It’s not a question, but I answer it anyway. ‘I do.’
He takes another glance round before he looks back at me, eyes wide. ‘Guess mine.’
I consider the lanterns a moment, but when I see it, it’s as plain as day. ‘Deep maroon with black trim.’
‘Damn it,’ he says, fighting a smile. ‘I’m too predictable.’
I can’t help but smile back. ‘I just thought to myself,what would Dracula do?’
His expression changes into something different then. It’s a moment of confusion before his hard lines soften, the tug of a grin at his lips, the edges of his eyes falling into soft creases. He sweeps his hair out of his face– his trademark gesture– while his eyes settle on mine, burning into me a moment or two before we’re interrupted by the main course arriving.
And if I’m being really honest, there isn’t a man alive who could distract me from this food. It’s my absolute favourite.
I catch Bram appraising it and nudge my bowl his way. ‘You want to try some?’
His brow creases. ‘What have you got?’
‘Garlic noodles.’
He’s not quite fast enough to hide his grimace. ‘No, thank you.’
And there’s a moment, again. Another hint of something a little dark and dangerous beneath his cool exterior. And Imean that literally. The first time he held my hand, I assumed that his was just cool because of the chilly night, but his hands are coldall the time. Not freezing, mind. Just enough for it to be a little odd. Maybe he’s just got the worst circulation known to man.
Or maybe…
‘Not a fan of garlic?’ I ask, in what I hope is quite a casual way, and it makes his mouth tip up instead, into asmile.
‘It’s weird, I know,’ he says, and in that moment I swear there’s a flash of light off the prominent canines dimpling his lip.
I eye his spare ribs. ‘You know there’s garlic in that marinade, right?’
‘Don’t worry, Lucy, I won’t dissolve or anything.’ One of his eyebrows arches. ‘You can put your crucifix down.’
Anxiety rolls in my chest for a moment, but there’s an unmistakeable twinkle when I meet those sea-green eyes over the table.
‘You’re messing with me?’
The way he laughs then is anything but dangerous. It’s almost a chuckle, like a little boy who’s up to no good. ‘A little bit.’
I eye him with theatrical suspicion, which conveniently conceals my slight but very real suspicion, and he laughs again, bringing a still-steaming rib to his mouth. He keeps his eyes on me as he takes a cautious bite, and I honestly can’t tell whether he’s worried about burning his mouth or bursting into flames. I think we’re both relieved when neither happens.
And then I devour every last garlicky noodle in my bowl like I haven’t eaten in days. When I come up for air, Bram’s watching me.
‘This is your favourite place to eat?’ he asks, sweeping his hair out of his eyes again. I nod, and there’s a shadow of something in his expression.
‘Thank you for bringing me here,’ he says, and then he looks back at the lanterns one more time. ‘Emmy would love this place. She’s crazy into East Asian culture.’
My heart swells a little. I love introducing people to things that bring them joy. ‘Maybe you could bring her sometime,’ I say, and he nods lightly as his eyes scan the room again.
‘Maybe we could all come,’ he muses. ‘Date night.’
‘It feels like we’re on a date now,’ I say, without really thinking about it, and when his eyes darken in the warm glow of the lantern light, my mind goes straight back to the beach. With everything that happened this evening, I haven’t really had time to process it, but the sudden memory of that almost-kiss on the rocks makes my body flush with heat.
‘It does,’ Bram says. I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but his voice sounds rougher somehow, and it makes something roll deep in my belly.
‘Is that how you’d seduce me if we were?’ I tease, trying to sound light, unaffected. ‘By making me guess your favourite lantern?’
But he doesn’t smile. His eyes drop to my lips again, the way they did on the beach, and then slowly move back up as his hand reaches across the table for mine.