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“I own the place,” he says with a casual shrug

“Wow,” I ain at the majesty of it all “I know you said you always used to drea that generally interested you?”

Our conversation is cut off when the waiter approaches, asking if we’d like a drink The waiters all wear medieval-style tabards but modernized to somehow look like suits at the same time It would be tacky if the tabards didn’t look so authentic

“I’ll just have an orange soda,” I tell the waiter

“Orange soda sounds delicious,” Saul says, and the waiter leaves He faces eous—”

“What?” I urge

Don’t stop, Saul, not when it starts with ‘gorgeous’

“I have to control myself,” he says with a shaky breath “If I start down that road, I’ll end up ordering this place to be evacuated and taking you right here on the … See, Sparkplug, see what you do to me”

“Okay, then,” I giggle “Strictly no you-knohat talk until after dinner, deal?”

“Deal,” he says, with so to have to hold it all inside until after, and I can’t promise I won’t explode like a madman”

A shiver runs throughanxiety Just because we’re co me, that doesn’t mean ill be the other way around I saw the outline of his eness of it

What if I can’t—

But no, because riding that train of thought would just seethis wonderful dinner

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” I tease

Don’t think about Fiona, I snap at hts stray

The waiter brings our sodas and then leaves us to let us look over the menus, which are laid out like old medieval manuscripts

“Saul,” I say “Are you going to keep a girl waiting forever?”

“Well, I guess the first thing you should know is that I was a small kid”

“What?” I laugh “Are you kidding me?”

“No,” he banters

Even so, I find it hard to believe as he sits there, all seven foot of hi at a kids table He’s taken off his suit jacket and his white shirt is tight against his ainst his skin as though the beast isn’t just going to break out inside of him

It’s going to break through his skin, too

“Jeez,” I ?”