Page 49 of How Not to Date an Angel

Julian probably got whiplash from looking at the angel so quickly.

“Thought I lost you in all this mess. I told you it’s busy.” They looped their arm with Julian’s and began pulling him away, shooting the human a glance.

“Have a good evening—pardon us,” they called out to the angry man in a jovial tone.

Then they were swallowed in the crowd and Rami’s arm was warm against his and—their sleeves were rolled back, when had that happened?

Who had allowed the angel to have such attractive wrists and veins in their forearms? It was like the bath night all over again.

And Julian wasstillholding that goddamned cheese.

He dumped the packages unceremoniously in the basket. Since they’d parted, Rami had added a few vegetables to their collection. “You forgot your cheese,” he muttered.

“I suppose I did, didn’t I,” Rami responded, and Julian glanced over but couldn’t read the look in their gaze. Wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

“Now, Julian, you can’t go around accosting humans. If you get into a—abrawl—you’ll end up in jail.”

Julian scoffed. “As if their human prisons could holdme.”

Rami sighed. “Good luck getting out without revealing what you are. Don’t want that happening.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Julian grumbled. Stupid angel being right.

Rami still hadn’t released his arm, and Julian wondered if it was on purpose, since they steered him right alongside them into another aisle.

“Oh, now this is more my style,” Julian announced to the shelves of wine.

“Yes, I thought it might be,” Rami mused with no small hint of humor. “Do you prefer red or white?”

“White,” Julian answered. He only hesitatedafterthe fact, when it seemed to give Rami pause.

“I don’t know why that surprises me,” Rami said. “You like a sweet wine, don’t you?”

Julian pursed his lips. “Maybe.”

“Thought so. Let’s see…” They hummed as their fingers wiggled, fluttering over the bottles and their fancy-looking labels before finally plucking one free. “This should do. I’m going to get a red myself, just in case we’re feeling wild.”

“Wild,” Julian echoed.

He felt like he was two steps behind Rami at all times. Like he could never get a grasp on what the damned angel was really thinking. What did they meanthought so,like they had Julian all figured out?

Their arms were still linked.

Julian didn’t pull away.

And neither did Rami as they corralled Julian to the checkouts. “I find self-checkout easier, personally. But if you want the full experience…”

“No, it’s fine,” Julian answered.

Less interaction with damned humans.

“Alright, then, I’ll be just a moment,” Rami said, and unhooked their arms only to place the basket on the shelf before the scanner.

Julian watched as Rami scanned each item and bagged it in their reusable bags. The total racked up alarmingly quickly, and he narrowed his gaze. “That seems like… a lot, for these items,” he said.

“Well, I did indulge in the chocolates. And cheese isn’t exactly cheap.”

Julian frowned. From Hell’s personal punishments, he knew all about the classism that humans had created for themselves, the way some of them struggled.

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