Dragon Heartstring(12)

I gave her a look and hurried out the door. “So, where to?” I asked once out on the street.

“Wherever you like,” he said. “Sicero’s is not far from here.”

Sicero’s was an elegant, posh, and crazy expensive restaurant I’d never stepped foot in.

“Hmm, why don’t we go a bit more casual if you don’t mind? The bistro on the corner is quite good.”

“The bistro it is then.”

We walked along Sable Street in silence. I glanced over and caught him staring. “Mr. Cade, you’re examining me. And it’s a little unnerving.”

More like a lot.

“Sorry. I guess I was just expecting different attire for a healer.”

I glanced down at my v-cut sapphire blouse and A-line black skirt that swished just above my knees. “I suppose you expected a white cloak and comfy, ugly shoes.”

“Perhaps I did.”

He opened the door for me when we stepped up to the bistro. I took the lead to the corner booth that had more privacy. He slid into the seat across from me as I shifted my wings to a comfortable position.

“Well, if you’re not going to ask me, then I’ll tell you.”

“Tell me what?” he asked.

“You’re wondering about the healing process, I imagine. And why I might choose to wear regular clothes rather than a protective coat.”

He nodded and waited.

“First of all, we rarely get serious injuries in the clinic. The people of Gladium still prefer the larger hospitals for such injuries. But even those that come in with heavy bleeding, you must understand that an Icewing healer is not a surgeon. There is no need for protective wear.”

Our clan had kept our ability to heal a secret for a long time. And while the fact that we were open to human patients was still rather unknown, the secret was slowly leaking out about our extraordinary gifts. It wasn’t that we were trying to be mysterious. Only, we knew that our supernatural healing ability would not be accepted by everyone, and it was better to be as quiet as possible not to draw unwanted attention.

“I suppose the idea is just so foreign from what I know,” he admitted.

“I understand.”

A pretty brunette stepped up to the table. “Hi, how are you?” she greeted robotically till her gaze landed on Demetrius. She did a double-take then pulled out her comm tablet. “Um, may I get you something to drink?” Her stylus trembled in her hand as she smiled brightly.

“Berry tea, please,” I said.

“Water is fine.”

She tapped on her comm and said, “I’ll just give you a few minutes to look at the menu.” Then she vanished behind the deli bar in a flash.

“Does that always happen to you?” I asked. “Everywhere you go?”

He picked up the menu and opened it. “What’s that?”

I did the same but scoffed. “For a smart man, you seem to be unaware of your surroundings.”

He paused, a familiar frown pinching his brow as he glanced around the room. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, the poor waitress. You nearly gave her a heart attack.”

“Me? What did I do?”

I laughed. “You cannot be so oblivious to your effect on women.”

Why did I say that? Now he was honing in on me with that heavy stare.

“What effect might that be?” he asked casually, while his gaze was anything but casual.

“I think you’re playing dumb, but since you’re being persistently ignorant about it, that waitress just about died when she saw who you were.”

He laughed. “That? It’s nothing. It’s just because of my family name. And yes, I get that reaction from time to time.”

“It’s not because of your family name,” I mumbled behind my menu.

That was a mistake. He stretched an arm across the table and flattened my menu on the table. “So what is it?”

“I think you know.”

“I thought I did, but you’re saying I’m wrong. Speak up.”

Wondering why I’d opened my big mouth, I shrugged with a nervous laugh. Not answering would be rude, but I couldn’t think up anything to say other than the truth. It was just stuck in my throat.

His expression darkened. “I can’t separate myself from my name or my money, and I know what most people think of both. If it bothers you so much, I’m not sure why you decided to come to lunch with me.”

How did this turn so bad so fast? He truly didn’t know. Time to enlighten Mr. Demetrius Cade.

“It’s not your name or your money. Well, maybe it is, but it’s more than that.”

He arched a dark brow and waited.

“It’s all of you. You’re rather…intriguing. And sort of, well, handsome.”

Clearing my throat, I went back to perusing for what I wanted to order. He made absolutely no reply, which made me more anxious than if he’d teased me for it. “And how were you so sure I’d be free for lunch?” I asked, distracting him from the other point of the conversation.

“I wasn’t.”

“How did you know I’d even join you if I was free?”

“I didn’t.”

“What if I was unavailable?”

“Then I suppose I would’ve dined alone.” He leveled his dark eyes at me. “But I’m glad you did come.”