Page 26 of Incurably Cupid

She pointed a finger at her chest. “I’m uncouth? Me? What about you, Mr. Lothario?”

Mordecai slapped a hand over her mouth, his eyes darting around in panic. “Indie,” he hissed. “That was private information.”

Without hesitation, Indie licked his palm.

I choked on my sandwich.

Mordecai yanked his hand away, holding it in the air like it had been contaminated by some deadly toxin. “I cannot believe you licked me!” he growled loudly. “Now I have to go wash my hand!”

Indie thumped an undamaged spot on my back as I struggled to clear my airway, and every table around us turned to stare.

Mordecai, looking thoroughly unimpressed with the attention, pulled his shoulders in and stormed toward the bathrooms, his nose in the air.

Indie cackled as I took a sip of my strawberry shake. “You’re like an evil savant. The way you can get under his skin is nothing short of masterful.”

She bowed in her seat and resumed eating. “So, it’s true, then?”

“That I have to kiss someone to know if they’re my soulmate?”

“Yes.”

I layered some chips into my sandwich for added crunch and took a bite before answering. “Yes, but there are other ways.”

Indie frowned. “Can we just, you know, focus on the saliva aspect?”

“Indie,” I said patiently.

“Hmm?”

“I’m a virgin. I’ve never even kissed anyone.”

She dropped her sandwich. It splattered all over her lap. She stared down at it in despair, then sighed and started scooping the mess back onto her plate.

When she was done, she leaned in. “Are you kidding me?”

“I would not joke about this.”

She ordered another sandwich, then waited until the waiter left before speaking again. “So, you’ve been... saving yourself for your soulmate?”

I nodded. “Most paranormals who have potential soulmates do. It’s my honor to wait for her.”

Indie blinked, as if I’d spoken another language. “Are you absolutely sure you’re from this century?”

I scoffed. “I know hundreds of paranormals who are waiting.”

“And I know thousands who aren’t.”

I waved her comment away. “That’s their choice. This is mine.” I studied her curiously. “Are you waiting?”

She shrugged, finishing her potato salad and chips while she waited for her new sandwich to be made. “It’s different for cupids. Most of us don’t get soulmates unless our future spouse is a type of paranormal who has one.”

I frowned, crunching on a salt and vinegar chip. “That seems arbitrary.”

She shook her head, her soft pink hair skimming her chin and cheeks. “It’s fair. We don’t naturally have them. So, no, I’m not waiting. I’ve been on some dates. I've had some failed relationships.”

Mordecai returned just in time to hear her last sentence and scoffed. “Who would date you?”

“Mordecai,” I growled warningly.

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