Then, she was kissing him.
Just a light kiss on the lips, no hint of tongue, but it had the same effect on his brain as a donkey kick to the skull.
"Uh," he mumbled. His face grew hot and he knew his skin was probably ruddy. Or gods forbid, turning green.
Her smile returned. "I figured it was better to get that done and over with before dinner. That way I can enjoy the meal instead of worrying about whether you'll kiss me or not."
"Uh."
Dylan reached down and took his hand. "Thanks again for the flowers."
"Uh."
She laughed. "Was it that bad?"
Instead of answering, he used her grip on his hand to tug her against his side. Dylan looked up, her mouth still smiling and her eyes brilliant, and he kissed her again.
He tried to keep it light. Tried to keep it easy.
But there was no chance that would work.
Clay gathered her closer as her taste seeped into him. She smelled like a forest and tasted like the ripe berries that grew there in the summer.
She made a soft noise and leaned into him.
Before he could do something stupid, like pluck her off her feet and drag her back to his house to keep her forever, a shrill wolf whistle pierced the haze that coated his brain.
Clay lifted his head and stared down at Dylan's flushed face. Her glamour must have slipped because her hair was more blue than black and her eyes were nearly unearthly in their color. Her skin appeared to glow with an inner white light.
"It wasn't bad at all," he murmured.
"Huh?"
It was his turn to smile. "Are you hungry?"
Dylan blinked a couple of times before her eyes refocused and her glamour slid back into place. "Yes, I am." She stepped back and blew out a breath. "Wow."
Before she could get any further away, Clay clasped her hand in his. "You took the words right out of my mouth." He gave her a gentle tug and opened the door to the restaurant. "Let's go inside where it's warmer."
She followed him without a word, but left her hand in his.
A few minutes later, after they were seated, he looked across the table at her and noticed that her color was still high.
"Still nervous?" he asked, trying to make a joke.
"I'm something," she muttered. "But it's not nervous."
"I'm...sorry?"
Dylan smiled a little. "No, I'm sorry. It's just been awhile since anyone has kissed me like that. A long while."
Clay wanted to ask how long a while but decided it might be best if he didn't. Though he was glad that he wasn't the only one affected by that kiss.
His skin felt too hot and tight. Clay tugged at the collar of his shirt before he shucked his jacket. Trolls didn't feel the cold the way other creatures did, so it was mostly to help him blend in rather than to keep him warm.
"You okay?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah," he answered, his voice gruff. "It's just been...awhile for me, too."
