Devil's Food Cake [✓]

29 | always

Zachary had offered us the option of paying for our Uber and I almost jumped at the opportunity.

'We're perfectly fine on our own,' Jonny snapped.

'Are you sure?' Zachary's tone was all innocence and courtesy, but the raising of lips betrayed his deception.

'Yes. It's getting late. I have to make sure Candy gets back home safe.'

Barring my name, each word dripped with ice as though Jonny was trying to get the message to Zachary that he wasn't in the mood to continue putting up a facade with him.

Noticing that I was shivering slightly as we were attacked by a chilly gust of wind, Jonny turned to me and kissed the top of my hair and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

'Your dad wouldn't be too happy if neglected my duties as your work colleague. Team work and all that jazz,' he said, giving me a wry smile.

'Stop it. You just want me to give you a goodnight kiss,' I giggled as he wrapped his coat around me, enveloping us in our own little woolly world.

'Yeah, there's that. You do give the most delicious kisses, I have to admit,' Jonny palms cupped my face delicately and gifted me with warm, affectionate kisses; his breath smelled of peppermint.

Forgetting about our dinner companion standing on the sidelines, I was melting into Jonny's tenderness and ready to just put the evening's events behind me, when a loud car horn ruined the moment. We broke apart to see Zachary leaning into the car window and presumably pushing down on the car horn. Jonny and I both looked at each other; he looked a bit dazed as if he was still thinking about the kiss we'd shared a few seconds ago. Once he'd got our attention, Zachary straightened up, satisfied. 'Lovebirds! As much as I want to join you in a threesome right now, your cab awaits.'

I gasped. Before I could arrange my expression into something which looked less shocked, Zachary, as sharp as ever, pointed at me and released a wolfish chuckle.

Glancing over at Jonny I could see he looked less then impressed and I had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't allow himself to be ordered around by Zachary, regardless of his less than subtle attempts at being a courteous host.

However, to my surprise, I was proven wrong. My boyfriend led me to the cab; his hand was very warm in mine like a glove.

'Thanks for this,' Jonny grunted at Zachary, yet not before giving him a long hard stare that was returned with relish by the devil spawn.

'Thanks for the talk. I enjoyed the dessert course, especially,' Zachary drawled, blatantly dragging his eyes to gaze at me. His blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight and I saw that there was something unfinished between us and that made me uneasy. When you've never had reason to truly fight for anything all your life, how would you know the difference between yes and no?

For a brief moment, as he turned his head, I saw that his eyes were almost forlorn. Or it seemed that way to me.

Jonny and I didn't speak through most of the journey. We didn't have to as I lay snuggled beside him, resting my head between the crook of his arm.

I yawned. 'Why did you change your mind about us taking the cab instead?'

'I didn't want to risk him 'accompanying' us back to the station,' Jonny responded, after a pause. 'I don't know...'

'What?' I looked up into his thoughtful eyes.

'We can be honest with each other, right?'

'Always,' I felt an overwhelming tenderness for my boyfriend at that moment.

'Good. Well, I don't trust him around you. He's a player. Not that that is a bad thing, but he seems unstable to me. I wouldn't be surprised at the crazy shit he gets up to. Not that I'm judging, mind you.' He held up his hands when I swotted his arm playfully, giggling a little.

Jonny leaned in closer to me. 'As much as it pains me to say this, you find him attractive, don't you. It would take a person with a peabrain not to notice that...'

'Oh god, Jonny!' I put my face in my hands. 'This is the weirdest conversation ever!'

He shrugged as though he wasn't fazed by my embarrassment. 'As long as you don't get romantically involved with him, I'll restrain myself from inflicting him with injuries. Don't break my heart,' he said solemnly, but I could see the corner of his lips twitching into a smile.

'I would never break your heart, Jonny. I'm not a monster,' I grinned widely at him. 'But I'll still have to be his 'friend' until the wedding, I suppose.'

Jonny brushed a strand of hair away from my cheek. 'You know you can come to me. About anything.'

'Sure.' I kissed his hand.

There were no secrets between us; that was how it should be, I thought.