I wasn't sure I'd manage tonight's update. I uploaded a blog post earlier today, and wrote a 3K chapter for my Patreon project, so I was pretty tired... But then I did a few writing sprints with Kelly Anne Blount and managed to finish this chapter on time!
I hope you'll enjoy it!
Alec: You better have dessert this time
I huffed, fired back a message - If I don't forget. - and pocketed my phone.
The truth was, there was an unopened tub of ice cream, sitting in my freezer since Alec's first and - up until now - last visit. Bear and I were also currently making our way to Mayflour to get some pastries, him happily tapping with his little feet on the sidewalk, and me trying to convince myself that I wasn't giving into Alec's demands, but simply being a good host.
The bakery came into view and Bear sped up, enthusiastic he was getting a tasty treat. While I didn't give him sweets - they were bad for animals - I always shared the salty pastries I bought from here.
Tying his leash to the tree in front of Mayflour, I walked inside, inhaling deeply the aromas - vanilla and cinnamon overpowering the rest - and my mouth instantly watered.
"Hey," I greeted the young woman behind the counter and she smiled at me.
"Adrian! Not working today?"
"No. So we came to get some of your delicious goods."
"Bear with you?" She craned her neck, looking to the side of me, but my dog was too small for her to see him through the window which started a couple of feet off the ground.
"Yeah. You've got something he could eat?"
"Of course!" Ginny turned her attention back to me, beaming. "Aunty just finished a sugar-free carrot cake; I could get you some of that."
"Two slices," I ordered. I didn't feel like eating it and I was sure Alec would turn any sugar-free dessert down, but he might bring Luca along tonight, so a second slice was a good idea. And even if the devil showed up without his minion, Bear would be up for a slice tomorrow too, so the cake wouldn't go to waste.
"Anything else?" Ginny asked, and I pondered on it. I was sure something unhealthy would be a winner with Alec so I ordered a selection of half a dozen donuts, each with a different toping, two cupcakes - a chocolate one with walnuts and a vanilla one with lemon cream - and two salty, cheesy pastries, because I wanted some dessert as well and I wasn't much into overly sweet foods.
Once I had everything neatly packed in paper bags, I bid Ginny goodbye, and she asked me to pet Bear for her. I knew she would've loved to come out and do that herself, but with several customers in line behind me, she had her hands full.
Bear jumped up when I walked out, sniffing at the bags and barking out once, but I hushed him, telling him he'd have to wait until dinner, when our guest - or guests - would arrive. Embracing all bags in my left arm, I fished my phone out of my pocket and sent 'Is Luca coming over or not?' to Alec.
I waited for a few seconds, but when I got no response, I put the phone back into my back pocket, untied Bear, and we headed home. On the way there, I felt my phone vibrate, but resisted the urge to check if the message I'd gotten was from Alec, just like how I'd resisted the urge to invite him over on the day he'd asked me to.
I didn't want to appear eager, so I'd set our date for a few days later...
I stopped walking, dropping the paper bags and making Bear halt and bark at me.
Date?
Did I just seriously call it a date?
It wasn't a date, at least not a real one.
No. It wasn't any type of date, real or fake; it was just someone coming over for dinner. It was purely an exercise in me building up my Alec tolerance and maybe in finding something human and good about him.
Nothing more.
Definitely not a date.
Bear's surprised barks had turned urgent now, and he was worriedly bouncing around me so I leaned down and petted his head to reassure him that everything was alright before I collected the bags, and recommence walking home, telling myself over and over again that I did not have a date tonight.
"Want to cheesy watch a movie and hate on it together?" Vika asked when I answered her call.
"What about the French girl?" I asked, intentionally avoiding using her name, just to irritate my cousin. Vika was the one person I usually didn't do this to, but her girlfriend had taken up so much of Vika's time lately, that my cousin had turned down a few calls from me because of the French wench.
"Marie is in London for a photo shoot," she explained calmly, ignoring my attempt to annoy her. She knew me too well to give in this easily.
"How come you are not with her?" I got off my bed and opened my wardrobe. "You are pretty much joined at the hip these days."
"Jealous?" She chuckled and I snorted rather convincingly.
"As if. You'll get tired of her, but I'll always be the only relative you don't want to run over with a tank." I pulled a tight white t-shirt out of the wardrobe, gave it one glance, then put it back in. I'd decided to go with black and white tonight, but I didn't feel like wearing t-shirts.
"Or poison and watch them take their last breaths while convulsing at my feet," she threw in casually and I smirked.
"That sounds like a fun option," I admitted and pulled out a pair of skinny black jeans that did my ass justice.
"So, about the movie?"
"No can do," I replied, taking out a white tank top and throwing it on my mattress, next to the jeans. I'd pair the two items and add my black leather jacket. It was a simple outfit that didn't make it look like I'd put any effort in picking it out, but it would still be an effective way to tease Adrian.
"Why not?" She asked, sounding disappointed.
"I'm going out for a bite." I turned around and kicked the wardrobe door shut before strutting to my bed.
"I bet he or she is hot. Or they," she added. Sharing a bed with more than one person was always an option with me.
"Not that kind of a bite," I said, putting the phone on speaker and placing it on the mattress so I could get undressed.
"Oh? How come?"
"It's too soon for him." I pulled off my current tank top and then my pants and boxers.
"Really?" Now she seemed genuinely curious. "And when has that ever stopped you? Just give the guy a little push as you usually do."
"Nah," I wrapped a towel around my waist. "It will spook him and I want to play with this one longer."
"Ooh, now that sounds interesting! Do I know him?"
I smiled.
"You haven't met him, but I've told you about him. That Sentinel I seduced when he was trying to question me about the serial murders in Woodville."
"If I recall correctly - and I must be, if you are playing with him again - you enjoyed him."
This time I full on grinned.
"His guilt about what we'd done was a huge turn on for me."
"Was?"
I stopped as my hand was reaching for the phone and a frown appeared on my face.
Why did I say it in the past tense?
"Is," I corrected myself and picked up the device. "I'm taking a shower. Talk to you later."
With that, I ended the call and - still frowning - headed for my bathroom.
Why had I used past tense?
Adrian's dilemma about wanting to sleep with me while knowing it was the wrong thing to do was part of the charm and why I was bothering to take things slow with him. I wanted him in my bed again, I wanted to experience the intoxicating feeling of having someone as straight-laced as him throw all caution to the wind so he could be with me.
But the guilt?
Now that had somehow lost its charm on me.
I still enjoyed teasing him, but for some reason, I didn't want to get him into too much trouble with his conscience... Was I going soft?
I opened the bathroom door and scoffed.
There was no way that was happening. I barely knew the guy and I'd only slept with him once.
"Not that sleeping with someone has ever made me go soft before," I muttered to myself as I turned on the shower and let the warm water wash away my doubts. By the time I got out, I was refreshed in both body and mind, and no ridiculous thoughts about me losing my edge were going through my head.
Instead, as I dried my hair and put on my clothes, I concentrated on a puzzle I had yet to figure out: why Adrian was letting me near him.
All rational thought said he'd want the opposite: to never see me - the temptation, again. Out of sight, out of mind, and all that.
So why had he invited me to dinner?
I was sure it wasn't because I'd promised I'd give him a break from my texting. After all, this was the second time he'd be cooking for me, and last time I'd had nothing to... Convince him with.
The mystery was something I wanted to solve, but also to keep going a bit longer as it made our dinner more intriguing, so I wouldn't press him for answers when I saw him. Not too much anyway; some teasing was inevitable.
Now dressed, I got out of my bedroom and went to the living room sofa.
Luca has gracing the very center of it, claiming ownership of the whole piece of furniture, something I would've disputed, if I wasn't on my way out.
"So are you coming or not?" I asked him.
Earlier today, Adrian had texted me, wanting to know the same, but I'd simply messaged back a 'Who knows?', partly to tease him, partly because I wasn't sure what was the right answer.
Luca lazily opened one eye, then closed it again, making no move to get up.
"Suit yourself," I said, heading for the door.
Without my pet at my side, I'd have to figure out a way to distract Adrian's pooch. After all, I was going over to play with the sexy owner, not his silly dog.
And now you know how each Ian and Alec are preparing for their not-a-date... Which is totally a date, or is it? What do you think?
Also, why do you think Alec has stopped getting excited about Adrian's guilt?
Do you think the hybrid is indeed going soft, and if so, is it in general or for the Sentinel?
Any ideas how he'd distract Bear so the guys can get some alone time?
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the chapter, you can let me know by voting and/or leaving a comment!
PS: Did you read the interview with Kennedy that I uploaded on Friday? I'll link it as an External link and in the first comment of this chapter.