As usual, I found it impossible to keep my mouth shut. “You know how offensive that is, right?”
“But that’s what they are.” Johnson set his own glass down, his expression confused. “They’re half-human.”
“But it’s considered a derogatory term.”
I couldn’t believe I had to tell him this. Then again, maybe it wasn’t common knowledge among humans who didn’t come into the District to socialize. Maybe Johnson really didn’t know how insulting it was.
“I honestly never thought about it before,” he finally said. “I just thought since they were half-human it was a normal term. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
I relaxed, and when the bartender turned—after taking a really long time getting the bottle of rum—he caught my eye and gave me a small wink. He also poured me extra.
“You forgive me?” Johnson asked, holding his glass up, an apologetic pout on his lips.
“I forgive you,” I said, clinking my glass against his.
We drank in amicable silence for a few seconds, Johnson studying me while I tried to avoid his gaze. He had me suddenly very aware of how attractive he was, but also of how long it had been since I’d dated. I’d gone out with one guy after the Veilorian, but it had only lasted for about three months. He’d been nice enough, and I’d even slept with him a few times, but he’d flipped out when he learned Ione was seeing one of the visitors. Technically, he’d dumped me, but I hadn’t cared. I would have dumped his ass anyway after all the shit he said about my cousin.
I’d just set my glass down when Johnson let out a low whistle.
“That asshole really got you good.” He took my arm, his fingers gentle as he turned it over to inspect the scratches the prick outside the gate had given me.
It was the first time he’d touched me like this, and his warm skin against mine sent a jolt through me that made my heart flutter. As if sensing it, he looked up, his hand still on my arm as his gaze held mine. For a second, I wondered if I was trapped in some sappy romantic movie, because it literally felt as if everyone in the room disappeared. It was just Johnson and me, his skin warming mine, his smile making my heart beat faster.
I extracted my arm from his grasp and shrugged, trying to hide the ridiculous thoughts going through my head. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It could have been worse.” His smile faded. “You really need to think about not coming here for a while.”
“I’m not going to ditch my cousin.”
“Ava,” Johnson sighed, “I’m not telling you to ditch Ione. I’m just saying things are a little crazy right now.”
“You don’t think I know that? I watch the news, Johnson.”
He frowned and gave a small shake of his head. “I just realized you don’t even know my name.”
“I—” I paused and thought it through, then mimicked him by shaking my own head. “I hadn’t really thought about you having a name other than Johnson until now.”
His frown deepened. “Dean. My first name is Dean.”
He was upset. I should have realized he would be—it was now very obvious he was interested in me—but it hadn’t occurred to me. Until the moment he took the seat beside me the bar, I hadn’t thought of him as anything more than the guy at the gate.
I raised my glass, hoping to massage his bruised ego with the big smile I flashed his way. “Nice to meet you, Dean.”
“Nice to meet you.” His lips turned up into a grin. “Ava.”
I shivered at the way he practically whispered my name, but it was more because I was remembering the way it had sounded on Finn’s lips. Which was nuts.
When I clinked my glass against Dean’s, his gaze once again captured mine, holding it as we both took a drink, and all thoughts of the moody half-human fizzled out.
“Ava?” My cousin’s voice jolted me from my trance, and I spun to find her heading my way, her mouth stretched into a wide smile.
Rye was at her back, also smiling, and next to him was Finn. Of course. Was I cursed to have him appear every time he popped into my head? Based on today, I was starting to think so.
His citrine eyes took me in, as guarded as ever, before flicking to Dean. Finn’s expression hardened and he pressed his lips together thoughtfully when he’d once again focused on me, and despite the fact that he irritated the hell out of me and I’d just been mesmerized by Dean’s gaze, there was something about the half-human that had every inch of me tingling and sparking from the inside out.
“What are you doing here?” Ione asked when she was in front of me.
“Getting a drink.” I motioned to my glass before downing the rest, trying to wash away my unease with Veilorian rum.
Already I could feel the effects of the two drinks I’d had, but that didn’t stop me from trying to catch the bartender’s eye.
“And Johnson,” Ione gushed.
“Dean,” he raised his glass to Ione, “call me Dean.”
“Good to see you out of uniform, Dean,” she said in a bubbly voice.
My gaze flicked to my cousin. I knew that tone, knew what she was thinking and that she was about to switch to matchmaker mode. It wasn’t like I was opposed to the idea of Dean, not really, but something about having my cousin try to set me up with a guard in front of Finn made my stomach flip.
What the hell was going on with me?
“Here you go.” I turned as the bartender refilled my glass.
He didn’t wink like before, but he did give me what I could only interpret as an appreciative look.
“Thanks,” I said.
He nodded once then focused on the rest of our party. “Rum all around?”
“I’m going to need a big one,” Finn muttered as he headed to a seat, leaving
