I shake my head. God, I’m overwhelmed.
“Do you want to try one?”
His fingers slide under my hair and his thumb strokes absently up and down. It’s instantly soothing. “Yes, please.”
“God, you’re fucking beautiful.” He kissesthe edge of my jaw.
I could literally die happy now.
Before I can return the compliment, the server appears. Flip tucks me tighter into his side. “I’ll take a Peroni and she’ll have the limoncello spritz.”
The server glances nervously between us. “Um, I’ll need to check your ID.”
I’m used to being carded, so I immediately reach for my purse.
“She’s twenty-one, she’ll be twenty-two on August eleventh,” Flip says with a practiced smile.
I thrill a little that he knows my birthday so easily. I pat his thigh under the table. “It’s okay. It’s his job to check.” I pass over my license.
The poor server fumbles and nearly drops it. “Thank you, Miss Vander Zee. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Flip gives him a chin tip.
I wait until he’s gone before I turn my attention to Flip, eyes wide with my sort of disapproval. “You can turn your alpha-pack leader down a notch.”
He gazes down at me with dark eyes, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Do you think I don’t know what that means?”
My eyes flare. I have not shared my love of omegaverse with him.
“Kitten, you are ungodly gorgeous, and I am not the only person who notices this. There are enough boys falling all over themselves to get to you, I won’t have our server being one of them.”
“He just carded me. It’s not like he’s flirting with me.”
“Not in front of me if he wants to keep all his limbs.”
“Oh my God, who are you?”
“The man who can’t stop thinking about you.” He kisses the inside of my wrist, eyebrows slanting. “I bet he’s looking you up on social media.”
“He is not.” I try to pull my hand away.
“I would if I were him.” He gently bites the side of my hand and winks as our poor mortified server drops off our drinks. I’m so flustered.
“Would you like more time with the menus or are you ready to order?” our server asks the candle in the middle of the table.
“How do you feel about an appetizer, kitten?” He’s still holding my hand.
“Yeah. Yes. Sure. That would be nice.”
“Do you like arancini?”
“I do.”
“Me, too.” He kisses my knuckle.
“An order of arancini to start. Anything else?” Our server’s eyes dart around.
“How about calamari?” Flip’s thumb sweeps back and forth along my pulse point.
