Page 11 of The Devil Within

The hostess leads us to a cute little round table in a darkened back corner. There’s a candle and a small vase with a rose on top of the crisp white table cloth. We get settled in our seats and wait for our server while making small talk.

“So, what is it you do for a living then?” my date asks as we sip iced water and peruse the menu.

“I work at a tattoo shop. I’m the piercing girl.”

His eyes snap to mine immediately. A hint of amusement dances in them. I can’t read him exactly. I know men like this, like him, have probably never stepped foot in a place like where I work, but he doesn’t seem judgmental. If anything, he looks excited.

“Really? You put holes in people for a living?” he says through a smirk.

I can’t help but laugh at that. He’s cute. A witty response isright on the tip of my tongue but at that exact moment our waitress comes to the table. She’s skinny, tanned, and blonde with legs that are longer than I am tall and a skirt that barely covers her tight bubble butt. She introduces herself, never once bothering to look in my direction. Instead, she eye fucks my date.

Bitch.

I’m not really an insecure girl but sometimes you just feel small, you know? Like other people are bigger and brighter than you. Her vibe immediately makes me uncomfortable.

I look down at my lap to avoid watching them flirt. Absentmindedly, I pick the skin on the corners of my nails. I used to pick them so much they’d bleed until I had ugly, bloody fingers. Fingers no one would want touch. I’ve gotten past that though … most of the time.

“I’m usually a fan of red, but I’m just here to impress you, Flower, so what do you want?” I look up from my lap to see Luke’s eyes staring straight at me, completely ignoring our waitress.

“What?” I was so lost in my own mind that I have no idea what he’s talking about.

“The girl asked if we want wine.” His eyes never leave mine. He’s completely focused on me and only me. “So what do you want, red or white?”

I glance up to see our waitress isnotamused by my date calling her a girl and essentially ignoring her advances. I can’t help the smile that pulls at my lips.

“I like red,” I state with a smirk.

I don’t really. I’m not much of a wine drinker, honestly. I’m more of a vodka Red Bull type of girl, but this doesn’t seem like that type of place.

“Merlot it is then,” he says, dismissing our waitress without so much as a glance in her direction. He returns my smile.Butterflies erupt in my core, and I clear my throat to try and settle my nerves.

Once little miss priss returns with the wine and takes our orders quickly before scurrying away, he places his elbows on the crisp white linen covering the table. His fingers steepled with his chin resting on his hands. His eyes scan my face slowly, as if he’s looking for something. His irises are so dark they almost blend with his pupils, giving the impression that his eyes are endless seas of darkness.

“Flower?” I finally ask him.

“You don’t like it?” he questions while sipping the wine from his glass and finally pulling his gaze from me.

“I do. But why?”

He seems to think for a moment; his dark eyes look at me with such intensity that I swear he’s staring into my soul.

“You’re sweet, colorful, and pretty.”

That’s …fucking shallow.

“But I get the feeling you also have thorns.”

It’s cheesy as hell but he’s not wrong. I have no idea how this man got a read on me so quickly. He must be good at assessing people.Good to know.

“I like it.” I take another sip of wine. “And I like you.”

A bright smile spreads across his face again and my stomach flips at his simple gesture. Damn, at this point I’m going to be a whore for a simple grin from this man.

“I like you too, Flower. In fact, this is the first date I’ve been on in, oh, I don’t even know how long.”

“More of a fuck ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy?” I quip.

He shrugs noncommittally. “Something like that.”

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