Dante stood by her desk,
looking concerned.
“I’m
fine. What are you doing here?” Dammit, she hadn’t meant to sound so rude, but
his surprise appearance while she was thinking naughty thoughts was a little
embarrassing.
“I
brought you breakfast.” Dante was holding a bakery bag and a tray containing two
coffee cups. “I was hoping we could share some time together this morning.
“I
would like that, thank you.” Isabelle cleared off the corner of her desk,
making room for their food. “Please, put it down here.”
Dante
was dressed in his usual button up shirt and khakis. “Do you wear blue jeans?”
Probably a silly question, but she knew so little about the male who was
supposed to be her mate.
He
cocked an eyebrow and responded, “Of course. When I’m working, I wear khakis.
When I’m home, I prefer to wear sweatpants or shorts. Since it’s just me most
of the time, there’s no need not to be comfortable. But if I’m going out
somewhere casual, I put on jeans. Do you wear blue jeans?” Dante waited
for her answer while he arranged the food on her desk. First, he pulled a
couple of small paper plates from the white take-out bag. Next, he removed a
couple of bagels and cream cheese, placing one on each plate. Her coffee was
already fixed with cream, no sugar. She appreciated the fact Dante listened
when she talked and remembered the little things she said. Like how she fixed
her coffee. His own coffee would be black.
“I
do, actually. I might not be the biker chick Tessa is, but I love my jeans and
sweatshirts. What’s your favorite dessert?” As long as Dante was being forthcoming,
Isabelle was going to take advantage and learn little things about her
intended.
“Chocolate.
Anything chocolate. And yours?” Dante took a bite of his bagel, still giving
her his undivided attention as he chewed. They spent the next half hour asking
simple questions and answering honestly. When his time was up, Dante took
Isabelle’s hand in his and softy kissed her knuckles. “The morgue is calling. It’s
been a pleasure.”
Isabelle
was pleasantly surprised at his showing up unannounced. After he left, she was once
again daydreaming of her Gargoyle and wondering how long he was going to be a
gentleman. Tessa’s voice from somewhere down the hall had her closing her eyes.
She knew Tessa wanted to come help, but she really hadn’t expected to have to
deal with her this early in the morning. Tessa was a spitfire, wide open
throttle, twenty-four seven. The near fatal wreck that broke several bones and
put Tessa in a coma hadn’t slowed her down. If anything it made her more
appreciative of being alive, and now she was making up for lost time.
“Belle!
You’re looking like someone kicked your puppy this morning. What the hell?”
Tessa plopped down in the chair Dante had occupied only minutes before. The cane
was gone, and Tessa was looking as fit as she had before the wreck. “I just
passed Dante. Please don’t tell me you two are arguing already.”
Instead
of telling her cousin she was the reason for the mood, she could deflect the
conversation to Dante. Did she really want to get into this with Tessa? Would
her cousin take her seriously, or would she offer some smart-ass commentary?
Sighing, she relented, “Dante and I had our first date.”
“And?”
Tessa sat up in her chair, expecting the juicy details, of which there were
none.
“And,
it was a disaster. I began the evening comparing him to Alexi. I confronted
Caroline and Jonas, letting them know they are dead to me. Dante dropped me off
and gave me a nice kiss before saying goodbye.” There. Now she would see which
part Tessa picked up and ran with.
“The
only part I consider a disaster is I heard nothing about hot monkey sex.” Tessa
removed her leather jacket and settled in.
“There
was no sex, not that I truly expected it on the first date. But there were no
fireworks either. Don’t get me wrong, the mate bond was there,
looking concerned.
“I’m
fine. What are you doing here?” Dammit, she hadn’t meant to sound so rude, but
his surprise appearance while she was thinking naughty thoughts was a little
embarrassing.
“I
brought you breakfast.” Dante was holding a bakery bag and a tray containing two
coffee cups. “I was hoping we could share some time together this morning.
“I
would like that, thank you.” Isabelle cleared off the corner of her desk,
making room for their food. “Please, put it down here.”
Dante
was dressed in his usual button up shirt and khakis. “Do you wear blue jeans?”
Probably a silly question, but she knew so little about the male who was
supposed to be her mate.
He
cocked an eyebrow and responded, “Of course. When I’m working, I wear khakis.
When I’m home, I prefer to wear sweatpants or shorts. Since it’s just me most
of the time, there’s no need not to be comfortable. But if I’m going out
somewhere casual, I put on jeans. Do you wear blue jeans?” Dante waited
for her answer while he arranged the food on her desk. First, he pulled a
couple of small paper plates from the white take-out bag. Next, he removed a
couple of bagels and cream cheese, placing one on each plate. Her coffee was
already fixed with cream, no sugar. She appreciated the fact Dante listened
when she talked and remembered the little things she said. Like how she fixed
her coffee. His own coffee would be black.
“I
do, actually. I might not be the biker chick Tessa is, but I love my jeans and
sweatshirts. What’s your favorite dessert?” As long as Dante was being forthcoming,
Isabelle was going to take advantage and learn little things about her
intended.
“Chocolate.
Anything chocolate. And yours?” Dante took a bite of his bagel, still giving
her his undivided attention as he chewed. They spent the next half hour asking
simple questions and answering honestly. When his time was up, Dante took
Isabelle’s hand in his and softy kissed her knuckles. “The morgue is calling. It’s
been a pleasure.”
Isabelle
was pleasantly surprised at his showing up unannounced. After he left, she was once
again daydreaming of her Gargoyle and wondering how long he was going to be a
gentleman. Tessa’s voice from somewhere down the hall had her closing her eyes.
She knew Tessa wanted to come help, but she really hadn’t expected to have to
deal with her this early in the morning. Tessa was a spitfire, wide open
throttle, twenty-four seven. The near fatal wreck that broke several bones and
put Tessa in a coma hadn’t slowed her down. If anything it made her more
appreciative of being alive, and now she was making up for lost time.
“Belle!
You’re looking like someone kicked your puppy this morning. What the hell?”
Tessa plopped down in the chair Dante had occupied only minutes before. The cane
was gone, and Tessa was looking as fit as she had before the wreck. “I just
passed Dante. Please don’t tell me you two are arguing already.”
Instead
of telling her cousin she was the reason for the mood, she could deflect the
conversation to Dante. Did she really want to get into this with Tessa? Would
her cousin take her seriously, or would she offer some smart-ass commentary?
Sighing, she relented, “Dante and I had our first date.”
“And?”
Tessa sat up in her chair, expecting the juicy details, of which there were
none.
“And,
it was a disaster. I began the evening comparing him to Alexi. I confronted
Caroline and Jonas, letting them know they are dead to me. Dante dropped me off
and gave me a nice kiss before saying goodbye.” There. Now she would see which
part Tessa picked up and ran with.
“The
only part I consider a disaster is I heard nothing about hot monkey sex.” Tessa
removed her leather jacket and settled in.
“There
was no sex, not that I truly expected it on the first date. But there were no
fireworks either. Don’t get me wrong, the mate bond was there,
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