Page 14 of How Not to Date an Angel

“Having fun?” Rami asked him.

Julian refused to show his surprise at the angel’s sudden appearance. “Now that I have coffee, almost.”

“You didn’t make that yourself, I take it?”

Julian stepped to the side, hiding the machine and the bag of dark beans from the angel’s gaze as they approached.

“Are you going to keep me from making myself a cup, in my own kitchen?” Rami asked, pausing a few steps away.

They had dressed for the day, just like they’d announced. They were good at blending in, looking human.Frumpy,some might say.

Slacks and a plain shirt and a large sweater draped their frame. Only the tips of their fingers were visible in the sleeves and the demon thought to himself,They look… soft. Sweet.

They’re an angel; that’s how they’re supposed to look.

Amusement framed their silvery eyes, supple, full lips curling slowly as Julian tried to hide his attempts at coffee.

Rami took another step forward and lifted their hand, the sleeve slipping back as they motioned the demon aside.

And, well, he went, and didn’t really have an excuse as to why he obeyed.

“Fine,” he conceded, offering just enough room for the angel to get to their coffee machine.

The angel first gathered a kettle from the stove and went to the sink, filling it with water before replacing it and turning the stove on.

Next, they opened their cabinet and pulled out a mug, as well asanothermachine.

They were close enough for their shoulders to brush. Julian refused to move. Privately, he enjoyed the warmth of the angel so close as they fiddled.

Curiosity broiled beneath his skin, and Julian gave up pretending not to watch Rami work.

They used a measuring cup to collect the beans from the bag and dumped them in the second machine. Then they placed a lid on it and plugged it in, before pressing at the front of it.

Julian startled at the loud whir, the grinding noise as the beans were turned into grounds. His own coffee sloshed up the sides of his cup.

Ah. Ground coffee. Makes sense.

The angel’s lips twitched as Julian settled back down, and the demon cleared his throat to hide his surprise.

Soon, the horrible noise shut off and Rami opened the cabinet yetagain.This time they pulled out a round cone-shaped thing, and placed it over the top of the mug, followed by a paper cone that wentinsidethe first cone!

Julian frowned.

The angel paid him no mind, going about their business as if they didn’t have a demon watching their every move. They unhooked part of the second machine in order to dump the ground-up beans into the paper cone.

“Seems like a lot of work just for coffee,” he mused, gaze narrowed.

“It tastes better when the grounds are fresh,” Rami retorted.

The kettle whistled, right on time, and the angel hummedas they retrieved it and then poured the hot water over the grounds. The water filled the cone quickly and then… they waited.

Julian watched the water slowly disappear, and deduced it must be dripping through the cone into the cup below. The seconds that passed were not quite as painful as the ache in his side, but it was a near thing.

“This is ridiculous,” Julian scoffed as the angel filled the cone for the third time. “You could’ve magicked a dozen cups of coffee by now.”

“I find this process rather soothing, especially first thing in the morning.”

“But there’s… so many steps! How do you even remember them all?”

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