Marco’s eyes riveted on me again, and I shifted in my seat. He wasn’t glaring anymore, but his gaze was…intense. I wanted to look away, but that strange sensation of being trapped by his stare alone kept me locked in place.
“Why Number1unicorn!?” he asked.
I blinked. “What?” I said, a bit breathlessly. It was the last thing I’d expected him to say. I’d thought we were about to have an argument about the pool.
“Your password,” he prompted. “Why did you choose Number1unicorn!? I’m assuming the university didn’t assign it to you.”
“Oh. Well.” I shifted nervously. Joseph’s fingers firmed on mine, grounding me. “I guess I just, um, I like unicorns?” The last came out as a question.
The corners of Marco’s mouth curved again. “What do you like about them?”
“What?” I was acting like a total idiot who couldn’t carry a conversation, but this entire line of questioning was baffling. Why would Marco care about my interest in unicorns, of all things?
“You heard me.” His voice came out in a rich, deep tone I’d never heard from him before. It was much warmer than anything he’d ever said, but somehow more…powerful.
“Well, they’re beautiful.” The words tumbled out of my mouth. “And, I don’t know, magical. I just like the idea of them. I guess it’s a nostalgia thing.”
A single dark brow rose, prompting me to elaborate. “A nostalgia thing?”
That commanding tone did something to my insides. Tendrils of warmth unfurled in my chest, and my explanation of my silly password became an effusive confession of my lifelong obsession with all things whimsical and beautiful. “I used to love the movie The Last Unicorn growing up. I’d watch it all the time. I had every unicorn-themed Lisa Frank folder when I was in elementary school. And I was obsessed with Rainbow Brite because of Starlite. But Starlite isn’t actually a unicorn. He’s still magical, though.”
I pressed my lips together, smothering my ridiculous babbling. It wasn’t uncommon for me to talk enthusiastically about the things I loved if I was around people I trusted. But even Jayme didn’t know the extent of my unicorn craze.
Marco’s onyx eyes flicked from my pursed lips to my flame-red cheeks, and a bright grin suddenly illuminated his rough-hewn features.
I blinked, dumbstruck.
Marco was grinning. Actually grinning. And it wasn’t the scary, sharply amused smile I’d seen him wear before. This was a genuine smile, and it reached his eyes. They crinkled at the corners, and dark-chocolate warmth melted the hard, cold light that usually reflected off them.
I’d never appreciated how ruggedly handsome Marco was. I’d been fully aware of his masculine physique, and I’d picked each of his harsh features apart in moments of fear. But when he smiled like this, he didn’t seem all that frightening. He was magnetic, compelling.
“I need the bathroom,” I said suddenly, almost surprising myself. Sitting so close to Marco was too… Well, I didn’t exactly feel uncomfortable around him right now. It was more…intense. Sitting close to Marco was intense.
“We’ll be right here, angel,” Joseph said, squeezing my hand one last time before releasing it.
I popped up out of my chair and hurried to the bathroom. Embarrassingly, I ended up getting a little lost looking for it. The brunette who’d showed us to our table directed me from the front of the restaurant back toward the kitchen. The ladies’ room was down a long hall to the left. Luckily, it was far out of sight from Joseph and Marco, so they hadn’t seen me wandering around like an idiot. I’d already made enough of a fool of myself, talking to Marco about unicorns.
And what the hell had all that been about? Why would Marco care about me liking unicorns? It was a silly, childish thing, and I was a little embarrassed by it. There was a reason I’d chosen it for my password: passwords are secret.
Even though I hadn’t particularly needed to go, I used the facilities and washed my hands. When I’d dried them, I lingered in front of the mirror for a minute longer, willing the pink blush to subside from my cheeks. My body was hot, flushed. It was cold outside, but I’d been far too overheated when surrounded by Joseph’s and Marco’s bulk.
Ice water, I told myself. I need ice water.
I unlocked the bathroom door and took a few more seconds to smooth my hair back from my face. I heaved in a deep breath, bracing myself to return to the table.
I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to brace myself. Joseph was there, waiting for me. He would make sure I was safe and happy.
The bathroom door swung open, and I jolted.
“Occupied,” I said, but the lady didn’t seem to care.
No. It wasn’t a lady.
A man stepped into the small, tiled space. He was almost as tall as Joseph, even if he wasn’t as broad. He looked leaner. Scrappier. Meaner.