“Thanks.” Damon watched Marlie, who didn’t seem impressed. To Jeff, he said, “Ah, we’re going to head out for coffee. Would you like to come?” He figured Marlie might like him better if he was nice to her friend. Plus, the guy seemed like a fan.
“I wish.” Jeff sighed. “Marlie, go have fun. I’ll look over the cats in a bit. Full day today.” His eyes sparkled. “Just promise you’ll let me break the news to Will.”
“Have at it.” She waved him away then turned back to Damon. After eyeing him up and down, she shrugged. “Okay, Demon. Let’s go caffeinate.”
“Sure, but coffee’s on you. Last night, my friend watched you reject me before I fell on my ass. Technically, I got injured twice while returning your jacket to you. Physically and then emotionally. It was horrible.”
Her eyes grew wider. But instead of expressing sympathy, she laughed. “Bet you felt pretty stupid.”
“Marlie!” Jeff chastised.
Damon snorted. “You know, that evil streak of yours is really appealing.”
“So I hear. I’ve been on Santa’s naughty list since I turned eight. Apparently, coal in your stocking is a real thing.”
“Yeah, I found that out the hard way too.”
Grinning at each other, they left Jeff muttering to himself and settled on a nearby tea shop within walking distance.
Damon did his best to appear light-hearted and not too intimidating. Because he had to get this woman to go out with him on a real date.
He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had rejected him.
That perverse part of him that loved a fight needed to charm the pants off Marlie.
And yeah, literally. He had to see her without clothes.
He must have made his intentions clear, because she shook her head at him.
“What?” he asked gruffly, cleared his throat, then added in a lighter voice, “Ah, did you have a question?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is there something wrong with my sweater, Demon?”
“You can call me Damon.” He sipped the best hot cocoa he’d had in a while. Bragg’s Tea Shop made a mean gingerbread as well.
“I heard you the first time.”
More determined than ever to show her how charming the beast of the ice could be, he flashed his teeth at her, proud to still have a full set. “Nah, nothing wrong with your sweater. It’s pretty.”
“Uh-huh.” She drank her cocoa and locked gazes with him.
He’d swear he’d seen weaker challenges from the Kraken’s new power forward.
“So, ah…” He struggled to find something to say when an angry guy with dark hair and huge fists stalked toward their table.
“You.” The guy pointed at Marlie.
She sighed.
Damon had to laugh. “Man, you really do piss off everyone with a penis, don’t you?”
She blinked at him. The guy with the anger paused and stared, as did a few patrons sitting within earshot.
Then Marlie’s lips curled into a smile larger than the Cheshire cat’s. “Well, thank you, Demon. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
The man looming over them gaped at Damon.
Then he did the oddest thing. He stole a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to join them.
