“If that’s the case, I apologize. Let me make it up to you.”
He practically filled the doorway, and it was a wonder he didn’t knock his head on the doorframe he was so shockingly tall.
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“How about we go get dinner? I know a place that’s perfect.”
“What about the others? I need to make sure they’re on track,” she replied, feeling her resolve weaken beneath his gaze.
“Those guys are both in the middle of their work. They won’t be done anytime soon. And I’m sure they’d both jump at the opportunity to get home early,” Magnus said, not backing away even an inch. “And besides, I haven’t seen you eat anything all day. You must be starving,” he added, raising an eyebrow.
Lindy’s stomach growled lightly in response, and though she tried to keep any reaction from him, his mouth cocked to the side in the slightest grin, as if to say, You’re not hiding anything.
Oh well. It couldn’t hurt, given that the alternative would be eating leftovers at home while Perky, her overactive Pekinese, took his evening siesta after barking at passing cars all day.
“Okay, but this is just me getting to know my employee-slash-coworker, right? Don’t go getting any ideas.”
Magnus just nodded and moved to let her through the door, following close behind her, and she told Mike and Tommy they could clean up and head out for the day. And as she locked up the place, she felt a tiny thrill go through her at the thought of going out with Magnus.
It wasn’t a date. It was just a work thing.
Right?
Magnus knew exactly where he wanted to take Lindy on their first “date.” Even if she saw it as just going out to eat with an employee, he saw it as so much more.
Their first chance to be truly alone, a chance for her to get to know him and maybe let him in just a little.
He’d never thought his mate would be so standoffish. Maybe he just had to get her away from work to get her to open up.
He opened the door to the tavern-style eatery that reminded him somewhat of rustic bars from his time, with its old-world decor, sailing paraphernalia, and real wood furnishings.
He liked to eat in the basement, where things got raucous, but with a woman on his arm, he supposed it would be better to take a table upstairs.
She sighed in relief as they stepped into the tavern, and he looked at her curiously.
“I was worried it would be somewhere fancy,” she said, fiddling with her casual button-up shirt. “I wouldn’t want to be out of place. Plus, I can’t afford anything nice, so—”
He gave her a sardonic glance. “What makes you think I would let you pay?”
She grimaced. “What makes you think I would let you pay?”
He ushered her to a booth where a waiter was setting down menus for them and sat across from her, despite his temptation to sit on the same side. “Fine, then. I’ll order my food, and you can order yours.”
“Fine,” she said, tight-lipped. She’d taken off her hat in the car, and her pretty blond hair was still in a ponytail. Her face was clean of smudges, and her gorgeous features were more obvious. Her stubborn little chin, small but full mouth, and soft, naturally flushed cheeks all made him want to look at her forever.
He couldn’t have designed a better mate.
When the waiter came, she nervously ordered a water and the smallest thing on the menu. A salad.
That wouldn’t do. Whether it was because she was watching her weight or her budget, he didn’t like her denying herself anyway, and he intended to see that she didn’t.
So he ordered nearly everything on the small menu, a wide grin on his face. The waiter seemed surprised but folded up the menus and left.
Magnus turned back to Lindy, who was gaping at him. “What the hell was that for?” she asked. “Are you that hungry?”
“Maybe,” he said, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head.
“This better not be some kind of backhanded way of buying food for me,” she muttered.
“And if it was?” he asked, leaning forward to look in her cautious blue eyes. “What’s wrong with trying to take care of you? What’s wrong with me changing your tire?”
She gave him a guilty look, and he realized she did remember him from that night, even if she hadn’t said so. “Thanks again for that.”
He felt somewhat pleased that his mate remembered him but unsure why she would try to hide it.
“Why do you hate it so much when people help you?” he asked.
She shrugged, avoiding his gaze as she drank the water the waiter had set in front of her.
Magnus sighed, wondering how long his mate would stay a locked vault. Would alcohol help? He noticed her glancing wistfully at the bar and decided maybe a stiff drink was just what was needed.
“Excuse me. Back in a minute,” he said, standing and walking around the row of booths to the bartender. He didn’t know exactly what was good, not being much of a drinker himself, so he ordered a few different things, made a convincing excuse about not needing an ID (another reason he liked this somewhat shifty tavern; they seemed lax about rules) and carried the tray of drinks back to their table.
As he turned the corner, he saw a group of men right in front of the booth where his mate was sitting and let out a low growl.
He stormed up to the booth and set the tray down on the table, then positioned himself between the men and Lindy.
He folded his arms. “She’s taken.”
One of the men snorted. “As if we care.”
“Then get out of here,” Magnus said, surprised by the menace in his voice. He was generally a protective sort, but seeing other men around his mate took things to another level. “Now.”
“I got this, Magnus,” Lindy said, scooting to the edge of the booth and glaring at the men. “It takes three of you assholes to pick on one woman? Lame.”
Magnus bit back a grin as the men narrowed their eyes. He stepped forward, pushing them back before they could get any ideas. His mate was a feisty one, and he liked that, but she didn’t have much in the way of self-preservation, and that wasn’t a good thing.
“Whatever,” the guys said. “Not worth it.”
“We’ll get her later,” another said, making Magnus’s ears perk up. Later? What the hell was that about?
He waited until they walked out the front door, rudely slamming it behind them, and then sat across from her. It didn’t really matter what they said about later, because he was always going to be with her from now on.
With a dragon by her side, they didn’t stand a chance.
She was moping, resting her cheek in her hand as she stared at the tray of drinks.
He pushed it toward her. “I didn’t know what you’d like.”
She sighed. “Nothing.”
“Come on,” he said. “Don’t be rude. Let me at least buy you a drink. Or three.”
Her eyes widened. “Aren’t these for you?”
“I don’t drink,” he said.