Page 40 of Fighting With Light

I chuckle and spot the little frown on her face that she’s doing her damnedest to hide.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see, princess.”

***

We arrive at a five-star restaurant in Lisbon and I glance over at Aelia as I put the car in park. I wish I had a motorcycle right now, but there is no way Aelia would have gotten on the back in that dress. Then again, I don’t think I would have let her. She doesn’t need to flash any men looking at her for too long because thenI’d have to find them and gouge their eyes out. I’m just ridiculously insane like that.Even though she’s not actually yours, Liam?Well, fornow,she is.

Whatever the case, I look forward to getting back on my bike when we get back to Cali for the final round of the championship.

I round the car and hold my hand out as the valet helps Aelia out of the low-sitting Porsche. Besides the Audi, I decided to rent a Bronco and a little sports car because I thought it would be fun to drive, plus the Bronco carries my surfboard.

With Aelia’s hand in mine, we walk into the warm restaurant with clean white lines, a light wood floor, and white tablecloths. I’ve never been here before, but reviews said it was one of the best in Lisbon. The reservation list was a mile long, but I charmed my way into a table.

Aelia looks around while I tell the hostess we’re here, and then she leads us to our table. I pull out Aelia’s chair and scoot her in before taking mine. The waiter pours our water and walks away.

“Good job. This is no food truck,” she says, reaching for her glass.

The hair on the back of my neck stands at attention and I quickly place my hand over her glass. She frowns as I wave for the waiter and he comes up to us.

“Two fresh glasses and two bottled unopened mineral waters, please.”

“Right away, sir,” he says and takes our untouched glasses with mineral water already poured in them.

I look around the restaurant eyeing every single person. Our table is tucked in the corner as requested and I can see everyone, except there is a blind spot for a table right at the corner of the wall. One of two people are sitting there. I look for glass or a window to catch a reflection, and see a woman in the window.

“What was that for?” Aelia asks.

Forcing a breath into my body, my muscles start to relax and I return my focus to my date. Aelia’s head tilts to the side, with her mouth in an irritated pout and hands clasped together on the table.

“Are you done?” she asks with an eyebrow raised.

“I had a funny feeling,” I mumble. Her irritation drops and she almost imperceptibly sits up a little straighter and looks around the room.

“That’s why you had them get us fresh glasses and new sealed bottles, right?” I nod and unfold my napkin, laying it on my lap.

“I don’t see anything odd, so you can relax.”

She nods and does the same with her napkin. I smile at her, trying to shake the ominous feeling off my shoulders. “I think we can call this our first official date.”

Her lips break open into a wide smile. “I’d like that,” she says. The waiter brings us our water and a bottle of wine that’s opened in front of us.

“You are stunning in that dress, wow.”

Her cheeks go a little pink and I lean back in my wide chair, resting my arm on the side. “Thank you,” she whispers.

After we order our food, we fall into conversation about nothing and yet it’s everything. She asks me about surfing and how I got into it. Then rock climbing and why I seem to like that more than surfing. She makes me feel…grounded. In a way that even my family never has. An ache blooms in my chest as I take her in, watching her lips move as she tells me about her experience in Hawaii learning to surf, but never getting the hang of it.

I haven’t told her I was watching her in Hawaii, and I don’t know how she will feel about that little fact. Maybe another day, just not now. We’re having such a good time. I have a tendency to make shit hit the fan because I’m too reckless or maybe I just get a little bored. Whatever the case, that won’t be tonight. But I’ll tell her everything else…later.

16

Aelia

I knew Liam wascharming, but therealLiam, the one who is looking at me right now with a light in his eyes, a tinge of…darkness, and a whole lot of longing makes the butterflies in my stomach explode in a fury. They’ve been swarming since he looked up from his computer when I stepped into his office. TheDirty Dancingnod did me in. I didn’t even want to bother with dinner. But Liam, being the gentleman and athlete he is, said food first. Not that I expect anything when we go home.

After I volleyed questions to him about his career, he started asking me about what I’m into and that feltgood.When I go out with most men, they ask me basic questions because it’s a quick situation, it’s not a heartfelt connection. Liam looks around the restaurant, continuing to scan for threats, yet he still looks at me like I’m the only one in the room.

For the first time, I feel like maybe my way of doing things was…useless. I’ve come to the conclusion in this moment that I’ve wasted my time with every single man I’ve met. I gave them a piece of me they did nothing to deserve.