Safe and Sound (Twist of Fate 2)

He seemed caught off guard by my remark. But then he smiled back at me, and that gorgeous smile reached all the way to his eyes for the first time since we’d sat down. He hesitated and then held his wineglass toward me for a toast.

“To being here now,” he said.

“To new friends and good food,” I said before tipping my glass to clink against his and taking a healthy sip. I got caught up in watching Ash as he tasted the wine. Pleasure bloomed in his expression as he took another sip, and I gave myself a mental pat on the back for splurging on one of the best bottles the restaurant had.

By the time the food came, the first bottle of wine was gone, with Ash having drunk more than his fair share. I suspected that in addition to enjoying the wine, he also used picking up his wineglass as a way to keep me from seeing the nervous tremor in his hand or to cover any of the awkward silences that would occasionally flare up. We talked about inconsequential things as we ate our food, and I was beyond pleased to see Ash eat his entire meal, his bright eyes alight with pure joy as he forked up huge servings of the creamy pasta. My body felt loose and warm as we started on the second bottle after the waitress removed our plates, and I noticed Ash’s smiles were coming more frequently.

“I was pretty sure you were an investment banker,” he blurted before clapping a hand in front of his mouth and giggling through his fingers. His skin was flushed a pretty shade of pink. Somehow, during the course of the meal, we’d gravitated closer to one another in the small booth.

“What? Why a banker?” I asked, unable to keep from joining him in laughter. “Do I look that uptight and boring?”

“The tall, good-looking guy in the suit? C’mon. I was shocked when you knew jack shit about Star Trek. The Vulcan salute? Almost made me piss myself.”

I tried not to preen over his compliment. “Jeez, you really did think I was a dud. Everyone with half a brain knows the Vulcan greeting, don’t they?” I asked.

“Yeah, geeks do. You’re, like, the least likely geek I’ve ever met,” he said, still laughing. “What does Superman call his fortress?”

I stared at him. “You don’t have any idea what you’re starting right now, do you?”

“Tell me the answer. You don’t even know, do you?” he challenged, eyes twinkling. He turned his upper body so he could focus all his attention on me, and I could practically feel the heat wafting off him.

“Boy, I will learn you but good. The Fortress of Solitude. Try again,” I said victoriously.

“If I say I’m having second breakfast and elevenses, what do I mean by that?” he asked. His tongue was caught saucily between his teeth and I wanted to lean forward and swipe it with my own.

“It means Hobbits are hungry fuckers. Next.” The surprise on his face was adorable, so I stuck out my tongue at him, which only caused him to narrow his eyes and try harder.

“What can Thor’s Hammer do?” Again, with the tongue between his teeth. He was clearly trying to kill me. My cock began to stir in my suit pants.

“Cutie, if you’re talking about Chris Hemsworth, then his hammer can do whatever the hell it wants. Preferably me.”

Ash snorted before kicking my foot under the table and bumping his arm against mine. I shot him a wink. We continued to lob jokes and trivia at one another and by the time the waitress brought the check, Ash was actually leaning into me a little as he slowly finished the wine that remained in his glass. He was definitely still feeling the effects of the alcohol, but the goofiness faded away and he just looked content.

When we made our way out of the restaurant, shouldering our coats on before walking out into the cool night, I took the risk of reaching for his hand and was surprised when he allowed me to hold it. We walked together through the city streets hand in hand, exchanging more geek challenges to each other until we couldn’t stop laughing. When we got to a dessert bar, I tilted my head with a quirked brow.

“Wanna grab dessert?”

Ash looked up at me with bright eyes and rosy cheeks. My stomach tightened at the sight of him so relaxed and happy.

“Absolutely.”

Since it was Friday night, the place was unsurprisingly packed. I moved Ash in front of me and put my arms around his front to make a kind of protective cage while we made our way through the crowd to a spot at the bar. There was one stool available, so I offered it to Ash.