“Yes.I’ll have the same.Do you want a cheese covered pickle?”He gestured at the stall across from them.
Josie scrunched her face.“No pickles.”The vendor handed her two cups of the stuffed pancake, and Ares already had his card out to tap and pressed it to the reader before Josie opened her purse.
“Hey!I was going to buy.”
Ares led them to an open table in the dining tent, whistling to the carols that were being played nearby.
He pulled out a chair and noticed Josie moved a little slow to sit down.“I need to tell you something.”
“What?”Her tone had a note of panic.He loaded his spoon up with whip cream and lifted it to her mouth.
“Open.”
When she did without a protest, it sent a thrill down his spine.“Good girl.”he reached out and took her hand in his.“Here’s the thing.I’m rich.Really rich.You need to accept that I am going to buy you things and pay for everything.”
Josie tilted her head, her glasses reflecting the coloured lights above them.“I know you are rich.I struggle with letting people do things for me…because of my disability.”
Ares squeezed her fingers.He’d suspected that might be part of her reluctance, but he needed to hear her say it.
“Me buying you stuff isn’t because you’re not capable.It’s because aside from it giving me pleasure to take care of you, I can.How much were these?”Ares held his cup of stuffed pancake up.
Josie shrugged.“Overpriced.”
“These overpriced delicious treats, whatever they cost, I could buy everyone in this market ten and it wouldn’t make a dent in my bank account.”
“That is a little intimidating, but I’ll try to get over it.Your turn,” Josie held up her spoon to his mouth, and the gesture was so unexpected, Ares laughed, held her wrist and took her spoonful into his mouth.Laughing, they fed each other, taking turns.
“This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a date.”
“I want to take one ride with you on the merry go around and then I want you to come back to my place.”
“Why?”The little smile around her mouth was so adorable.
“Because I don’t want this night to end just yet.I want to keep talking to you.”
“Just talking?”The blush on her cheeks was adorable but she maintained eye contact.
“Would you be open to more?”He held her hand, rubbed his thumb over her gloved hand.
“I don’t want this night to end either, Ares.”
His name out of her lips, all soft and breathy like a bell on Christmas morning.
“I have a dungeon in my house.Would you like to see it?”
Immediately, her cheeks turned pink.“I know about kink stuff, but I’ve never tried it.I’ve wanted to but—”
“But what stopped you?”Ares rubbed his thumb over the webbing on her hand.
“My ex didn’t think I could handle it or he had no interest.”
Ares’s jaw tightened, and he forced himself to relax.“Is it over between you two?”
“Yes.We dated during culinary college for three years, but he didn’t think I would ever be a professional or match his ambition.”her voice trembled.
“Josie, we don’t need to talk about him.You have lots of ambition,” he ran the back of his fist along her cheek.She exhaled a shuddering breath.
“I know.I’m mad at myself for staying with him for so long.”she filled her spoon with another bite of pastry and whip cream.“Last bite.”
