Page 57 of The Compass Series

AALIYAH

I wasn’t completely sure I wasn’t suffering from a mental breakdown seeing how I agreed to fall in love with a superhero for the remainder of the night.

The whole situation seemed bizarre in the best kind of way.

Potentially falling in love with someone in such a short timeframe sent a certain excitement coursing through me.

It seemed almost unrealistic, which made the concept that much more intriguing.

It had taken me over ten months before I told Mario I loved him.

I didn’t give love so freely. Captain knew that about me because he’d mentioned it when he read me.

I found it interesting that he believed he could make me fall in love with him in so little time.

Thank goodness we lived in the city that never slept because even though it was past midnight, we had so many adventures we could take part in.

“Okay, so how about we do it this way: we each pick two places to take one another. One is a place we love, and the other is a place we think the other would love. We share these moments with each other as we dive deeper to get to know one another,” Captain suggested.

“Sounds good. Who goes first?”

“Ladies first.”

“Ah yes, that Southern hospitality thing.”

“I stand by it when it comes to respecting females.” He rubbed his hands together. “So, what’s up first?”

I wanted to take time to figure out a place I thought he’d love, so I figured it was best to start with a personal favorite of mine. Plus, my rumbling stomach was a clear indication that the first trip should include food of some sort.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

“Could always eat.”

I grinned, excited to take him to my favorite spot in town for my favorite food. “Have you ever heard of Grant’s Wings?”

“Never.”

“Well, my friend, you’re in for a treat. Let’s get on the subway and go.” Even though I had my own Metro pass, Captain made sure to swipe his for me. Being on the subway on a regular day was one thing, but riding it on Halloween night was a completely different experience.

We were lucky enough to score a pair of seats beside one another, and the people watching was beyond compare.

There were so many different costumes, so many expressions of creativity that it was almost impossible to look away.

Most of the time, I was a professional at minding my own business, but that night, I wanted to take everyone in.

“I think the one-night stand is the winner for me,” Captain whispered, leaning into me.

I looked to my left to see a man wearing a box shaped like a nightstand, with a lamp shade on his head.

The words ‘one-night stand’ were written across the fabric covering the box, and condoms were tossed over it.

I snickered. “I don’t know, the cereal killer is kind of calling out to me.” I gestured to my right, where a man was wearing a T-shirt covered in red stains, mini boxes of cereal attached with plastic knives going through said boxes.

“Oh, okay, a good contender. But I think we can both agree that cat ears is a bit lazy, no?”

“Absolutely, but she’s wearing them with pride. Can’t fault her for that.” As we came to a stop, an older woman dressed as a slice of pizza climbed onto the subway. Without hesitation, Captain stood to give her his seat, taking hold of the standing pole in front of us.

She sat down beside me and heard the rumbling of my stomach. I placed my hands against my angry belly and smiled at her, silently apologizing for the noise.

Her stern look pierced into me as she pointed a finger. “Don’t you dare try to eat me, you psychopath,” she warned. At first I thought she was joking but she dramatically turned her back toward me and huffed in irritation. Then she went on mumbling to herself nonstop.

I looked up just in time to find Captain holding in his laughter that was about to burst out of him.

“Shut up,” I mouthed, and he turned away and released his loud chuckles, unable to control himself. I couldn’t even be annoyed by the random rude lady who was offered a seat. Captain’s laughter made me forget about anything else in the world.

I loved the way he laughed, as if he was tickled to his core. His laughter was the kind that made you want to snicker, too.

When we got to our stop, he gave me his hand to help me up from my seat. Then he turned to pizza lady. “Sorry she was going to eat you,” he stated, making me swat his arm.

Pizza lady replied, “It’s because she’s a psychopath.” Then she went back to her mindless muttering.

Only in New York.

Once we were off the subway, he dropped my hand and looked at me with so much concern.

“Why were you going to eat that woman, Red? Is it because you hung out with the bad wolf a little too much? Eating people seems more of his avenue of choice. Also, if you are thinking of taking me to your favorite spot to eat right now just as a way to fatten me up, I need you to know I’m pretty lean on fat. All muscle.”

He flexed like a nerd, and I blushed like a schoolgirl.

Sure, he was being silly and dramatic, but my gosh, his biceps on biceps pretty much proved his point about him being all muscle.

I rolled my eyes. “If I were going to eat a Marvel character, it definitely wouldn’t be you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Wait, what? You wouldn’t pick me?” he asked, seemingly offended.

“You’re upset that I wouldn’t eat you?”

He grimaced a bit and nodded as we walked down the street. “Well, kind of. I mean, what the hell? Who would you eat first?”

“Are we really having a conversation about me being a cannibal?”

“We absolutely are. Now, come on, fess up—who would you be eating?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Thanos, probably.”

“ Thanos?! ” he shouted, causing a few bystanders to look our way. Of course, they quickly looked away because New York.

“Don’t shout. People are looking!” I whispered, nudging him in the side.

“They should be looking!” he kept hollering. “You just said you would eat Thanos!”

“I did, and I stand by that. Sure, he’s a super villain who tried to kill half of the planet, but he’s a bigger guy, which means more meat to consume. Plus, I like darker meat.”

“He’s not dark meat, Red. He’s freaking purple.”

“I’m just saying he’s my choice. I don’t have to explain my cannibalism to you.”

He released a hot breath of air, shaking his head back and forth. “It disgusts me that you would choose the world’s most hated villain over the best superhero.”

I laughed out loud. “The world’s best hero? Don’t flatter yourself.”

“What?!” He gasped again, still loud as day. “Are you kidding me? I’m Captain America! Doer of good!”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make you the best. Your moral compass often gets in your way. You can’t be good all the time. But don’t worry—you are at least in the top ten of best superheroes.”

“I hear what you’re saying, but it doesn’t soothe my bruised heart.”

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by claiming I wouldn’t eat you.”

“It’s okay. I forgive you. Not everyone in life makes good choices, but I just want you to know one thing before we continue this walk.

” He placed his hands on my shoulders, pausing my steps, locking his beautiful blue eyes with mine as he gave me the most serious tone he’d delivered all evening. “I would eat the hell out of you.”

A pool of heat filled me up as his words simmered in my head and in my lower region. “Is that a sexual reference?”

“What? No. All I’m saying is that I would willingly eat you.” He cocked a brow with a smug smirk. “I would eat you…all…night…long.”

I shoved him away from me and continued walking. “You’re annoying.”

“Maybe you should eat me to shut me up.”

“No, I’m going to feed you to shut you up,” I explained right as we stopped in front of Grant’s Wings. “Welcome to Grant’s. This, my friend, is where all dreams come true.” I gestured toward the small restaurant as if we’d just found our way to Disney World.

Captain got a goofy look on his face, and I was learning fast that whenever he got a goofy stare, his mind was thinking something ridiculous.

I sighed. “What is it?”

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just that you called me friend.”

“Oh gosh. Don’t let it go to your head.”

“I’m not. I mean, I am, but I’m not. All I’m saying is that we’ve already progressed from perfect strangers to friends.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gave me a tight squeeze. “And everyone knows every great love story begins with friendship. Ask Harry and Sally.”

He ordered three different types of wings, and I was deeply offended when he got boneless.

‘Boneless wings’ was just a code word for chicken nuggets.

He watched me as I taught him how to successfully remove all the meat from the bone of a wing, and then I sucked it down, cleaning the bone completely with one swipe.

Captain’s eyes were wide with amazement as he witnessed me taking care of the bone. “I know that wasn’t supposed to be a sexual experience for me, but holy shit, that was quite the sexual experience.”

I smirked and shrugged, grabbing another wing and pushing the meat down the bones. “What can I say? I’m good with my mouth.”

His eyes widened with intrigue. “Is that a sexual reference?” he asked, using the question I’d asked him before we walked into the restaurant.

“What? No. All I’m saying is I’m good at sucking.” After my words, I sucked the chicken wing clean then slowly licked my fingertips, one at a time, very, very slowly because I knew he was watching.

“You’re a damn tease,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Says the man who talked about eating me all night long.”

“Touché, Red. Touché.”

He slightly readjusted his superhero suit below his waist, and I couldn’t help but think that my small actions might’ve actually awakened something in him.

I didn’t know why, but that idea kind of made me smile.

I liked the idea I was able to turn him on, even if it was from just eating a freaking chicken wing.