AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m distracted from my thoughts when the scent hits me. Ohmygods, fried sweet potato chips, horned piglet sausages on a stick, and butter cakes just to name a few, have my stomach growling. My feet carry me towards the cart like they’re freaking possessed and my stomach lets out another godawful crow demanding food.
The man who had been avoiding eye contact since entering the library, finally cracks a small, but kind smile and glances at me. “Hi, Miss.”
That has my shoulders loosening even further and I chuckle. “Nessa, please. That smells amazing.” I inch closer to the cart about ready to snatch one of the covered dishes and run away with it. Thankfully, he starts setting them on one of the study desks and I grin. I’m practically rubbing my hands together like an evil mastermind. Dylan grabs another chair and places it on the opposite side of the desk so we can both sit there and I force my expression not to waver.
Who knew that emotions could change so quickly. One second we were messing about and having a fun moment, one that could have shifted to steamy, then the next it was awkward as all hell. Dammit, another potential smexy moment ruined. I’m going to die of lady blue-balls.Hmm, I wonder if that’s something you can actually die from.I cock my head, actually considering it for a second before snorting. I shake my head to myself, grinning, then roll my lips in, eyes widening when I look up to find both Dylan and food cart guy staring at me.Whoops, fingers crossed I didn’t say any of that outloud.
I clear my throat and settle into my seat. Food cart guy finishes up quickly then tips his tophat—yeah, literal black tophat—at me before hightailing it out of the room with his cart.
Dylan takes a seat across from me but doesn’t make a move to grab anything, merely watches me. Goddess, having his attention centred on me is intense. Is it hot in here? Maybe it’s just me. I blow out a breath and wiggle around to get comfortable. “Thank you for the food and for bringing me here. I can tell how important this place is to you.” I’m honestly just trying to make conversation now, as well as prompt him to start grabbing food so I can too. Yeah, mostly the second thing.
He blinks at me then nods, gesturing to the food. “Feel free to start.”
I don’t question it, and start piling food onto my plate. So many yummy foods are present that little happy noises rumble from my throat as I eat. I let myself zone out, particularly enjoying the butter-cakes after drowning them in strawberry sauce and icing sugar.Yum.
Once I’ve cleared about three-quarters of my plate I take a large gulp of my coffee and sit back with a happy groan. Yep, despite the lingering tension—which I’m currently ignoring—this has been an epic hangout session with Dylan. The thought that this has a lot of similarities to a date niggles at the back of my mind, but I shove it aside. If it were, he’d tell me that, right? Or at least you’d think he would. Or that they would because the time I spent with Oscar is eerily similar to a date as we—
No Nessa, you’re just reading into shit. Cut it out.
I clear my throat and hum under my breath trying to ignore my inner turmoil. Sometimes my mind can be my biggest enemy.
“As I told you earlier, I found this place the first time I came here when I was a child.”
My eyes jerk up, eyes settling on Dylan and I nod so he knows I’m listening.
“I, uh, didn’t spend a lot of time at home if I could help it. My mother is lovely, but my older brothers…” he trails off, eyes going distant as though he’s caught up in a memory.
He braces a hand on the table and I set mine down next to it, tracing patterns over his knuckles while I wait for him to continue. He grimaces, then refocuses on me.
“Anyway, libraries were always my favourite place. Finding a new world to disappear into.” A smile plays on his lips and he flips his hand over, fingers fiddling with mine. “The second time the Travelling Marketplace came to town I explored it more and discovered the slide. Adding my magic to it came later, and the first time I went down it the landing spot was only an old ward. I dislocated my shoulder and almost fractured my wrist. My mother’s a healer, so she was able to pop my shoulder back in.”
I chuckle softly. “I bet she was pretty furious.”
He nods, blue eyes studying me in that way he does so often. “She was. She’s a gentle soul though, so she babied me for a few days after that.”
I smile, my mind conjuring up a young cherub cheeked version of Dylan being hugged by a slender woman with his eyes. I don’t ask if his father’s in the picture, he can tell me in his own time if he wants to. “She sounds lovely,” I say, my voice soft. I’ve never really had a mother figure—don’t get me wrong, my fathers are amazing. But it always makes me wonder what it would be like.
“She is.”
I take a few more bites as the conversation fades out and Dylan does the same.
“I—I’m sorry about earlier,” Dylan blurts out of the blue, just as I’m about to have the last bite of my food. I pause, fork hovering inches from my lips as I lock eyes with him. I blink, processing his words, my lips tightening and eyebrows drawing together. I set the utensil down, staring at the last bite of food forlornly for a few seconds before returning my attention to the worried looking part-vampire in front of me.
“What do you mean?” It seems that wasn’t what he was expecting me to say as it’s Dylan’s turn to be confused.
“When we were messing around, I didn’t mean to scare you or nearly lose control.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, something inside me soothed by his words, and the reassurance that hedidn’treject me earlier. When I don’t respond right away, a flush creeps onto Dylan’s cheeks and he tugs at the collar of his T-shirt, eyes darting around the room.
I lean forward and brace my elbows on the table in front of me, trying to convey as much of my seriousness into my tone that I can. “Dylan, I didn’t and don’t think any of that. I trust you and wasn’t for one moment worried that you’d lose control.” Worried,no. For some strange reason hoping you’d bite me?Yes. “I didn’t actually realise you were a vampire hybrid until you flashed your fangs at me earlier…” I trail off, somewhat embarrassed about that. I’m usually more on point with things like that. I don’t know much about vampires, or vampire hybrids other than the fact that hybrids are looked down upon by purebreds and depending on what species they’re mixed with their level of power can range dramatically. They do still need blood to sustain their vampire side, though.
He sits back, practically melting into the seat as relief washes through him. Then his head jerks up, narrowed blue eyes gleaming as he scans me. As though something has just occurred to him. “If you weren’t scared then I was reading you correctly…” he trails off, his eyes sharpening even more, and I press my thighs together, tongue darting out to wet my bottom lip.
“Dilated pupils, sweet scent, lips parted,” he murmurs, forehead wrinkling cutely as he cocks his head as though cataloguing my expression for future reference. Goddess, I may as well be broadcasting ‘I’m turned the fuck on, do me already’ to the world.
I sit back and scrub a hand over my face. Dylan’s scent clogging up the space isn’t helping me clear my head. Much more of this and I’ll have to call for a bathroom break and use a cleaning rune on my panties or just go withou—no, bad Nessa.
The moment is broken when Dylan’s watch beeps again and my eyebrow’s rise as he gets to his feet, brushing off his shirt. I can’t say I’m not curious about his punctuality, but I leave it be for now and stand up too. I’m only slightly mournful when he magics away the food, leaving the dishes spotless before leading me to a comfy spot amongst the cushions and beanbags.
