A Touch Mortal

Chapter 2





“I’ll take whatever’s most expensive, please.” Eden handed the menu back to the waiter without opening it, waiting for Az’s reaction.

“Actually, now that you mention it”—he didn’t break her gaze as he returned his own menu—“expensive sounds wonderful. I’ll have the same.” When the waiter retreated, Az leaned over the table, lowering his voice. “Out of curiosity, what are we eating?”

Eden shifted forward. “I have no idea.”

Az laughed, pulling back and draping his arm across the back of the booth. “So, awkward, but you haven’t told me your name.”

A list of fakes scrolled through her mind, but in the end she figured the least she could do was give him her real one.

“Your name is Eden?” The grin slid away. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, go ahead and get the forbidden garden comment out of your system. And no matter what witty snake joke you’re considering? Trust me, I’ve heard it.”

“Gabriel’s going to have a field day with this one,” he muttered.

Eden startled as the waiter dropped a basket of bread onto the table. She waited for him to elaborate, but instead Az took a slice and buttered it as she peeled the wrapper from her straw, dunking it into her glass of ice water.

Eden eyed him over the bread basket and grabbed a roll. What happened between us on the beach? The question bobbled around her head, but she couldn’t bring herself to voice it. Not yet, anyway. “So I assume you’re on vacation? Couldn’t afford to go somewhere good?” she asked. At least it would tell her what he was doing here, how long he’d be in town.

“Jersey’s far enough away for us to relax, but I can get back to the city.” Az unwrapped his silverware slowly. “We.” He paused. “We can get back to the city if we need to.” His fingers slid down the hem of the napkin, straightening it before he dropped it to his lap.

Eden stared at him, her knife dipping into the unwrapped pad of butter. “The ‘we’ would be you and Gabriel? So you go to school together?”

Az shifted. “Kind of.”

“College?” He didn’t answer. Maybe he’d dropped out. Great, she thought. The guy’s got one touchy subject and you zero right in on it.

“Things have been crazy lately. We needed a vacation. So you live here?”

Subject change. Thank God. Eden sipped her drink before giving him a sarcastic smile. “Lucky enough to be stuck here year-round!”

Az looked surprised. “Are you kidding me? It’s gorgeous here.”

“Sweatshirts in August aren’t gorgeous.”

“True. But you can’t let a little rain ruin your fun.” He caught her eye across the table, smiling. “Besides, it cleared up just in time for things to get interesting.” She felt a blush creep up her neck, her face growing hot. Az glanced over her shoulder. “Looks like our mystery dinner is coming,” he said, sweeping his bread plate to the side. “I hope you’re in the mood for…” He trailed off, pausing as the waiter set down the plate. “Lobster tails.”

“You’re not allergic to shellfish or anything, are you?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Good, because that would have been a deal breaker. Their lobster’s pricey, but it’s to die for,” Eden said, taking up her own fork. Az cocked his head, his jaw dropping a bit.

“Here I thought we were on this grand adventure into spontaneity.” His eyes danced. “You knew what we were having the whole time, didn’t you?”

“I live here. You think I don’t know what they serve?” Eden smiled.



Tinfoil swan of leftovers tucked under her arm, Eden stepped through the door Az held open. A thrill jolted through her when his hand touched her back, guiding her past him.

The temperature had dropped while they were in the restaurant, the cold air rousing her a bit from her food coma. When they reached the boardwalk, Az turned to her.

“I should get going,” he said. “Gabriel’s probably hungry.” He held up the dinner he’d ordered to go, but didn’t move, almost seemed to hesitate.

She nodded, shifting to lean against the railing, struggling to think of something to say, an excuse to keep him there. “Thank you, for convincing me to come,” she said finally. “I was having kind of a shitty night.”

“Me too.” Az tapped the heel of his hand against the bag he held. “It’s been a while since I had one this good.” Something in his gaze stopped her from calling him out for how cheerful he’d been on the beach, made her take him at his word. She wondered how he managed to hide it so well. “You know, I’m gonna be in town for a while.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. Eden took it from him, entered her number.

“There,” she said handing it back. “Maybe sometime we can go for the least expensive thing on the menu.”

He laughed, tucking the phone away. “You buying that round?” She rolled her eyes.

He reached for her, his hand cupping around the back of her neck, easing her toward him. Eden’s heart jumped at the sudden touch of his fingers. She closed her eyes, her body rocking forward, anticipating the kiss.

It never came. She opened her eyes, and he pulled back another inch, face lit up with his smile. “I’ll call you soon, okay?” he said, and turned away without another word.

Eden stepped back, the railing hitting her spine. She tried to find a snappy comeback but nothing came quick enough as he retreated into the crowd. Who pays for dinner and then just bolts? She couldn’t figure it out. And then pulling out of a kiss he initiated? Who the hell was this guy?

Her cell phone rang. She yanked it from her pocket, taking a second to check the caller ID before she put it to her ear. The number wasn’t one in her call list.

“Just wanted to make sure the number wasn’t a fake,” Az said.

She couldn’t help her bitter laugh. “Well, you can go ahead and erase it. A bit of advice? Either kiss a girl or don’t. Never stop halfway through.” She pulled the phone away, her finger already heading for the End button when his voice came through the speaker.

“Didn’t want to risk it.”

She lifted the phone again. “Risk kissing me? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“Had to leave you wanting more. That way you’ll say yes when I ask you out again.”

A thrill passed through her, the same she’d felt on the beach. But she kept a flicker of sarcasm in her voice. “You’re kind of an a*shole, you know that, right?”

He laughed before his voice grew serious. “You do something to me.” She heard his pause as he struggled for words. “It kinda freaks me out a bit. But I like it.”

Her breath seemed to stall before she found it again. “Me too.”

“Plus, if you see me again? I can almost guarantee I’ll kiss you,” he added.

“If I let you,” she teased.

“Hey now,” he said, sounding hurt. “Be fair. I earned it. That was an expensive lobster.”

She burst out laughing. “My kisses don’t come cheap, lover boy, but they are very worth it.” She snapped the phone shut. Always leave them wanting more, she thought smiling. She’d have to thank him for the advice.