Page 359 of Dark Love

“Do you always have a hard time making choices?”

Maybe. Sometimes. More than occasionally. “Um…kind of.”

One side of his lip tips up.

Why does it feel like such an accomplishment to make him smile?

“You need to look at the menu. We’re up next.”

He’s polite too. A polite crime lord… that’s not much of an oxymoron.

“We should have ordered in.”

My head swings around to see if anyone heard what he just said. A blush burns up my cheeks. No one even bats an eye.

“I might have found a new hobby.”

“Huh?” I turn back to Vex.

“We’re up.”

“Oh.” I spin around.

“What would you like?” a teenage girl asks with more enthusiasm than anyone should have this early in the morning.

Vex orders, giving me time to glance up at the menu one more time. “I’ll have a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream.”

“Anything else?” she asks.

“No, that’s it. Thank you.”

We step to the side after Vex pays.

“You didn’t order any food.”

Hot chocolate is food… kind of. “I never eat breakfast.”

Vex shakes his head.

At least he didn’t tell me that it’s the most important meal of the day like my mother does all the time.

They hand us our drinks in no time at all.

Vex looks like the type to sit and eat with a knife and fork or kill his meal and roast it on a spit over a fire that he built with a few twigs and his death stare depending on his mood. “Do you want to sit or walk and eat?”

He eyes the ever-moving sea of people around us with a raised eyebrow.

“Walking it is.” I don’t have to say that twice. We’re outside, walking arm in arm almost before I can blink.

Does Vex have a plan? Or are we winging it? Shopping is always the most fun when I follow my heart… and my eyes into a store, but Vex doesn’t seem like the type to shop for fun. He’s more of a get-in and get-out kinda guy.

Who am I kidding, with the money he probably has, he’s probably more like a personal shopper or designer comes to him kinda guy.

Mother would approve of his style and his money, even if Vex would terrify her.

Would he, though? Mom isn’t afraid of much.

I should probably take the lead since we’re shopping for clothing for me.

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