I chortled. “Steel?”
A pin fell from beneath his arm, and he comically gathered it while struggling to hold on to the other nine. “Sometimes I bowl with a temper. I had to replace a lot of broken pins and balls.” With a flustered look on his face, he flounced down the lane, slipped, and then landed on his back, bowling pins scattering everywhere.
I carefully walked up the oily lane. When I reached him, I offered my hand. “Maybe you should take up something less destructive, like badminton.”
Instead of standing, he just held my hand and stared up at me with soulful eyes. “Am I reprehensible?”
My eyebrows popped up. “Why would you ask such a thing? You’ve entertained me, served me scrumptious food, spoiled me with your care, and have been nothing less than a gentleman.”
His gaze lowered to our hands. “I mean… Do you find me beyond consideration? If I were a Shifter, would you feel differently?”
The question was so direct that it caught me off guard. Had it been a wolf at my feet,wouldI feel differently? It left me wondering if my own prejudices were holding me back.
I squeezed his hand. “If I’ve left you with any impression that I find you disagreeable, I’m sorry. Vampires have always frightened me. I treated you unfairly because of what happened to me, and it had nothing to do with you. That’s something I promise to change. Now get up off this dirty floor.”
“Very well, Miss Lockwood.” He flashed a handsome smile and then popped to his feet. Atticus wrapped his arm around me, and we took careful steps until we were safely out of the lane.
“This has been a wonderful day.” I wanted to gush over all the extravagances but also didn’t want to embarrass myself.
“I keep calling you Miss Lockwood, but it occurred to me that it isn’t your name.”
I slipped on my shoes and realized he was right. “When we moved here, I used Salem’s name to throw off any suspicion, but now it’s unnecessary and might confuse people in town.”
“What’s your given name?”
“One I’ll never use again. I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course.”
Atticus had changed into a long-sleeved black shirt for our game, one that conformed to his body and showed off his physique. I would have liked to see him in a short-sleeved shirt, but maybe that was too casual for him.
“What did you go by before you met Salem?”
“I used a stage name, but I don’t want to use that either. I guess I’m just Joy. Last names aren’t so important. Tak doesn’t have one.”
After snatching a strawberry, I strolled toward the stairs.
Bowling with Atticus was certainly an eye-opening experience. He wasn’t Mr. Perfect at all. He cussed whenever he knocked over less than four pins, and once when I got a strike, he cheered like a fan in a baseball stadium. Not only was Atticus charming, but he had a contagious laugh and a flirty smile. Most older immortals weren’t conversationalists and told dull stories,but Atticus wove together tales from his past that would make you forget everything else.
In contrast, his demeanor in the club was reserved. While he had always been friendly, this was a side to him I’d never seen.
And I liked it.
As we walked alongside each other, I clasped his hand in mine. It seemed like such an innocuous gesture, but the moment our fingers touched, electricity poured through my body and made my stomach twist with nervous energy.
Atticus swiftly stepped in front of me and backed me up against the wall. The strawberry in my hand tumbled onto the floor. He lifted my chin with the crook of his finger and delivered a scorching kiss—one that stole my breath and made me tingle all over.
When it tapered off, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You make me feel like a woman.”
He encircled my waist with his arm and looked at me fiercely. “I would burn for you.”
“How can you say that with such conviction?” I searched his eyes.
Atticus touched his nose to mine. “I’ve seen cities rise and fall to ruin. I’ve traveled across oceans and encountered millions of people. In all that time, you’re the only woman who has ever made me feel alive.”
“Do you believe in soulmates?”
“You make me want to believe that a Vampire could have one.”
