Fantasy Lover(37)

"Hey," Selena said, interrupting them. "Can I see Cupid's bow?"

"Oh, yeah," Grace said. "Can we?"

Julian took it out of his pocket and set it on the table. "Careful," he warned Selena as she reached for it. "The golden arrow is loaded. One prick and you'll fall in love with the next person you see."

She pulled her hand away.

Grace picked up her fork and used it to drag the bow over to her. "Is it supposed to be that small?"

Julian smiled. "Didn't you ever hear the phrase 'size doesn't matter'?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I don't want to hear it from a man as large as you."

"Grade!" Selena gasped. "I've never heard you speak that way before."

"That was extremely mild considering what the two of you have said to me the last few days."

Julian brushed her hair back over her shoulder. She didn't flinch this time.

He was making progress.

"So, how does Cupid use this thing?" Grace asked.

Julian let his fingers slide lightly through the silken strands of her hair. Even in the dim light, it shimmered. He longed to feel it draped over his bare chest. To bury his face in it and let it caress his cheeks.

Shuttering his gaze, he imagined the feel of her body surrounding his. The sound of her breathing in his ear.

"Julian?" she asked, shaking him out of his reverie. "How does Cupid use this?"

"He can either shrink down to the size of the bow or he can make it bigger to suit his purpose."

"Really?" Selena asked. "I didn't know that."

Their waitress came running over to them, pulling out her pad and ogling Julian as if he were the daily special.

Inconspicuously, Julian slid the bow off the table and returned it to his pocket.

"I'm so sorry I made you wait. Had I known you hadn't been helped, you better believe I would have been here the minute you sat down."

Grace frowned at the young woman. Damn, couldn't Julian have five seconds without some female throwing herself at him?

Does that include you?

She paused at the thought. She was just like all the others. Staring at his butt, drooling over his body. It was a wonder he could stand being anywhere near her.

Scooting over in the booth, Grace promised herself that she wouldn't treat him that way.

He wasn't a piece of meat. He was a person and he deserved to be treated with respect and dignity.

She ordered for the three of them, and when the waitress returned with their drinks, she also brought out an order of buffalo wings.

"We didn't order these," Selena said.

"Oh, I know," the girl responded. She smiled at Julian. "We're backed up in the kitchen, so it'll take a few extra minutes to get the food out. I thought you might be hungry, so I nabbed these. If you don't like them, I can get you something else. But don't worry about it, they're on the house. So, would you prefer something else?"

Oh, the double entendre was thick and made Grace want to wrench the strawberry-blond hair out by its roots.

"These are fine, thank you," Julian said.

"Oh, my God, could you say something else to me?" the girl asked, practically swooning. "Oh, say my name! It's Mary."

"Thank you, Mary."

"Ooo," the girl crooned. "That gives me chills." With one last hungry look at Julian, the girl left them.

"I can't believe this," Grace said. "Do women always do this to you?"

"Yes," Julian said, his tone edged by ire. "That's why I hate going into public places."

"Don't knock it," Selena said as she reached for a buffalo wing. "It definitely comes in handy. In fact, I say we take him out more often."

Grace scoffed. "Yeah, well, if that little critter scribbles her name and number on the bill before she hands it over, I might have to hurt her."

Selena burst out laughing.

Before Grace could ask anything else, Cupid sauntered into the restaurant and approached their booth.

The left side of his face had a light braise where Julian had struck him. Cupid tried to appear casual, yet she sensed his tension, as if he were ready to flee at a moment's notice. He quirked a brow at Julian's short hair, but said nothing as he sat down next to Selena.

"Well?" Julian asked.

Cupid let out a long sigh. "You want the bad news, or the really bad news?"

"Oh, let's see… how about we make my day special, and start with the worst, then work our way up?"

Cupid nodded. "All right. At worst, the curse will most likely never be broken."

Julian took the news better than she did. He merely nodded in acceptance.

Grace narrowed her eyes at Cupid. "How can you do this to him? Good Lord, my parents would have moved heaven and earth to help me, and yet here you sit without even an I'm sorry for him. What kind of brother are you?"