Page 53 of Dark OZ

“Not exactly,” Danny replied, biting back a laugh.

“I’m not a virgin.” Thea was visibly annoyed by his mirth, not that I blamed her. He was an ass.

Thea spent her life locked up at the Farm. Emily definitely seemed like the kind of woman who wouldn’t have blinked at auctioning off her niece’s innocence. The fact she wasn’t a virgin was actually surprising. It had me wondering who she’d managed to seduce that wasn’t on The Farm’s payroll. Or maybe Emily Rosen had sold it after all. Who knew what kind of damage the little flower was harboring.

Crowe looked confused. “But, you said—”

“I know what I said,” Dorothy bit a retort before he could finish his sentence. She punctuated each of her words with the chip in her hands, forcing scallions to go flying and bounce off his nose. “You didn’t ask if I was a virgin. You asked if you were the first to make me gasp their name, and you were, but I’ve had dick before.”

This time, it was Danny choking on his drink.

“Just not good dick. Noted.”

Chapter 23

“CanIgetyouanything else?” the server asked with a sigh after sitting the plates of pie on the table. She looked exhausted. Small hairs sprang loose from her braid, her apron was smeared in sauce and drops of coffee.

“Just the check,” Danny said with a curt nod.

She tore off a piece of paper from her pad and sat it on the table. “You pay at the register up front whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you—” Crowe hesitated, taking a moment to look down at her name tag. “—Sherri.”

She gave him a half-hearted smile, then walked away.

Thea dragged her pie closer, spearing a bit of crust and a big dripping cherry on the end of her fork. “So, how much longer till we’re at the city?” She put the cherry in her mouth. All eyes were locked on her lips as she moaned. “Fuck me, thisis delicious.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Crowe said, grabbing her hip and closing the few inches separating them on the bench.

She elbowed him in the side. “Back off! That wasn’t an invitation, you perv. It wasn’t enough that you spent all of yesterday with your hand up my shirt?”

“Where you’re concerned, Darling, it will never be enough.” Crowe reached up to caress the line of her jaw.

Smooth. You had to give it to the man. He had all the lines. Where I expected her to swoon, Thea only narrowed her eyes in suspicion. That seemed to endear her more to him. I swear, the more ruthless she acted, the more he ate it up.

“Gag me. I can’t believe you keep falling for his tired horseshit.” Danny grumbled, eating a bit of his own pie. “Gross.” He pushed his plate away. “I thought you said their pie was good.”

Danny was just bitter and letting it taint everything. I thought the apple pie was delicious.

“Give me a bite of yours,” Danny said, taking Thea’s fork and stealing the bite she was about to eat.

“Hey!” Thea squealed, almost tipping a glass of water over in an attempt to grab the half-eaten slice of pie he’d now also snatched from her. “I was eating that.”

Crowe slid his arm around her, pulling Thea back before she did something really stupid, like stabbing Danny in the eye. “Shhh, beautiful. The big baby just doesn’t know how to share. Not like me. I have no problem sharing.” He scooped up a piece of pecan pie, taking the time to dip it in the small mound of fresh whipped cream. “Wrap your lips around this.”

Thea twisted to look at him, the sourness of the moment fading, and she opened her mouth for him to feed her the pie. A soft, appreciative hum came from her, then she snapped her attention back to Danny. “Mine was better.”

Danny sank the bite into his mouth before she could protest further, closing his eyes to the taste. “Damn, Crowe, you nailed it. Tastes exactly like cherries.” With a final lick, cleaning the last few remaining bits from the fork, he added, “They might be my new favorite fruit.”

Crowe choked on an unexpected laugh, small crumbles of pie crust fanning into the air. “Mine, too.” Crowe twisted, scanning the restaurant for our server. “Don’t worry, I’ll find Sherri and get her to bring you another piece. I don’t see her anywhere. Where could she have gone? The place isn’t that big.”

“What the hell do you mean he nailed it? Nailed what?”

Crowe dipped his head to her ear, whispering low enough I couldn’t make out what he was saying. But Thea’s face, neck, and chest suddenly turned deep scarlet. Her lips formed a little, “Oh.”

Danny licked a bit of juice from his finger. There was a menacing sparkle of amusement in his eyes, and suddenly, I knew what the secret joke was.

“I do not…” Thea growled, pushing herself out of Crowe’s embrace and trying to climb over him to get out of the booth. “Let me out. I don’t want to be anywhere near either of you.”

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