Page 25 of The Daughters of Nyx

He was handsome, though it was more pretty than roguish, like Rowan, or scary, like their other friend. He had sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw, a sloped nose, and full, pink lips. His skin wasn’t quite golden, though it was unblemished, and he stood at over six feet, with lithe shoulders and a swimmer’s frame.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Adrian,” I replied finally, smiling. “These are beautiful, thank you.”

It was almost like he breathed a sigh of relief. “Great, I’m really happy you like them. It’s why I’m late. I might have spent too much time choosing between these and some yellow flowers, because I know red roses can mean romance, and I thought maybe that would let you know that Rowan was serious about being here—and he’s rarely serious, mind you. But I also didn’t want you to get the wrong impression aboutme, so—”

“Really,” I said, cutting him off, resting a hand on his bicep. “These are beautiful. I love them.”

Adrian swallowed hard as his eyes widened. I quickly withdrew my hand, curling it into a fist against my chest. The bolt of electricity had zapped through me again on impact.

What the hell is going on?

He looked unsure now, gazing between me, the flowers, and the person waiting at the counter. “Do you still want

that coffee date?” he asked, meeting my stare. His green eyes were almost like emeralds, so vibrant in their colour, it almost didn’t seem real. Like he was wearing contacts.

I blinked; the question caught me off guard, but the words tumbling from my lips surprised me even more. “Yes, of course.”

A smile lifted his face, relief shining in his eyes. “Great!” Stepping up beside me, we approached the counter together. “What are you having? My treat—well, Rowan’s, since I stole his wallet.” He winked down at me, and my goodness, his awkwardness was pretty damn charming.

I giggled and grinned, shaking my head. “I’ll get a regular hazelnut latte, please,” I said to the barista. “What about you?”

Adrian pursed his lips as he took in the menu; it sat along the wall behind the counter, black with white chalk. After a moment, he glanced back at the barista. “Mint tea, please.” The smile he gave her was almost dazzling—charming and bright.

The barista smiled shyly, and I didn’t blame her, despite the sour twist in my stomach. “Pot or cup?” she asked, cheeks red.

Adrian glanced down at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling as that charming smile softened. “Pot,” he replied, not looking away. “I have a feeling we’ll be here a while.”

Damnit, nowmycheeks were burning. I had to force myself to look away, and instead gazed at the fancy cakes lining the cold-counter. Choc-hazelnut mud cake, fresh cream and strawberry cupcakes, brownies, and blondies. I was almost tempted to get one, and as if he could read my mind, Adrian

leaned down, his breath a whisper against my ear. A shiver of anticipation raced down my spine.

“Anything you want,” he said, voice low. There was a roughness to his tone that could make any girl’s panties wet—mine definitely included.

Mygoodness,he was really testing me. I could jump his bones now if there was nothing standing in our way.

“Anything you want to try?” I managed to squeak out. Because his fingers brushed against my waist, where the waistband of my jeans met the thin fabric of my bodysuit. Electricity rushed through me with each touch.

“Hmm,” he murmured in my ear. “Strawberries and cream sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

I nodded, and finally, he pulled away, though the whisper of his hand on my waist remained. “We’ll get two of the strawberry and cream cupcakes as well, thanks.”

The barista rang us up, handed her colleague a slip with our order, and motioned to the mostly empty café. “Take a seat and we will bring out your order when its ready.”

With Adrian’s hand pressed firmly against my waist, we made our way towards one of the many empty tables. He let me lead, and I took us towards one of the back tables—far enough away so we could have a conversation without anyone listening in, but still in a safe place in case I needed to 9-1-1 Thea and she could find me.

Adrian pulled my chair out for me, and I sat. He rounded the table and sat across from me. “Thank you for staying,” he said once seated. “You could have left, and you didn’t.”

I shrugged. “To be totally honest with you, I was almost regretting asking Rowan for coffee. I really thought he’d stood me up.”

“He wouldn’t. I mean it, he’s really disappointed in himself that he can’t be here. You should have seen how nervous he was,” he replied, laughing. “But ifI’mbeing totally honest? I’m kind of glad he isn’t here—I’m happy I get to finally talk to you.”

I swallowed hard as my heart rate picked up. “I’m glad you’re here, too,” I said, and I meant it. As much as I was disappointed it wasn’t Rowan with his goofy smile, I was just as glad it was Adrian.

“So, other than work at theCamilla, what do you enjoy?” he asked, leaning forward. There was a genuine glint of interest in his eyes, one I didn’t often see in attractive guys.

“I love books,” I said. “And I write.”

He lifted a brow. “Books?”

---