Page 46 of How Not to Date an Angel

With a sigh, he shut it off, and Rami’s lips threatened to curl into a smile, so they bit down on their cheek.

Julian rustled around in his seat, and Rami was going to shoot him a mildly annoyed glance until they realized he was just taking his button-up off. It left his arms bare, and Ramifocusedon the road like never before.

It didn’t take too long to get through the light traffic and park in the lot of the supermarket. Around them, humans and others alike trailed in and out of the store, and Rami reached into the back seat to grab a set of reusable bags, gaze pointedly not lingering on Julian’s arms, his muscled bicep.

Clearing their throat, they opened their car door and motioned for Julian to do the same.

To the humans they looked just the same, a pair of humans ending the day by picking up groceries.

To the others—Rami caught the gaze of a were creature as they stepped out of the car—Rami and Julian probably felt different, their energy unmistakable, despite their human skin.

But Rami reluctantly realized maybe they appreciated Julian’s human skin. The sun was waning with the day’s end, and the golden glow was especially lovely in Julian’s dark, long hair.

The breeze picked up, blowing it askew, and Rami found themself wondering if he ever tied it up. A messy top bun was a tantalizing image.

For no reason. Of course.

They wondered how a demon would manage that with horns in the way.

Nearby, a car honked, and it tore them from their thoughts. They blinked into the evening light, shaking the thought away, and, with no small amount of mortification, vowed never to think of it again.

Julian was a demon, and definitely was not supposed to be the subject of such humanly thoughts.

“So, here we are,” Rami said gratefully, smiling up at the red and blue market sign.

They walked through the glass doors, which automatically parted for them through the magic of their own electricity.

Humans—they’d thought of everything.

And Rami was thrilled to be the one showing it all to Julian.

Julian, who was… not beside them.

Spinning, Rami found the demon frozen outside the doors, staring up at them with something they hadn’t seen on his face yet, not even when he’d shown up bloody and beaten.

Fear.

Julian

“Uhhh… wait. What?” Julian asked, feet stuttering to a stop in front of the big glass doors. They seemed to stretch for eternity before him.

Which was ironic, because he knew of at least three doorways in Hell that used to do the same thing.

“Have you never been in one?” Rami asked, backtracking to take Julian’s wrist.

And even though it was an innocent touch, the skin-to-skin contact made his heart leap to be on the receiving end of it.

He hoped the angel couldn’t feel his pulse.

Julian gulped, staring up at the grocery store. “Technically… yes. I have.”

Rami cocked their head. “I’m assuming it wasn’t a pleasant experience?”

“Could say that,” he murmured, following the angel tentatively through the doors.

The concrete floor was silent beneath his boots as he walked alongside Rami. It was crowded, but not overly so.

“We’re here at a busy time, but that’s because most of the humans’ work days have just ended.”

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