and tried to smile at him. “Hey.”
“We ready?” he asked, reaching for her hand. Jamie let him help her from the car and stood next to him awkwardly. Suddenly, she felt exposed in her clothing. Her hands curled as she remembered the way the cool metal had felt against them.
“Yup,” she said, forcing herself to get over it. Her hand curled around his.
He smiled down at her, and began walking towards the entrance of the alley. “I was thinking we could go to the movies, which is down the street. Or we can skip that, find a hotel room, get some chocolate and take off your clothes --”
She slapped a hand over his mouth, gasping. “No! We’re on a date, okay? Not on some sexpedition.” She felt the warm lick of his tongue on her palm before she yanked it back, face red.
Talon laughed, a deep baritone that only made her redder. “Calm down, love. I was planning on waiting till after dinner to do that. Dessert comes last,” he murmured, smiling at her now chagrined expression.
“Pervert,” she hissed, stalking away from him. He came after her, wrapping a hand around her waist.
“You like it, Jamie.” As always, she shivered when he said her name. Too bad that he was right, wasn’t it? She leaned into his side and walked with him, entering the downtown streets. Couples of all ages milled around them as they caught into the stream, passing sidewalk shops and kiosks. When she smelled the sweet scent of funnel cake, her stomach rumbled.
Talon must have heard, because he steered them toward the kiosk. The elderly lady stared at him with wide eyes before snapping to attention. “One funnel cake,” he said, not even glancing at the woman. His eyes were trained on Jamie and her ecstatic expression.
“Please,” she finished for him, watching as the old woman scooped up powder and sprinkled it over the already fried bread. Jamie reached for into her back pocket, pulling out a couple of ones to pay the woman.
“I got it.” Talon took the ones from her hands with an arrogant grap, shoving them into his pockets. He took out a ten and handed it to the woman, raising a brow at Jamie’s frustrated look. “What? We’re on a ‘date’. That means, as the man, I have to pay. Not you.”
The woman handed him the funnel cake, stopping any argument that she had. Jamie stared at it, mouth watering. Talon tore off a piece and ate it, obviously trying not to laugh.
She turned puppy eyes on him.
It was almost as if the beautiful powder was gleaming in the light, calling to her every need. Talon didn’t hand her the plate, instead tearing off another piece. He held it out to her, and she grinned. “Thanks, Tally!”
He started walking again, so she followed. He would hand her pieces of the funnel cake, watching with amusement when she licked her fingers, and making sure no one else bumped into her except himself. Jamie was in heaven. It was bright out, she was happy, and so was Talon. Every smile he sent her had her stomach fluttering.
Maybe that was the funnel cake, though. Either way, she was happy as could be.
“So,” he said as they passed a gaming room, still holding her hand. “What do you want to do? We can pass on the movie if you have something else in mind.”
Jamie smiled up at him, stealing his piece of funnel cake and eating it. “We could just go to the park. Or Barnes and Noble. Or,” she said, laughing, “we could find a hotel room, get some chocolate, and...”
His large hand covered her mouth, silencing her. Jamie couldn’t help but laugh, even as he stared at her with heated eyes. “Not yet. I was serious about waiting till after dinner. Why don’t we go...”
“Rock climbing!” Jamie blurted around his hand, almost dying of laughter at the look on his face.
“Do you have any idea how much those damn harnesses hurt a man? I’d be content to watch you, but I won’t be doing it.” He shook his head, handing her the last bite of funnel cake and then throwing the plate away in a nearby trash can.
“Well, that wouldn’t be much fun,” she pouted. Talon entwined their fingers together, causing her heart to flutter.
He nodded absently, pulling her closer to his side as they walked. She could feel his heat pouring into her, warring off any cold that threatened to overcome her. He was