Page 15 of My Casanova

A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face, and it sent a shiver down my spine. “Good call, angel.”

I swallowed, suddenly very aware of how close he was and how his voice seemed to wrap around me like a warm blanket. “You aren’t really giving me much choice,” I whispered, my voice betraying more than I wanted it to.

Smoke’s dark eyes locked onto mine, and a flicker of something dangerous and thrilling danced in them. “You’ll always have a choice with me, angel,” he said as his thumb grazed the inside of my palm before he finally let go. “Just... some of the time, I’m really going to let you know which choice you should make.”

His words hit me like a slow burn, sinking in and settling deep. Smoke had this way of getting under my skin—he was intoxicating and infuriating all at once. He could take control without even trying, and damn it, I was letting him.

“And what if I still don’t want to make that choice?” I asked and tilted my chin up defiantly.

Smoke’s smirk widened. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

And just like that, he let go of my hand, pushed off the counter, and strode toward the door without another word. I watched him go with my heart pounding wildly in my chest, and I hated how easily he could mess with my head.

“Whoa!” Stan’s voice cut through my thoughts as he came out of the back room with his eyes wide at the sudden crowd in the shop. “When did we become the weekend hangout spot?”

I smirked and shook off the lingering heat from my encounter with Smoke. “Looks like we got invaded.”

Before Stan could respond, one of the women in the group—tall and curvy—walked up to him with a block of cheese. “Hey, what would I do with a dill Havarti?”

Another woman held up a bottle of garlic olive oil and chimed in. “Is olive oil good to drink every morning? I like garlic. Can I drink this?” She stared at Stan earnestly.

I sighed and moved to help him before he got overwhelmed.

Before I could help, a loud whistle rang through the shop.

Everyone turned to Yarder, even the poor customer who was by the jarred olives and crackers.

“You guys are giving me a goddamn headache,” Yarder said and pointed at the olive oil woman. “You’re not drinking olive oil, Poppy. No way in hell you’re kissing me after drinking that.”

Poppy wrinkled her nose and pouted. “But what if it’s good for my health, Yarder? We could drink it together.”

Yarder turned his exasperated gaze to me and silently begged for help.

I cleared my throat, stepping toward Poppy. “Uh, well... I’m not too sure about it being good for your health, but if it is, I don’t think this is the one you should be drinking. Unless, of course, you’re trying to keep vampires away.”

“IGoogledit,” another woman interjected and held up her phone. She looked at me with a grin. “I’m Olive, by the way.”

I blinked. Olive. Of course, the woman researching olive oil was named Olive.

Sloane, who had been inspecting the cheeses, pointed at the rest of the group. “That’s Dove, Adalee, and Fallon.”

I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to remember all of those names.

“Olive oil is good for your health,” Olive continued, oblivious to my amusement. “You should have one and a half tablespoons a day. Though, you don’t have to drink it straight—cooking with it works too. It helps lower the risk of coronary heart disease.”

Poppy turned to Yarder with her eyebrows raised in victory. “Look who’s wrong.”

Yarder crossed his arms over his chest, scowling. “I can cut this little field trip short, babe.”

Poppy smirked. “You’re just mad because you were wrong.”

“What about cheese?” Adalee piped up with a mischievous grin. “Will that lower my risk of... anything?”

Fallon laughed and grabbed a wedge of sharp cheddar. “It’ll help lower your risk of being sad. I don’t think I’ve ever been sad while eating cheese.”

Dove bumped Fallon’s hip playfully. “True that, girlfriend. I know I’m gonna be a happy duck while I eat my blueberry white cheddar.” She held up her prize. “I mean, if I die, guys, just bury me in cheddar, okay?”

Laughter rippled through the group, and despite myself, I found my lips tugging up in a smile.

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