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Page 16 of Ra (The Scarab Prophecy #1)

Azi took a few seconds to sit and soak in what he’d just said.

She took in his face and the classic beauty there.

She took in his chest and shoulders, sitting so perfectly postured across from her.

Lastly she took in the intense look in his eyes as he patiently allowed her to look her fill.

“You still haven’t figured it out, have you? ”

“Figured what out?” she asked, her voice a little less confident.

“I do not have a desire to interact with any woman who is not you. You are my dear Azenath, and I am your dear god.”

Azi’s mouth dropped open just a little.

He smiled at her and turned to look out over the buffet tables of food.

“You cannot possibly still be hungry.”

“Do they offer the cheesy cakes?”

“Cheesy… oh! Cheesecake.”

“Yes. I want cheesy cake.”

“I’ll go get some for us.”

He gave her a single nod and remained seated as she got up and started across the restaurant toward the dessert tables.

The moment she was out of earshot, he leaned across their table to gain the attention of the men seated at the table behind Azi.

“If you do not stop staring at my woman as she walks away, I will remove your eyes from your worthless skull and have them for dessert!” he growled.

The man with his back to him turned quickly to see who threatened them. “Are you threatening us?”

“Yes.”

“We are not even looking at your woman!” he objected.

“You are not, but you are treading dangerously near to joining your friend in being sightless.”

“He’s not looking at her either.”

Ra glared at his friend, who simply grinned at him.

“She’s a beautiful woman, with an idiot for a dining companion. She deserves more,” the friend said.

“She has all she needs. Stop staring so salaciously at her, otherwise I will see to it that you no longer see a single thing, least of all my woman.”

The man’s gaze flicked from Ra to the left and Ra looked up in time to see Azi coming back toward their table carrying two large plates.

“I couldn’t decide which I wanted so I got several to choose from,” she said as she put the plates on the table and sat down, oblivious to the man at the table behind her, staring daringly at Ra.

“What would you like to try first?”

“I will save the cheesy cakes for last. I want that one,” he said, pointing to a dessert made with lemon curd and phyllo dough.

“Oh, good choice. That’s one of my favorites, too.”

They sat, sharing and enjoying the selection of desserts she’d brought back to the table, and every time she looked down at the plate to choose another, he lifted his upper lip at the man who was now making no effort to hide his appreciation for Azi’s appearance.

A short while later both men rose from their table and headed for the door, but the one who’d dared to look desiringly at Azi stopped in his tracks and came back to the table.

He completely ignored Ra as he smiled down at Azi.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t leave without letting you know how beautiful I find you. ”

Azi looked up at the man, then around as though he might be talking to someone else instead of her.

“He is speaking to you, dear Azi,” Ra said.

Azi looked surprised, then looked up at him. “Oh, well, thank you.” She was clearly uncomfortable with the praise.

“If you ever find yourself available, perhaps you would be so kind as to reach out to me. I would be honored to escort you anywhere you wish to go,” he said, holding out a business card for her to take from his hand.

Ra was just about ready to snatch it from his hand and tear it to bits, but Azi’s next move stopped him, and made him very proud.

Azi gazed dispassionately at the card in his hand, then up at his face. “Thank you, but I don’t think I’ll be needing your card.”

“You might be surprised.”

“I’m sure I wouldn’t. You have no idea who we are, nor what our connection is,” she said, gesturing between herself and Ra, “Any man who would disrespect another so blatantly, is a man that I’m not interested in knowing.”

The man pressed his lips together irritatedly, and seemed about to lose his temper — until Ra slowly stood up. He towered over the man by at least four inches, and the simple non-shakeable confidence Ra carried naturally was enough for the man to decide it wasn’t worth it.

“Your loss,” he said as he turned and stalked away.

“I shall kill him for you,” Ra said, making a move to follow the man.

“No!” Azi said, catching his hand in hers and tugging him back toward the table. “Not necessary. We haven’t had our cheesecake yet. He’s not worth wasting a perfectly good piece of cheesecake.”

“You are.”

“And I’m still sitting here.”

“I don’t like men looking at you.”

She sighed, and looked him directly in the eyes. “Honestly, I didn’t much like the women showering you with attention either.”

Ra went from scowling to grinning. “Truthfully?!” he asked, excitedly.

“Unfortunately,” she said, shaking her head. “But I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then we won’t discuss it. We will eat cheesy cake!”

“Alright, then,” she said, taking a small bite of the piece of cheesecake they were sharing.

“What will we do after we share the cheesy cake?” Ra asked.

“We will go home. I have so much to see to before my presentation at the university.”

“We will go home!” he said triumphantly. “What is that?” he asked, pointing to a small pastry on one of the plates.

“It’s a cherry tart.”

“I will eat it.”

“And I’ll eat this one,” she said, picking up one just like it. She held it up and out toward him.

Ra looked at her, confused.

“You hold yours out and tap it against mine. It’s a way to wish one another luck. Usually with wine, but…”

“We don’t drink wine!” he insisted happily, reminding her of one of the first things she taught him.

Azi laughed. “No, we don’t. But we’ll eat the desserts we’re offered.”

Ra picked up his cherry tart and tapped it gently against hers. “I wish you all good blessings, dear Azenath.”

“And I wish you all good blessings as well, dear Ra.”

‘Dear god,” he corrected.

Azi laughed, and he smiled at her as he popped the tart into his mouth and chewed appreciatively.

“Good, huh?” she asked.

“We need that and the cheesy cake.”

“They do make a cherry cheesecake. It has cherries spooned on top of it.”

“Here? They have that here?”

“No, but I know where to find one.”

“We must hurry and get one before we go home to work.”

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