Octavius

xviii

FINLEY

"McDonald's is a... a gourmet restaurant!" I argued, huffing out my chest as I crossed my arms in mere defiance. "T-their barbecue sauce is really really good.. and...and their chicken nuggets are the best, you know. I mean... they can be a bit unhealthy but let me be unhealthy in peace."

A tatted thumb caressed my chin gently, releasing the slight pout I had mustered. "Baby, let me take you out properly, not McDonald's, yes?"

        "B-but what's.. what's wrong with McDonald's, I'm lovin' it?"

        Octavius chuckled lowly, both sides of his cheek curving into a delicious, mesmerizing dimpled smile that managed to lead my head astray and flooded me with heart-flustering butterflies. Woah. Instinctively, I reached out poking his cheeks slightly as I let out a light giggle. He's so tute. Drool worthy.

        After we had left Silas' bakery, Octavius granted me the privilege of driving his beautiful, pristine car on the way to visit Raven. Although I did indeed hit the curb about a million times over, I received a bunch of grumbling, and grunting from Octavius which clearly meant that I was doing tremendously better than the other time. Though the grumpy man made me pull the car to the side of the road again, I never hit any unprotected car.

        Goal completed!

        We were starving so Octavius decided to let me pick out the restaurant and I chose McDonald's because it was clearly the right choice yet he refused—threw a fit. And now we were arguing in the drive-thr of McDonald's about the food options while I was mustering the famous pleading look on Octavius.

        Please fall for it.

        Please fall for it. I am not in the mood to socialize today. 

        Sorry people. Sorry big man upstairs.

        "Hi! Welcome to McDonald's! May I take your order?" The automated voice message responded which made me jump slightly in my seat, letting out a shrill and Octavius laughed even harder, his wide, muscular shoulders rumbling from the foreign action as he rested his head against the side of my neck.

       The sound of his deep, earth-quaking laughter was like an soul elevator for anyone blessed enough to hear it, the tendered expression filled with unrestrained twinkle made me completely dissolve to absolute puddles of softness. The gorgeous, twinkling expression in his eyes when he laughed made me forget what we were arguing about in the first place.

        Grr!

"Oh my god." The loud, shrill voice on the speaker exclaimed, drawing my attention to the menu. "Are you guys going to sit there and talk or fucking order something?"

Oh. Okay. How very rude.

Instantly my eyes found Octavius', the golden in his eyes darkening into deep amber as he watched my shocked expression. His beautiful, full lips curled in contempt, tatted fingers absently brushed across his lower lips and I knew what that meant.

        Octavius was like a silent yet deadly storm which could consume everything entirely within its close proximity. Like storm that came out of nowhere, it could either end in a downpour of rain, lighting or thunder. Or the unexpected. Octavius was pure lightning made flesh. Colder than falling snow. Unstoppable as the desert sands riding the wind.