He hesitated, whether at the prospect of giving in about going to talk to Farvin or meeting my parents, I wasn’t sure. “Okay, fine. But if they don’t have any solid answers, we come back here and do more searching, deal?”
Twenty-Nine
FINN DE MORISCO
“Youknow, I really do love the orgasm roll, but it’s not my favorite, which tells me they named it wrong.” Schwint clamped his chopsticks, lifted the deep-fried sushi to his lips, and took a bite. The mayonnaise sauce dripped at the last minute and left a trail down the hair on his chin and onto his shirt. He glanced down and swiped the glob of sauce on his shirt with one of the chopsticks and then thrust out his chin. “Wanna lick it off?”
“Gross!” I laughed and shoved the crunchy end piece of the roll into my mouth with my fingers.
“Well, of course you’re all squeaky clean. You’re cheating!”
I grinned at him, making sure food showed as I did so.
A glint that I was already getting used to lit his eyes. “Speaking of, now that we don’t have to worry about being interrupted by dick-shriveling migraines, maybe we can focus on an orgasm roll of our own tonight.”
I bugged my eyes as I stared at the huge platter in front of us, only three small pieces of sushi remaining. “We’ve had nine rolls. I think the only other roll I’ll do is to the bed. I’m hurting so bad I think it will take a miracle to even make it that far.”
He shrugged. “Fine by me. You don’t have to move at all. Just lay there. I’ll take care of the rest. He shoved another section into his mouth, then spoke around the clump. “Hell, we don’t even have to make it to the bed. Wherever you happen to collapse will work for me.”
“Classy.”
He raised his hands. “Hey, you knew what you were getting into. If you want class, I think I can find one of those blue-blooded royals for you to shag.” His face fell as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Whatever. Might as well joke about it. Besides, you said I’ve already been with a vampire anyway. So, nothing new there.” No matter how I tried to convey otherwise, the fun of the moment had vanished. The meal had been perfect. Good food, sexy boyfriend across the table. Lots of flirting. Actually had shoved the thought of the afternoon away, mostly. Not anymore. And not boyfriend. I had got to quit thinking that. Date. Sexy date across the table. The thought of trying the boyfriend thing was nearly as scary as anything the Vampire Cathedral could throw at me.
“You’re still cool with going to your folks’?” Schwint popped another bite into his mouth, then nudged the last portion toward me.
I nodded, accepting the final piece.
“You’re still cool with me meeting your folks?”
I started to nod again, then paused. Was I okay with him meeting my folks? He really wasn’t my boyfriend or anything near. We’d dated a few weeks, longer than Brett and I had, but still not long enough for sane people to consider it exclusive. And exactly, there it was. He didn’t want to be exclusive, so how could we be dating or be boyfriends or anything? How could I think of introducing him to my family? Sure they’d heard about him, but I’d been pretty evasive. They had no idea how we’d met in the park, how he’d watched as I’d been spit-roasted, how he didn’t believe in monogamy. How could I even consider taking him home? How was I even worried about any of this when the Vampire Cathedral had laid claim to me, whatever that really meant? Talk about fucked-up priorities!
Schwint broke through my reverie. “I guess the year-long pause speaks for itself.”
I glanced up at him, but I wasn’t able to read his expression. I couldn’t tell if he was hurt or angry. He gave a half grin, but I could feel the walls had gone up. “No. I was just thinking. There’s a lot going on, and I don’t really know how to process it all.”
“That makes sense. It’s been nothing but crazy the past few weeks, and from what you’ve told me, it’s been crazy for a while—”
“What are we exactly?” I blurted out, cutting him off. Damn it! What was wrong with me? Why can’t I ever take things the way they come, let them work themselves out instead of trying to label or define?
His eyebrows rose. “Huh?”
“Never mind.” I shook my head, frustrated with myself. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Forget it.”
He reached out and grabbed my hand. He held it, his fingers curved around my wrist, until I forced my eyes to meet his. “No. It’s okay. You just took me off guard. You asked what we are.”
“No. Forget it, please. I overthink things, and everything is crazy right now. Can we forget I asked that, please?” I tried to pull my hand away, but he tightened my grip.
“Finn. It’s okay. If anything, it makes even more sense why you need that question answered right now. Everything is up in the air. Everything’s confusing. Maybe we can clarify some things.”
I just stared at him. Still wanting to divert the conversation, but equally wanting him to keep going. If the pounding of my heart told me anything, I knew what I wanted him to say. That he was falling in love with me. That I was the only man he wanted. The only man he ever would.
“Can I get you anything else? Some hot sake?”
Looking up at the voice, it took me a second to recognize our pretty Asian waitress.
Schwint handled it for us. “I think we’re okay. Thank you.”
