Page 15 of Thor

“Then I’ll find a place.”

“And what will we do there?”

“Anything we want. What do you like to eat?”

“Uh... the usual things.” She couldn’t tell him what she normally ate without him figuring out where she came from.

“What about sushi? Have you ever had sushi?”

Her eyebrows creased. “Sushi?”

“It’s raw fish.”

She wrinkled her nose and Thor chuckled. “Trust me it tastes better than it sounds.”

She glared at him skeptically. Raw fish didn’t sound appetizing.

“How about tonight? After your shift.”

“Elle!”

Elle couldn’t help but flinch at the sharp tone of Val’s voice. She moved out of Thor’s grip, knowing she was about to get the verbal spanking of her life.

Val leapt forward and flicked her wrist blade from its sheath. “You. Get away from her.”

Thor didn’t move an inch. “Why? We were simply talking.”

Val moved her blade to his throat and again he didn’t move.

“Val.” Elle mustered all her courage and stepped forward. “Val, please stop. Lord Thor was saying he was glad I made it home safely last night after the... the speed thing.”

Val looked between Thor and Elle and for the first time a surge of protectiveness rippled through Elle.

“Val, I said stop,” she commanded. She’d never commanded Val to do anything before. Val was her friend, her confidant, and her protector, but still Elle was the daughter of Surtr and Val was a lowborn noble.

Val’s gaze flickered to her, and she sheathed her blade back in its wrist compartment. She gave a small nod and took a step away.

“Why don’t you let me buy you a drink.” Loki appeared at the top of the stairs casually, as if he were going for a stroll. But his bright blue suit with his white shirt opened at the top two buttons gave him a more sophisticated appearance.

Val scowled at him. “In your dreams, playboy.” She walked to the next door down the hallway and stepped inside before slamming the door.

Loki turned to Thor and shrugged. “I did my best.” He winked at Elle before heading back down the stairs.

“What did he mean?” she asked.

“Uh... I may have asked him to keep your friend occupied for a few minutes, so I could talk to you.”

He did that for her? No one had ever done something like that before.

“Okay,” she said finally.

His eyebrows scrunched together. “Okay?”

“I will let you pick somewhere to take me to do something I do not know what it is until we arrive. Preferably not involving raw fish.”

His furrow deepened. “I’m not sure I understood all that but I get the gist.”

“What time are you taking me?”

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