he replies finally looking over at her. His eyes narrow like he’s trying to place her.
“Dante was at my house before we came here.” Delaney’s eyes are all doe-like as she peers up at him. I drop the water glass a little harder than intended and a tiny bit splashes over the top.
“Can I get you guys anything else? A box?” I offer for their barely eaten fries. They could have easily shared an order for how little they ate.
“No thanks,” she says in dismissal and leans around me to get a better view of Ares. He’s still standing a few steps away, his arms crossed over his chest.
I pull their bill from my apron and set it in the middle of the table, clearing away the empty soup cup and dish. The two packets of crackers are gone, but I don’t see the wrappers. I have to force myself not to move over to block him from her sight. It’s petty jealousy and I won’t stoop low enough to acknowledge it. I ignore Ares as I pass him to take the dirty dishes to the kitchen, I rinse the ones I didn’t have a chance to earlier and the new ones I added, placing them all in the rack to run through the machine.
When I finally come back out I’m surprised to find Ares sitting in my spot meticulously rolling napkins and silverware. I watch as he lines up the bottoms of the fork and knife and places them on the napkin. Using the first knuckle of his pointer finger to measure how far up to place them, he rolls slowly, making sure it stays completely even. He then tucks them into the tilted rectangular pan we keep them in.
“Is this your way of telling me I’m slacking?” I joke when I near Ares’s shoulder. He pauses and looks up at me. His tawny eyes shining, it’s not fair how handsome he is.
“Never, I guess old habits die hard. I used to work here too you know.”
“Really?” I can’t keep the doubt from my voice. I scan him from head to well-tailored toe.
Ares chuckles and turns toward me so his knee bumps my thigh. He wraps his hands around my waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world and leans his face near mine. “Don’t sound so shocked.”
I tilt my head, enjoying the lightness of the banter. “I just can’t picture it. How old were you?”
“Twelve,” Ares answers around a grin.
“Oh, I see, did you wear a little suit, maybe even a bowtie?” His fingers tighten over my hips. Darkness bleeds from his pupils. I look around to see if anyone is watching. Delaney and her friends are the only ones paying us any attention, but their table is too far away to see his eyes. “Ares,” I whisper, my lips turning down in a frown.
He stiffens. “What is it?”
“Your eyes, aren’t you worried someone might see?” He closes his lids, hiding the dark pools from me. When he reopens them all the darkness has faded, leaving the burnished brown behind.
“It’s not something I’ve even had to think about for years. I’ll be more careful.” His tone is flat like he’s trying for indifference.
“Wait.” I place my hand on his shoulder as he prepares to rise. He meets my eyes but looks away quickly. “I was just worried someone would see and know that you… that we are different,” I whisper the last part close to his ear. Leaning back, I gaze at his face. “It doesn’t bother me,” I confess, hoping he can sense the truth in my words. “It’s like I get to see into your soul, I don’t want you to… I mean please don’t hide that from me,” I stammer over the words.
Ares drops heavily onto the stool. His arms go around me the next second and he squeezes me to him. Lips at my temple he mutters, “Thank you.”
I pull back, confusion pouring from me. “For what?” Instead of answering me Ares places his lips on mine and gives me a sweet soft kiss then he pulls back. Some of the darkness returns to cover his irises, but most people would just assume his pupils are dilated.
I know I need to pull away, to stop staring at him or I’m going to lean forward and kiss him. But I can’t make my mouth say the words, or force my body to move away.
“Laura?” Maggie’s voice cuts through me and I spin away