Wanted Man (Loki Fanfiction - Book #1)

Chapter Eight

The boardwalk was just as crowded as McKenna thought it would be, and Shannon ended up dropping them off by the pier while she went in search of a parking space. Almost an hour passed before she called McKenna to find out just where they were, and by the time she reached them at the Shack, she looked as if she'd hiked five miles.

"I swear, I'm in Asbury," she groaned, plunking down onto a cracked red leatherette stool. "What is that?" she asked, poking the cup in front of Loki.

McKenna couldn't help but laugh. "He's never had a milkshake before."

"What flavor is it?" Shannon asked, trying to peer into the tall cup.

"Chocolate," McKenna chuckled as Loki didn't so much as pause in his sipping. "It's his third one."

"Three?!?" Shannon's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Careful, big guy, you're not gonna fit into your jeans come tomorrow."

McKenna glanced over at him with a wide smile. When he took the first pull on the straw, the expression on his face suggested a man experiencing the greatest pleasure he's ever known. She thought for a moment he might actually cry. After the second one, he immediately demanded a third. Hopefully she'd be able to convince him to stop before he made himself sick.

He lowered the cup and smiled at Shannon. "I don't think that will be a problem."

"What can I get for you, miss?" The guy behind the counter approached them with a smile.

McKenna swirled her straw in her Coke as Shannon said, "A Diet Coke, please."

Loki held out the cup to McKenna. "Try this. You must see for yourself."

"I've had chocolate shakes before."

"Really?"

"They aren't delicacies, you know. Everywhere has its own concoction."

"Please," his eyes softened, "try."

"Fine." She leaned over to sip. The Shack's shakes were good, but if she had one, she probably wouldn't fit into her jeans. She already felt guilty about the Coke. She should've ordered water, instead.

Still, the shake was delicious and Loki must have seen the pleasure on her face, because he said, "One more of these for the lady."

"Oh, no," McKenna waved off the suggestion, "I shouldn't. But thank you."

To her surprise, Loki leaned over and whispered, "You have a ways to go before you need worry about fitting in those jeans, McKenna."

What the—? She gave him an odd look. "Are you all right?"

He sat back, all wide-eyed innocent, and sipped his shake some more.

The guy behind the counter set the shake in front of her and she couldn't help but lift the straw to her lips. Delicious.

Shannon gave her a look over the edge of her glass, but then she winked and McKenna rolled her eyes. Maybe sugar was to Asgardians what alcohol was to human beings. How funny would it be, if Loki was drunk because of three milkshakes?

But if he was, he hid it well and when they finished, he rose from the stool without the slightest hint of a stumble and his words weren't at all slurred as he said, "So, where do we go from here?"

Shannon smiled. "Let's just walk around and kill some time. Plenty to do on the boardwalk."

So they spent the remainder of the afternoon walking the midway, Shannon insisted on going on the carousel so they did that. Turned out that was a poor decision, as the three milkshakes came back to haunt Loki and when they got off the ride, he looked decidedly green. But thankfully he held the shakes down by collapsing onto a bench and sitting with his head between his knees while Shannon ran for a ginger ale.