Rune grinned and drew me away from the vast aquarium and down a dark corridor. It took him a few seconds to find an alcove and angle me into it. Then he was blocking the hallway with his bulk and bending down to claim the kiss I'd suggested.
The decadence of it. The beauty. I sank into the sweet passion. Rune's warm arms fought back the chill of the a/c, and the darkness made it all the better. With him pressed against me, I could pretend we were alone. My leg lifted to curl around his.
Someone cleared their throat.
Rune jerked away from me to snarl over his shoulder.
A woman shrieked and ran off, clutching her little boy to her side.
“Oh, fuck,” Rune muttered. “I'm sorry, Ma'am,” he called after her. “You startled me.”
I laughed my ass off.
“It's not funny.” Rune took my hand and led me in the opposite direction of the woman. “She's probably calling security.”
I kept laughing.
“Lora.”
I had to stop so I could brace a hand on my thigh.
Rune snorted. “All right, maybe it was a little funny. Come on, Chuckles.” He helped me up and took my hand. “I think our aquarium excursion is over.”
“Oh, please. This place is massive. Let's just go to another pier. I still want to see the coastline exhibit or whatever it's called.”
“You mean the one with waves crashing over rocks?”
“Yeah, but you can see below the waves, and they have all the interesting critters that live in the shallows.”
“You like the shallows, eh?” He led me out of the aquarium and toward the exhibit I wanted to see.
“It's safer than deep water,” I murmured.
“Yeah, but you can't grow there. Risk the deep, and you can become a badass.”
“Maybe I just want to flourish quietly and stay small.”
Rune went silent for a few moments, then said, “I don't think that's possible for you, Lo. You're meant to shine.”
“Lo?” I focused on that instead of the warm joy his words gave me. “You tell me I can't be small while you give me a nickname that says otherwise.”
“Lo as in L O. As in lo' and behold. Not L O W.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough.”
“And you're hardly low or small, Ms. Gallery Owner.”
“I do all right,” I admitted with a grin.
“How many men have you been with?”
“What?” I scowled at him.
“Sorry. That just came out.”
“How many women have you been with?” I shot back.
“If we're talking about sex, a lot,” he admitted. “But if we're talking about relationships, none. You're the closest so far.”
