Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (Charlaine Harris) (Kitty Norville 2.50)

"Nonsense. You look lovely in it. " He slammed the door shut and climbed in the other side of the car. "And I promised you cake. I intend to keep that promise. "

"Yeah, it would be this one," I muttered.

He ignored me and drove out of the parking lot. I watched the world go by, half of me wanting to play it safe and go home, but the other half - the foolish half - wanting his company, however dangerous that might be to my emotional health. Unfortunately, the foolish half was winning the war.

"Hey, we just passed a perfectly respectable-looking cafe. "

"Is mere respectable going to gain me a smile?"

"Not even triple chocolate cake with fresh cream is going to gain you that, my friend. "

"My friend?" He glanced at me, eyebrows raised. "That's better than rat. Or what was it you called me the other day? During that brief moment you deigned to speak to me?"

"I called you a stinking love rat," I muttered. "And let's not make this about what I've done. You're the one who left me, not the other way around. "

"And I do believe I have apologized profusely for that. " He slowed down for a red light, then added, "And, technically speaking, the term love rat does not apply, because I have never loved anyone else. "

Again my heart did that treacherous little lurch. Calm down, stupid. He didn't mean it that way. He left you, remember? That doesn't infer love in any way, shape, or form.

"That's not what the office talk is. "

"You should know better than to listen to office talk. After all, they had us married off within three weeks of us starting to date. "

So did I. Of course, we'd only lasted a total of six weeks. I looked away and blinked back tears. Damn it, this is why it was a bad idea to speak to him.

He pulled into a side street, and began to slow the car down. Old two-story houses rubbed shoulders with interesting little shops, but none of them resembled a cafe or anything actually open.

"Here we are," he said, stopping the car in front of a pretty blue and white two-story building.

"And where is here?" I asked, looking up at the window boxes filled with greenery.

"Mom's," he said, and got out of the car.

"What?" But I was talking to thin air. Or thick air, in his case. I waited until he opened my door and added, "I am not going inside to meet your mother. "

Especially when she had totally disapproved of me and Brodie going out.

"Well, good, because she's not there. No one is. They're all at my gran's for the night. "

He took my hand and tugged lightly. I remained right where I was.

"Then why are we even here? You know how your mom feels about me. "

"That isn't a problem anymore, trust me. Besides, you wanted triple chocolate with fresh cream, and my mom bakes the best you'll ever taste. Come on. "

He tugged harder, leaving me with little choice. With the bells on my feet ringing joyously, I untangled my legs from my coat and got out.

"We need to get you some decent clothes," he said, his gaze sweeping me critically but still managing to leave me feeling all hot and bothered. "You look rather cold and wet. "

He opened the gate and began leading me up the garden path. In more ways than one, I suspected.

"That's because I am cold and wet. And I have perfectly decent clothes waiting for me at home. You need to take me back there. "

"If I do, you won't come back here. "

"So?"

"So, all the progress I've made this evening will go sliding away, and I'll be back to being the rat. "