Behind the tall partition walls, a dark head moved through the tiny rows. I fell back against the seat, wholly aware of himand horrified. This was my date— my date. What was he doing here?
Daemon navigated around the clusters of tables with a grace I envied. Women stopped eating or ceased mid-conversation as he passed. Men scooted back to give him more room. He had a profound effect on everyone who saw him.
Frowning, Blake twisted around, and his shoulders stiffened as he faced me. “Overprotective type…?”
“I don’t…even know what to say,” I mumbled helplessly.
“Hey guys.” Daemon slid into the seat next to me, which left very little room. The whole left side of my body was pressed against his, tingling and warm. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” I said, mouth agape.
“Oh, sorry.” Daemon didn’t look sincere. Or make any attempt to leave.
A half smile formed on Blake’s lips as he sat back and folded his arms. “How are you doing, Daemon?”
“I’m doing great.” He stretched, draping his arm along the back of our booth. “How about you, Brad?”
Blake laughed softly. “My name’s Blake.”
Daemon’s fingers tapped off the back of the booth, brushing my hair. “So what were you guys up to?”
“We were having dinner,” I said and started to scoot forward, but Daemon’s fingers hooked around the back of my turtleneck, fingers gently sliding against my skin. I shot him a death glare and ignored the goose bumps peaking my skin.
“And I think we were just about done,” Blake said, his eyes centered on Daemon. “Weren’t we, Katy?”
“Yeah, we just need our check.” Very discreetly, I lowered my hand under the table, found Daemon’s thigh, and pinched. Hard.
He tugged me back, causing my knee to hit the table. “What were you planning to do after dinner? Was Biff taking you to a movie?”
Blake’s easy grin started to falter. “Blake. And that would be the plan.”
“Hmm.” Daemon’s gaze flicked up, and a second later, Blake’s glass tipped over.
I gasped. Water sloshed over the table, spilling into Blake’s lap. He jumped up, letting out a curse. The movement shook the table again. His plate of spicy noodles slid—well, flew—onto the front of Blake’s sweater.
My jaw dropped. Holy mountain mama, Daemon had taken my date hostage.
“Jesus,” Blake muttered, hands at his sides.
Grabbing napkins, I turned to Daemon. My look promised a vengeful death as I handed Blake the napkins.
“That was really strange,” Daemon said, smirking.
Red-faced, Blake glanced up from patting his crotch dry. For a moment, his eyes fixed on Daemon and I swore he was going to come across the table. And then his eyes shuttered. Quietly and with stiff, jerky movements, he brushed off the brown noodles. The waitress rushed to Blake’s side with several more napkins.
“Well, anyway, I’m actually here for a reason.” Daemon picked up my glass and took a drink. “You’re needed at home.”
Blake halted his movements. “Excuse me?”
“Did I speak too fast, Bart?”
“His nameis Blake,” I snapped. “And why am I needed at home? Right now, at this very moment?”
Daemon met my eyes, his stare heavy and intense with meaning. “Something has come up and you need to check it out now.”
Somethingobviously meant alien business. Unease crawled down my spine. Now his sudden appearance made sense. For a few minutes, I was really beginning to believe it had been pure, primal jealousy that drove him to go all stalker on us.
And as much as it ticked me off to do this, I knew I had to leave.
Turning to Blake, I winced. “I’m really, really sorry about this.”
Blake’s gaze darted between us as he picked up the check. “It’s okay. Things happen.”
I felt like a tool, which seemed fitting, since I was sitting next to the biggest wiener ever. “I’ll make it up. I promise.”
He smiled. “It’s all right, Katy. I’ll take you home.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Daemon smiled tightly. “I got this, Biff.”
I wanted to face-palm myself. “Blake. His name isBlake, Daemon.”
“It’s okay, Katy,” Blake said, lips thin. “I’m a mess.”
“Then it’s solved.” Daemon stood, allowing me to scoot out.
Blake took care of the check, and we headed outside. I stopped by his car, aware of Daemon’s intense stare. “I am so, so sorry.”
“It’s okay. You didn’t knock the stuff on me.” He paused, brows narrowing as he stared hard at something over my shoulder. Two guesses what—or who—that was. Pulling his cell out of his back pocket, he checked the display before shoving it in his jeans. “Although that was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. But anyway, we’ll make up for it when I get back from break, okay?”
“Okay.” I started to give him a hug but halted. The front of his sweater was stained and moist looking.
Laughing, Blake leaned in and placed a quick, dry kiss on my lips. “I’ll call you.”
I nodded, wondering how one person could single-handedly ruin everything within a minute. It was a talent. With a wave, Blake was gone, and I was alone with Daemon.
“You ready?” Daemon called, holding open the passenger door.
I stalked over to the car and climbed in, slamming the door behind me.
“Hey.” He frowned from outside the car. “Don’t take your anger out on Dolly.”
“You named your car Dolly?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
I rolled my eyes.
Daemon jogged around the front of the car and slid in. The moment he closed the door behind him, I twisted in my seat and punched him in the arm. “You are such a jerk! I know you did the glass and plate thing. That was sowrong!”
He held up his hands, laughing. “What? It was funny. The look on Bo’s face was priceless. And the kiss he gave you? What was that? I’ve seen dolphins give hotter kisses than that.”
“His name is Blake!” I punched his leg this time. “And you know it! I can’t believe you acted like that. And he doesn’t kiss like a dolphin!”
“From what I’ve seen, he does.”
“You didn’t see the last time we kissed.”
His laughter died off. Uh oh.He turned to me slowly. “You’ve kissed him before?”
“That’s none of your business.” My cheeks flushed, giving me away.
Anger sparked in his magnetic eyes. “I don’t like him.”
I gaped at Daemon. “You don’t even know him.”
“I don’t need to know him to see that there’s something… offabout him.” He turned the key and the engine rumbled to life. “I don’t think you should be hanging out with him.”
“Oh, this is rich, Daemon. Whatever.” Staring straight ahead, I hugged my elbows and shivered. I was so angry my head was two seconds from spinning.
“Are you cold? Where’s your jacket?”
“I don’t like jackets.”
“Did they do something terrible and unforgiveable to you, too?” He turned on the automatic temperature setting. Warm air blasted out of the vents.
“I find them…cumbersome.” I sighed loudly. “What was so freaking imperative that you had to go stalker-mode and find me?”
“I wasn’t stalking you.” He sounded offended.
“Oh, you weren’t? Did you use your alien GPS system to find me?”
“Well, yeah, sort of.”
“Argh! This is so wrong.” I seriously doubted Blake would be calling me again. Not that I blamed him. If I were him, I wouldn’t be. Not when a psychotic alien was shadowing me. “So what’s the deal?”
Daemon waited until we pulled onto the highway. “Matthew has called a meeting of the minds, and you should be there. It has to do with the DOD. Something’s happened.”