Page 28 of All for the Beast

“I can assure you that will never happen here.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

They walked in silence, the tension between them loaded with something like adoration. Of course, Vharlk liked Katy. That was obvious. He hoped she knew how much. Whether she liked him enough to commit to him was a different story.

The restaurant was another minute away, and Vharlk felt the need to grab Katy’s hand the whole time they walked. The need was overwhelming, as though if he did not do it, he would suffer extreme pain … but could anything be worse than the need he felt now?

When they reached the restaurant, Vharlk let out a breath of exhaustion. He walked through the door and held it open for Katy, who looked uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s just … on Earth, the man lets the woman walk through first.”

“Oh. I didn’t know. Would you like me to do it right?”

Katy laughed. “No, no, it’s okay.”

“Please, allow me.”

Vharlk walked back out the door, holding it open for Katy to walk through. “After you.”

She laughed again. “Okay, muscle man, I get it. You’re a real gentleman. Gentle-shifter.”

Vharlk winked and flourished his hand. “That I am, milady.” The smile she gave him in return was worth all the pain he had been through in his life.

They walked into the restaurant in high spirits. The waitstaff greeted them and showed them to their table. Vharlk took a seat while Katy went to the bathroom to check on her sunburn.

While she was gone, Vharlk took the opportunity to assess the situation. They still had yet to finalize the cruise, and Katy still had every right to back out should Vharlk make her uncomfortable by telling her she was his mate again. So he would keep that quiet until he was sure she could handle hearing it.

He motioned to the waitstaff and ordered one of every dish. They bowed, said thanks, and some told him how glad they were to see him. He returned all of their well-wishes. They were just as important to him as he was to them.

He hummed to himself as he waited, tapping his hand on the table … not impatiently, but only to feel the rhythm of his fingers dancing to the pounding of his heart. It swelled with adoration as Katy came back into the main area, bustling over to him.

She still looked flushed. “I really am sunburned.”

Vharlk nodded. “It happens to a lot of humans around here. The suns are brighter and harsher on Nova Aurora.”

He motioned toward the seat in front of him, and she sat.

“You might not get used to it. Many don’t. That is …” He corrected himself, “… if you choose to stay here.”

Katy considered that while the waitstaff poured them drinks.

“I might. Maybe not permanently, but, you know, for a while.”

The waitstaff brought out the entrees and set them down. There were four plates of steaming-hot zugrudine cakes, stuffed embers, pressure-fried grim woodlum, and falchion fennel. Katy stared at the food, awestruck.

“All this is for us?”

“And more.” Vharlk grinned wolfishly. “Anything you want. I ordered everything.”

“My goodness,” Katy said, nothing more than a breath that sent tingles down Vharlk’s spine. “Okay, you’ll have to explain these things to me, but I’m happy to give everything a go.”

She served herself some food from all the plates, and true to word, she ate a bit of everything.

“We should talk about the cruise itineraries,” she said through a mouthful of embers. They were the spiciest item on the menu, and yet she did not flinch at the heat. “I was thinking we could throw in some Earth games like bingo or Clue to make the cruise feel more like an experience of other cultures.”

“What’s bingo?” Vharlk asked.

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