My heart hammers against my ribs. “Why?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Because,” she says, stepping closer, “I want people to know that you’re mine. Officially. That the big, scary Minotaur landlord is off the market.”
“Off the market,” I repeat, something warm unfurling in my chest. “Is that what I am?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She rises onto her tiptoes, her hands finding my shoulders. “My boyfriend. If that’s okay with you.”
The word sounds strange and wonderful all at once. Boyfriend. Spoken so casually. As if we’re just two people who want to be together.
Which is exactly what I wanted all along. “It’s okay with me,” I murmur, bending down to meet her halfway.
Her lips find mine, soft and warm and tasting faintly of sugar. I cup her face in my hands, angling her head to deepen the kiss, forgetting where we are, forgetting everything except the feel of her against me.
I pull her to me, reveling in the feel of her against my body. I rise up, to my full height and then?—
THWACK.
Pain blooms sharp and sudden as my horns collide with the metal edge of the awning, the impact reverberating through my skull. I jerk back, swearing under my breath, as the entireawning frame rattles ominously. An unpleasant reminder that I was supposed to update that.
Lena’s eyes go wide. For one second, she looks concerned.
Then she bursts out laughing.
Not just a giggle. Not just a chuckle. Full-bodied, tears-in-her-eyes laughter that echoes in the empty courtyard.
“I’m sorry,” she gasps, clearly not sorry at all. “It’s just—” She dissolves into giggles again. “First official kiss with my boyfriend, and you’re already breaking things? This is so on brand for us.”
I lift my brow at her, no real anger behind it. How could there be, when she’s maniacally laughing and safe in my arms looking at me like I’m the most entertaining thing she’s ever seen. As if my clumsiness is endearing rather than embarrassing.
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, checking the awning for damage. “Laugh it up.”
She steps closer, slipping her arms around my waist. “Poor baby. Want me to kiss it better?”
I try to maintain my scowl but it slips to a grin despite my best efforts. “Finally. I thought you’d never ask.”
I let her press her lips against my forehead, raining kisses around the base of my horns. “Come here,” I say, and—very carefully—I kiss her again. “We’re going to make this our official first kiss.”
This time, I mind the awning.
CHAPTER 16
thorne
HAPPILY EVER AFTERTASTE
Three Weeks Later
I never thought I’d get used to sharing my space with anyone, let alone with the whirlwind that is Lena Reyes. But here I am, perched on what has somehow become “my stool” in the corner of Moist, watching a line that stretches out the door and wraps around the block.
The magazine feature hit three weeks ago, and the place hasn’t been empty since. Lena darts between the counter and the kitchen, flour perpetually dusting her cheeks, that wild smile never leaving her face even as she works harder than ever. This is what success looks like on her. Not exhaustion, but pure, undiluted joy.
It’s mid-afternoon, the usual lull between the lunch rush and the after-work crowd. Which means I only have to glare at three people instead of thirty to maintain my corner sanctuary. The regulars know me by now. The Minotaur in the corner. The landlord. The boyfriend.
That last one still feels strange on my tongue. Not bad. Just...unfamiliar. Like trying on clothes that fit perfectly but aren’t your usual style.
I watch a young ogre couple carefully select a box of pastries, their massive green hands surprisingly delicate as they point at each option. The girl—barely out of her teens, her tusks still growing in—keeps glancing over at me, then whispering to her boyfriend. He nods, and I know exactly what they’re saying.
“That’s him. The one from the article. Her Minotaur.”
