Free Indelible by Jove Belle Page A

overdone it. Luna had specified casual. She looked anything but casual.
    “It’s too much.”
    “No, it’s perfect. Leave it alone.”
    The doorbell rang as Angie reached for a washcloth.
    “She’s here.” Angie’s stomach fell. Eventually she’d have to figure out where it landed and put it back.
    “Yes, so stop fussing and go answer the door.” Tori pushed her out of the bathroom and toward the front door.
    Oliver and Jack waited in the living room, looking a bit too happy. Tori stood next to them and they all smiled ridiculously big at her. “Go on,” Tori made a shooing motion, “answer it.”
    Angie took a deep breath and turned the knob to find Luna grinning and thrusting out a bouquet of daisies. Beautiful and simple. They were perfect for a first date.
    “You’re here.” She sniffed the flowers and cursed herself for sounding like an idiot.
    “I am.” Luna looked around Angie into the house, but Angie didn’t invite her inside. She didn’t want to listen to anymore teasing from her family about Luna, now or in the future.
    Without looking, Angie held the flowers out behind her and asked, “Tori, will you put these in water for me?” When the flowers left her hand, she stepped out the front door and called out her good-byes over her shoulder.
    Luna held the gate open and ushered Angie onto the public sidewalk. There was no car—or motorcycle—in sight. “It’s a beautiful night. I thought you’d enjoy the walk.”
    Angie wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. If she left them at her side, would she accidentally brush against Luna? Would that be so bad? The dress didn’t have pockets, so that was out, and crossing her arms felt…wrong. Luna took Angie’s hand, effectively ending the internal debate. Angie savored the feel of Luna’s palm flush against hers—a perfect fit.
    “Mmm.” Angie breathed in the cool evening air. “Where are we going?”
    “Well,” Luna hesitated, “I didn’t want to take you to a restaurant since you spend so much time in one already. And a movie, while a fun way to pass the time, would get in the way of our actually talking, and that’s the whole point, right? Talking, getting to know each other.”
    Luna’s avoidance made Angie suspicious. “Okay,” she stretched the word out, making it last longer than its short four-letters worth, “but where are we going?”
    “My place,” Luna blurted. “I cooked dinner for you.”
    Angie didn’t respond immediately. Her brain was too busy rolling around the implications in Luna’s statement, trying to decide how she felt about it.
    “We can do something else if you want. It’s nothing fancy, very portable. We can have a picnic at the park, or—”
    Angie squeezed Luna’s hand. “I think it’s lovely.”
    “I think you’re lovely.” Luna sounded like a star-struck teenager.
    “Thank you.” Angie blushed.
    Rather than the leather pants Angie expected, Luna wore a pair of soft denim jeans with a broad studded belt. A chocolate-brown men’s button-down tucked in at the waist completed the look. The top two buttons were open. When Luna moved just right, Angie could see the hint of a tank top underneath.
    Luna murmured her thanks and they walked in silence for a few blocks. It wasn’t as awkward as Angie anticipated—first dates were always nerve-wracking, and she hadn’t been on one in so long that first-date jitters had grown outrageously in her memory. This felt different from what she expected. She was almost comfortable. Well, as comfortable as she could be with the constant surge of energy that ran between her and Luna.
    “I forgot to say thank you for the flowers. That was very thoughtful.”
    “I’m glad you liked them.” Luna led them through a narrow alleyway that ran alongside Coraggio. The path led to a small courtyard with a solitary set of stairs, which she ascended, still holding Angie’s hand, then unlocked the door. “Here we are.” Luna stood to the side and let Angie