Caliya is the daughter of a complicated bloodline. The women in Caliya's family all die at the age of 35 from a curse that haunts each Lorraine descendent. It all began with the demon that married her grandmother, Brettany. Her decision to marry Lio...
It was six o'clock when I pulled up to the restaurant. I was grateful the satin fabric of my dress hadn't wrinkled or gotten caught at the hem. I took one last satisfied glance into my rearview mirror, and slipped out of my car, sashaying to the door. I could hear my heels clicking as I walked on the linoleum. The warm furnace hit me like a soft caress on my raised skin.
I surveyed the room, looking for Jakobi. The server at the podium had just walked the guests in front of me to their table.
I had been waiting for less than a minute when an older man eyed me up and down on his way out the restaurant. The woman holding onto his arm watched him in complete disgust. I averted my gaze before she could turn her lasers onto me, subconsciously reaching to smooth out the imaginary kinks on my wardrobe.
Maybe I'd overdressed? It wasn't exactly my usual style to don Louboutin red bottom's paired with a v-cut pencil dress and red lipstick. But Mariah let me borrow the shoes and telling her no after seeing the eight hundred dollar shoes on my feet hadn't even crossed my mind.
Plain and simple. I looked good. Hell--I felt good. I bit my lip, would Kobi think so?
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I didn't have to wonder for long. I met eyes with the man in question as Jakobi sauntered towards the front door. He approached me like we were old friends who hadn't missed a beat, like we were friends who hadn't made out in my childhood bedroom. Still, I watched his reaction; his eyes were soft, full of sweet admiration.
I kissed him on the cheek, "Kobi, I don't know what to say? This restaurant is beautiful."
He twirled me around and the energy in that brief moment was electrifying, "Not nearly as breathtaking as you."
I blushed, letting him lead me to our table. I sat across from Jakobi and placed my clutch on the bench next to me. I surveyed my surroundings, in awe of the detail in the decor. Not only were the seatings immaculately plush, on our table was a single rose in a glass vase paired next to a caramel lit candle.
"I figured you'd prefer a booth near the fireplace. I know how cold you get in public buildings."
"Of course you knew that." I couldn't stop the smile that spread as the fireplace nearby crackled warm embers, "This is the perfect spot."
When I told Jakobi I wanted to talk, I hadn't expected him to make a reservation at a five-star restaurant. Could this be proof he wanted to take our friendship to the next level?
In the center of the dimly lit room, a live jazz concerto began their next set. The vocalist's buttery scat filled the space, and only moments later the cellist sped up the tempo with the deep bass of his pizzicato. If I weren't careful my own body would betray me by swaying to their masterful music. This had to be the best date anyone had ever taken me on. The fact that it came from the guy who'd known me forever made it mean so much more.
