Page 53 of Elixir of Strife
Jasmine. We had these everywhere back home in the Philippines. Had I ever told him, or did Max look it up on his own? I leaned in to take a whiff, breathed in the sweetness and the memories. As if Max could make me blush any harder.
The waiter held my chair for me, then pushed it in as I sat down, like a lady. Snazzy. I knew it wasn’t polite, but I stared up into his face as he assumed his post precisely between the two of us, an arm tucked behind his back.
I squinted. “Wait a minute. Don’t I know you from somewhere?”
He only smiled and bowed his head. “I believe I am wanted in the kitchen. Allow me to fetch the first of your courses. In the meantime, please enjoy some freshly baked bread.”
There it was again. Something about his accent was vaguely — well, I couldn’t place it, exactly. European? I craned my neck as he re-entered Max’s apartment, trying to make out the kitchen from where I was sitting.
“Dude, how much are you paying these people?” My stomach grumbled as I reached for the bread basket, my hands automatically tearing one of the slices in half. I reached for the closest of the dips, something dark and chunky. “Hold up. Is that the stuff I liked back at Divinity? That’s tapenade, isn’t it?”
I glanced around the balcony, back toward the open sliding door, then back at Max. I blinked. My eyes went as wide as my dinner plate.
“Max! No, you didn’t. Thesearethe people from Divinity. Haven’t they suffered enough? Now they have to be private chefs for our dinner, too?”
Max tilted his head, staring past me. “About six private chefs, actually. They’re going all-out tonight.”
“Stop bragging!” I grabbed the sides of the table and leaned in, lowering my voice to a harsh whisper. “This is very sweet, but did you really coerce these poor people into — ”
He held up a hand and smiled. “They volunteered, actually. One of them got in touch after the Masques cleared them out of Divina’s clutches. He was so happy to be rescued.”
I glowered at him.
“And by that I mean he was so happy to be rescued byus,” Max stammered. “You and me. Together, like. Divina actually didn’t destroy their passports, can you imagine? She’s in enough trouble as it is, anyway. Most of them are booked to fly home next week.”
“Just feels a little awkward, I guess.” I popped some of the tapenade into my mouth, savoring the combination of crusty bread and tart olives. It was almost enough to get me to give in and relax. Almost. I reached for my water to wash it down.
“Don’t worry about it.” Max reached across the table, his hand closing around the back of mine. “They’re rested and recuperated. None the worse for wear. Besides, I told them I was seeing this guy who kept whining about not getting a proper dinner date, so, you know.”
I almost choked on my drink. I grabbed my napkin, dabbed it against my chin. “A date. You said a date.”
“Thisisa date. Now why is it so bad for me to treat the guy I’m seeing to a nice, proper dinner?”
“Sorry. The guy you’re seeing?” I pursed my lips, telling my smile to wait its turn. “Oh. So we’re seeing each other now, are we?”
Max raised his hands to his face, framing his fingers over his eye in the shape of a diamond. He winked, and I glowed from the inside. “It’d hardly be fair if it was just me seeing you, now, would it?”
“You’re such a dork.” I shook my head, thoroughly unable to hide my grin. Cutest fucking dork in Dos Lunas.
“Well, you know, I did have an ulterior motive. This finder business can get pretty messy. Can’t hurt to have some backup. And you know — actually, I think I really do enjoy working with you. Only you. Alone. Exclusively.”
“Is that right?” I leveled him with my gaze, curbing my enthusiasm. “An exclusive partnership?”
Max nodded, obviously holding back a smile. “If you want. Just you and me.”
I calmly, steadily held my hand out, offering it for him to shake. “Then I look forward to maintaining a professional and most profitable relationship with you.”
“Totally professional.” He returned my handshake with a grip as loose as his grin, fingers rubbing rough circles along the back of my hand, thumb pressing and massaging powerfully into my palm. He licked his lips, stirring warmth in my nethers. This boy knew exactly what he was doing to me. “Most profitable.”
I pulled my hand back, perfectly happy to play the role of the tease. “But I don’t like all this talk of you needing backup. I think it’s patently clear that you’re the sidekick in this situation.”
He sat up, spine suddenly ramrod straight. “Nuh-uh,” he fired back, directly channeling the voice of his wounded inner bad boy. “This is supposed to be an equal thing. Equal partnership.”
“And I agree,” I said, tapping my glass with the edge of my fingernail. “I do think I should get a bigger cut of the proceeds since I do most of the heavy lifting. I pay for all the meals. And the gas for your car, too.”
“None of that is true.” Max’s hands covered his face in a defiant X. He slashed his arms emphatically to his sides. “None of it. Especially the gas part.”
I leaned my arm back on my chair, almost tempted to kick my feet up on the table. “And since I have majority control of this — you know, whatever this is — I get to name it, too.”
