Page 176 of Scars Like Wings

“It’s wishful thinking, babe.” I smiled, sitting on the barstool to watch her cook. “Do you have any idea what you are making for us, Chef?”

“Ha!” Quinn’s eyes darkened to the same color as dark caramelized sugar in a pan, her smolder strong. “You will be on the menu if you say chef like that again.”

My face heated, and I squirmed in my seat.

“La Hechicera.” Quinn smirked.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you what that means.”

“Enchantress or seductress, which is definitely what you are for me. I can’t keep my hands off of you. If you hadn’t eaten in three days, I would be on you right now, especially with how your ass looks in those shorts today.” Quinn continued to chop garlic while she looked me up and down. “My wickedbrujaof charisma and seduction.”

“You love thisbrujaso much.” I winked.

Quinn chuckled. “To answer your question, I am makingsopa de fideo y sándwich de queso, which is a seasoned Spanish tomato soup and fancy grilled cheese.”

“Oh gods, that sounds so freaking cozy and good! I can’t wait!” I bounced in my chair.

“I hope you love it!”

“I already know I will.”

We fell into a comfortable silence between us. The only sound was her dicing garlic. Her knife work with making food was just as good as her other skills.

Speaking of…

“You know, Quinn, about the other night?—”

“Hey, don’t do that.” Quinn looked up from her work to make eye contact with me. “Let’s act like we are normal. You were a theater kid, and I was a techie and Stage Manager so it should be easy for us.”

I tilted my head. “Act normal?”

“Yeah, like human. No shifters. Nothing about Zaria or my family. Just me cooking for my girl and her picking us out a show to watch while we eat.”

“Human, huh?”

“Just for a day.” Quinn shrugged. She turned around and started the stove with a large dutch oven on top. She poured some olive oil in it to start heating up. “I think we could both use the distraction.”

“Well, you are making a Libra make a decision.” I pulled out my phone to start searching for something for us to watch. “That is pretty demonic, if you ask me, so not the best start.”

Quinn raised her slitted eyebrow. “Libras are that indecisive?”

“It’s our whole personality. That and flirting relentlessly.”

“That feels more like me than you.” Quinn pointed to herself with her knife as she opened the cheeses, cured meats, and small bread loaf to chop them and place them on a wooden board. “I’m an Aquarius, though.”

“Ah, an Aquarius! The conspiracy theorists!”

“Oh, that definitely tracks. I don’t believe in a lot of things.”

“Okay, I know we are acting and all, but you just took me out of my role, so I have to break. You know about the existence of supernatural creatures like energy vampires, shifters, and mermaids?—”

“Oh, my!” She smiled, making me roll my eyes.

“But you don’t believe in things?” Quinn pushed the charcuterie board over to me before turning to put the chopped garlic in the hot dutch oven. “What don’t you believe in?”

She didn’t hesitate to answer. “Pandas.”

I almost choked on my bite from the board. Which would have been a shame because it wasdelicious. Quinn had done a great job picking things out. “You are fucking absurd.”

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