Page 15 of For the Gods' Sake

“Really?” She squeaked loud enough for me to worry about the wine glasses we were walking by.

Not to mention the absolute slack-jawed stares we were drawing. Every eye in the restaurant was on us. Adrian was right to put us in the back room, even if itwas a little ostentatious. We wouldn’t be able to have a conversation without twenty sets of eavesdropping ears.

“They did,” Adrian responded. “They remain thankful for your help after Rose’s attack.”

Oh.

So he wasn’t flirting. Just being nice and thankful.

Come to think of it, what he’d said was more polite than anything. I tightened my grip on my clutch to control myself. I had a rather fiery side, but that only came out around people I cared about.

I didn’t even know Adrian.

“That’s really nice of them,” Alyssa rushed out. “They came to visit me at the Thanatos Society and that was also really nice—”

Alyssa chatted our ear off about thespecial performancethey’d planned for their patron gods until we entered the room, and all the way through Adrian pulling my chair out for me and tucking me safely into the small, washed wood table in the center of the room.

With a rushed promise to send our server over, Alyssa closed the door and left us alone. I glanced around to our surroundings, taking in the rough curve of the cave, the low hanging chandelier, the wine stacked on the far wall.

The door and the walls connected to it were glass, letting others peer through and see our interaction. I hoped there weren’t any lip readers in our midst.

“You like it?” Adrian asked.

“Mhm,” I hummed and I was either losing it or the lights flickered. “You’ve been here before?”

Adrian nodded, passing me the wine list. “A few times.”

“Other dates?”

“No,” Adrian said, leaning back in his chair and studying me. “Would that matter?”

“No.” Itwouldn’t.

Adrian breathed a laugh. “I’ve never been publicly seen with anyone, Reyna. Everything I do with you will be new.”

I nodded, realizing he was right. “Why?”

Adrian cocked an eyebrow. “Why what?”

“Why have you never been seen with anyone?”

“I think we’ve been through this, honey. I’m under a level of scrutiny most others aren’t. I didn’t want to subject anyone to that unless I was sure.”

“And I’m just special then?”

“Yes,” Adrian said, staring at me a little too intensely. I fought the urge to squirm in my seat.

Thankfully, our waiter entered at the right moment to hide the move. “Hello, Lord Jupiter,” he said to Adrian, then turned to me. “Miss Romulus. We’re pleased to have you join us this evening. Can I get you started with some wine?”

He turned back to Adrian to gauge his reaction, but Adrian was looking down at his menu. He lifted his head slowly, then said, “Whatever Reyna wants. She has better taste than I do.”

Fuck, he was good. With just that little statement, he gave the waiter the impression that we knew each other well enough to judge the other’s taste.

I was competitive at heart, and I couldn’t let Adrian show me up in a game we agreed to be equals in. Which is why I smiled bashfully, sparing Adrian an admiring glance and said, “He’s too kind. But we’ll do the Chianti, please. From the Dionysus vineyard.” Then, I swung myeyes back to Adrian, who was already staring straight at me. “That okay with you, Adrian?”

Adrian nodded, running his tongue over his teeth to hide his grin. “Yes. Remind me never to tell Jason he has a fan in you. I don’t think his ego could handle it.”

An image of the god of wine on the Greek side, Lord Jason Dionysus, sprang into my head and I chuckled lightly. “I’ll make a note.”

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