take you out sometime.” Without giving me a chance to respond, James pulls me into a hug that lingers about five seconds too long. “I’ll see you around, Selene.” I watch him walk away, my jaw still unhinged as I work to process what just happened.
What are the odds of running into James while I’m with Endymion, of all people?
God, I hate small towns.
I risk a glance at Endymion, expecting to find him smirking still, but he’s not smirking now at all. His gaze is narrowed on James’s retreating back as if he’s angry.
What the hell does he have to be angry about?
“We should probably head back,” I mumble, drawing his attention back to me. Instead of moving, he just stands there, his gaze searching mine. The way he regards me makes me feel exposed. It’s unsettling. I feel as if he’s seeing everything when he looks at me. And when one is hiding as many secrets as I am, that is a dangerous thing.
Figures.
For once in my life, I feel like Endymion is finally seeing me, and surprisingly, it’s not what I want anymore.
Or at the very least, that’s what I tell myself.
“Right,” he breathes, nodding his head, as if he’s having an intense conversation with himself.
On the way back to our table, I swear, conversations cease as we pass others. I can feel their eyes on us. It has my neck prickling with awareness and discomfort.
“Everyone keeps staring at us,” I whisper under my breath, suddenly feeling panicked. I feel Endymion step closer as we weave through the tables. His body heat warms me from head to toe, and his proximity and distinct smell percolate around me, making my heart skip beats dangerously.
“Not looking at us,” Endymion murmurs, bending near my ear. His warm breath ghosts across the back of my neck, and a quiver rips down my spine. A small, inaudible gasp escapes my lips. “They’re looking at you.”
Goosebumps.
I swing my gaze up to his as we near our table, unsure if I heard him right.
“Me? Why would they be looking at me?”
The corner of Endymion’s mouth quirks, and the effects of that small movement hit me square in the chest. “Why wouldn’t they be looking at you?” he counters, with so much heat in his eyes that I break into a sweat and have to look away.
I damn near scramble back into my seat once we reach our table. I can feel my parents’ questioning gazes on me, but I pretend not to notice.
Just act natural.
Be normal.
“Mommy. You look like a tomato,” Luna announces to the whole table.
My eyes slam shut, and I have to fight the urge to slide down the chair and hide underneath the table.
Oh, my sweet girl. You’re too honest sometimes.
The rest of dinner goes off without a hitch. Well, for everyone else at least. I’m still a nervous, jittery mess. Every time Endymion looks my way, I’m quick to look at anything and anyone else, and I pretend I don’t notice. Though it’s obvious I do because the flaming in my face gives me away. Every. Single. Time. I can tell he tries to fight his laughter where I’m concerned.
I notice the multiple times his mouth quirks up as though he’s enjoying the way he’s making me fidget in his presence. As much as I try not to pay it any mind, I can’t help but notice the way he stares at me unabashedly during dinner. It obviously doesn’t escape my mother’s notice either. She’s grinning like the Cheshire cat.
My parents try to engage me in conversation throughout the night, but for the most part, I keep it short and simple, not wanting the spotlight on me. I’m just trying to make it through the rest of the night unscathed.
I’d say the highlight of tonight is studying Endymion and Luna together. He’s effortless with her, and she seems drawn to him. That’s the peak and downfall of my night, watching the way he interacts with her. I get a dull throb in my chest when I see his smile or hear his laughter. It’s so carefree. It hurts because he has no clue the little girl sitting next to him is his daughter.
At some point during the night, I glance at my mother, who is darting her gaze back and forth between Luna and End. I expected her to have that annoying grin on her face, but color me surprised when I realize she’s frowning at them. And when she looks