Page 16 of Loki

The following afternoon Val hadn’t been at work for more than an hour when Loki arrived. Her mind and body collided. Her body craved his touch again, longer, closer, harder. But her mind screamed to keep away. What was it about him that made her so... so... unnerved?

She’d never been afraid of someone before, but the kind of fear he awoken in her was like nothing she’d experienced. She wasn’t afraid of being hurt. Wasn’t afraid of pain. She was afraid he might open up parts of her she’d never let anyone see before.

He spotted her and sat in front of her.

Dammit.

“What can I get you?” she asked.

The glint in his eyes told her what he wanted.

“This is not a bordello, sorry. And we don’t have fancy wine here.” Not that he couldn’t make what he wanted appear in front of him like before.

She retrieved two discarded glasses and put them in the sink.

“I was thinking more of steak.”

“Don’t have that either.”

He chuckled. “I am aware. I meant I was thinking of going out for steak.”

Her stomach growled.Damn,a steak sounded fantastic. She’d existed on fast food for a month.

She threw him a false smile. “How nice.”

She wiped down the wood, and Loki set his hand atop hers, making a shiver run through her. Stupid body. Why did it betray her like that? Just because he was good with his tongue and hands didn’t mean she had to go all weak at the slightest brush of skin... Okay. He was more than good, he was unbelievable. But still.

“I was hoping you would join me,” he said.

Val’s gaze met his, and her gut clenched. The image of crawling over the bar and straddling him floated into her mind.

She slipped her hand from under his. Nope. She did not need him projecting those fantasies on her. Loki’s fingers trailed down her skin, bringing back memories and making her flush.

He smiled. “Is that, yes?”

“I’m... working,” she stammered. What the hell was wrong with her?

He reached for her hand again, but she pulled it away. “What about for your break?”

“I don’t have enough time.”

“After work,” he persisted.

She drew her eyebrows together. “I doubt very highly there is a place open where we can find a steak at one thirty in the morning.”

“There is a place—”

“Denny’s? Tried it. No thanks.”

A server approached and placed an order. Val turned and retrieved five glasses.

“No,” said Loki. “Not Denny’s. I wouldn’t take Fenrir there if he were in a full moon eating frenzy.”

Val snorted and shoveled ice into three of the glasses. She’d never met Fenrir, but she’d heard of Loki’s son as well. From what she’d heard, he was the complete opposite of his father. Not a lady’s man, he was more animal than human.

“Then where?” she asked out of curiosity.

“A place down under. You’ll like it.”

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