The Taste of Home

Chapter 21

The event had been far more successful than they had hoped. Thanks to Luis's generous tip and several large orders placed by chupacabras taking leftovers to their packs, they'd fixed the air conditioner and put away more than enough money to cover their rent. Business wasn't quite up to where it had been before the graffiti incident, but the customers they did have were happy with the new and improved menu. Some of those who had come to the new menu's debut evening had even become regulars.

Of course, some things still hadn't changed.

"Move it, Scales!" Yolanda marched past him with a plate full of aspic. "I swear, sometimes it's like having a slab of concrete in here."

"Guess I'd better stay out of the way." Miguel sidled closer to Alejandro and brought his arm around his back, pulling him close.

Alejandro's muscles were firm yet relaxed against his touch. "Everything alright, Miguel?" Warm brown eyes glanced up from the steak he was seasoning.

"Just have something on my mind." Miguel's heart skipped a beat at the way Alejandro inhaled when he nuzzled his hair. The faint scent of lavender he'd smelled on the night they'd first met was still there, a delicate fragrance hiding among his soft curls. "Is this okay?"

"Yes." The single breathless word sent Miguel thrumming. Alejandro chuckled softly as he leaned into Miguel's touch. "Let's just save it for after work, alright? It's hard to focus when you do that."

"Okay." Miguel stepped back, his spines sagging. Was he not doing it right? Perhaps the others had been right, and Alejandro was losing interest in him already.

"One last hug should be alright though." Alejandro leaned back into Miguel's arms, standing on his tiptoes for a moment to brush his lips against Miguel's jaw.

The kiss was brief and gentle, a quick caress. Yet, in that instant, Miguel felt as if he'd lived another lifetime in which the only sensation he knew was the tentative touch of those warm lips on his cool scales. Lips that did not fear the serrated teeth hiding inside his mouth, even if they should.

For Alejandro, the gentleness of the kiss was a choice. For Miguel, gentleness was a necessity. As he carefully unwrapped his arm from around Alejandro, he was struck by how fragile the man was. Sure he hid surprisingly firm muscles under his uniform, but what good would those do against careless claws?

What good would any of this do if Alejandro wanted more than Miguel could give him?

A voice broke through Miguel's thoughts. "Miguel, there's someone who wants to speak with you." The waitress refused to meet his eyes, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the counter in front of her.

"Probably another hot sauce junkie trying to find out where they can get a good fix," Ralph said. "I swear, that stuff is like crack to you guys."

"What does that make Alejandro?" Yolanda said with a smirk.

"Wonderful," Miguel squeaked out as he brushed his hand against Alejandro's one last time before turning his attention to the waitress. "If they have a special request, we might not be able to handle it tonight. We're starting to run low on the spicier sausages. You know how it gets toward the end of the night!"

"It's not about the food." The waitress gripped the pass as if she was afraid she'd fall without its support. "Could you please just come out here?"

"Let me finish this ticket first," Miguel said. Grease splattered against his apron as he turned sausages over with his spatula.

"I don't think she—"