’s personal demon.”

“A demon?” Rachel looks from Damon to me. “Nice,” she says.

“Nice?”

“Yeah,” Rachel says. “Hey, we don’t judge here, and I’m sure Beverly knows exactly what she’s doing. Follow me.” She grabs a couple of menus and walks all the way to the other side of the restaurant, to a table by the windows. Along the way, I feel like everyone’s eyes are on us, taking me in and wondering just who I’m with. Damon seems to drink in the attention, waving to people he has already met and strangers alike. I give a small wave to Cora and Beckett and Sophia and Jacob, who seem to be on a double date.

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