Page 365 of Dark Love

“Fine. You can pay for those clothes. As long as you don’t give me any trouble for the rest of the day.”

Me trouble? “Deal.”

A Baby And Lunch

Dahlia

“Are you sure you want to eat here?” Vex eyes the fast-casual restaurant in front of us.

It’s packed.

There are only a couple of empty tables inside.

We just walked a block to find out where the delightful scent was coming from. Of course, I want to eat here. “It’ll be fine.” I pat his arm. “The food smells fantastic.”

“Did you just pat my arm?” His voice gets rough.

Um… “Sort of.” I shrug.

“It’s a good thing you’re cute, or you’d be irritating.”

“At least you didn’t say I’d be dead.”

He stares at me for a second and bursts out laughing loud enough that people turn their heads tostare at him.

Not that I blame them in the least, Vex personifies sinfully sexy with an edge of lethal.

He even looks good carrying our trays to a corner table that one of his guards managed to hold for us by sheer force of will. Vex sets the food down and pulls out a chair for me.

Do men even do that anymore? There hasn’t been one guy that’s done it since we entered the place. He also took the chair in the corner with his back to the wall.

Vex is a gentleman and a crime lord?!?

The dichotomy messes with my head.

Maybe Mindy and Diane were wrong. The man in front of me must be misunderstood.

The delectable scent of fried chicken wafts up from my plate, distracting me from the man in front of me. “It looks as good as it smells.” I’m such a brilliant conversationalist.

Vex unrolls his fork from inside the cloth napkin.

What casual restaurant uses embroidered cloth napkins? Custom embroidered cloth napkins at that, since they match the wallpaper on the accent wall behind Vex. They’re prettier than the ones in my house.

Maybe I should get embroidered napkins.

The owner of this place must be making a boatload of money here.

“Are you going to eat the food or do you just stare at lunch?” Vex teases.

Ummm. “It’s almost too pretty to eat. But I guess I can sacrifice.” The breaded crust on the chicken crackles as I cut a bit off. “Are you sure you don’t want some?” I hold out the first bite to him.

“Dahl, just eat. I’m good.”

“Your food is too healthy.” I set the juicy morsel in my mouth and sigh silently. The salty, sweet tea brine leads the flavor profile. Whoever created this menu knows how to cook.

We eat in blissful silence for a long minute.

This is nice.

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