Fangs, Fate & Other Bad Decisions Chapter 87

When we eventually make it to the beer tent after a few more purchases, I’m practically vibrating with anticipation at seeing his reaction when he tastes the food. The picnic tables are scattered around haphazardly, and we find one tucked away in a quieter corner. We sit side by side but not touching, with the food spread out before us like a small feast.

“So,” I say, teasing him as I pick up a crispy mozzarella stick and wave it at him like it's some kind of weapon. “First bite of street food. You ready?”

He eyes the oily, stringy, cheesy bite like it might bite him back. “I’m still not sure how I ended up here,” he mutters, watching me devour it with barely any effort. He’s so serious about it, which only makes me want to tease him even more.

“You’re here because *I* decided to educate you on culinary experiences,” I remind him, savoring every bite of my snack. “You can’t possibly say no. It’s practically a life experience.”

Thane stares at a hot dog right in front of him, his lips pressed into a thin line. I can tell he’s reluctant, but there’s something in his eyes that says he's intrigued. “This is food that’s meant to be eaten on the go, like this?” he asks skeptically.

I shrug. “Yep. Quick, messy, but totally worth it.”

With a sigh, he picks up the hot dog and, after a long pause, takes a small bite. His face is unreadable, but I can see the way his jaw moves, chewing the unfamiliar bite. I’m waiting for him to gag or at least grimace, but instead, he just swallows, his lips still pressed into that straight line.

“Not bad,” he mutters, sounding surprised.

I laugh, feeling a tiny victory in that. “I knew you’d come around,” I say smugly as I pick up a piece of churro and dangle it in front of him, my smile wide and teasing. "Here’s the real test," I say, wiggling it slightly. "If you can handle this, I might just consider you a true convert to market food." I hold it a little closer to his mouth, enjoying the way his eyes flicker with amusement and maybe something else.

He narrows his eyes playfully, his lips curling into a slight grin. “Is that so? Are you daring me to eat this sugary mess?” He leans in, his gaze never leaving mine as he wraps his fingers around the wrist of the hand that’s holding the churro with a little too much intention, the moment lingering between us for just a second too long.

His voice drops low, almost teasing, as he adds, “Guess I’ll have to show you I’m not as picky an eater as you think.”

I watch him closely as he bites into the churro, his eyes never leaving mine. There’s something deliberate in the way he moves—slow and controlled—and I feel the heat of his gaze settle on me like a weight. When his lips brush against my fingertips to get to the last bite, it’s just the slightest of touches, but it sends a jolt through me. My breath catches, and I can't help but notice how the simple act of him tasting this sweet, messy food feels so...intimate.

His eyes flicker with amusement, but there's an undercurrent of something else there too—something that makes my heart race, and I can't quite place it.

As I suddenly pull my hand from his grasp, I shake my head quickly, attempting to dispel the thoughts swirling in my mind and physically shake off the heat that’s creeping up my neck. Clearing my throat, I focus on a basket of bacon-loaded fries to stop the way my pulse quickens every time he looks at me like that. It’s ridiculous. I can’t let myself get distracted by something so simple—by something that feels so...charged.

I catch the smug glint in his eyes as he watches me, clearly enjoying my reaction a little too much. His lips curl up at the corners, and I can practically feel the teasing in the air. Damn it, he knows. He knows what he’s doing to me.

I roll my eyes, trying to shake off the effect he’s having on me. "You know," I start, forcing a light tone, "if you keep looking at me like that, I might just start thinking you're actually enjoying this."

I smile, but it feels a little too tight, like I’m trying to shove the tension back down where it belongs. Hopefully, he’ll take the bait and let me off the hook for a second.

Thane’s lips twitch at the corner, like he's holding back a smile or maybe even a laugh at my deflection. He takes another bite of a churro he picks up, his eyes never leaving mine, but this time there's something different in his gaze—something that makes my pulse spike yet again, but for another reason.

"Is that so?" he murmurs, his voice low and smooth, as if he’s savoring the moment—savoring *me*. His gaze flickers down to my lips, and then back to my eyes, like he's toying with the idea of saying something more.

I quickly look away again, my mind racing to avoid going anywhere near the dangerous territory that’s suddenly flooding in. It’s as if he can read my thoughts, and I can feel his smirk even without seeing it.

"Never mind," I mutter to myself, my voice barely above a whisper, as I focus on something—*anything*—other than him.

But the way his gaze lingers on me is enough to make my skin feel too tight, my body responding to his presence more than I care to admit. I take a deep breath, trying to push the thoughts down, but they keep creeping up, making everything feel a little more intense than I want it to.

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Over the next hour, we continue to feed each other sporadically. Mostly because I’m constantly urging him to try new things, while he insists on a *quid pro quo* system. But by the fifth bite, the mood starts shifting. Instead of playful teasing, there’s a subtle change in the way he watches me. His gaze lingers a little too long, and when he holds out a piece of glazed donut for me to try, his thumb brushes against my bottom lip, lingering for just a moment longer than necessary.

When he feeds me a piece of golden corn dog, a few minutes later, my heart skips a beat as he pops the broken-off piece into my mouth. And for a brief moment, I forget where I am as the world around us blurs into the background. His gaze darkens just slightly, and I feel a flutter of heat rush through me. The food seems to be the least important thing now, and the electric tension between us is impossible to ignore.

“Not so bad, huh?” I murmur, my voice softer now, matching the sudden change in the atmosphere.

Thane doesn’t answer at first. He’s watching me, his gaze flickering between my lips and my eyes. Then, with a slight smirk, he replies, “You were right. I can’t deny that.”

I can’t stop the playful grin that spreads across my face. “I told you,” I start, my voice low and teasing, “I’d be a good influence.”

But before he can say anything, I pop a piece of honeycomb into my mouth and offer him some as well. This time, I hold it a little closer to his lips, waiting for him to take it, my pulse racing from our closeness. The way he stares at me as he wraps his lips around the piece, sucks it into his mouth, and then eats it, is intoxicating.

Finally, Thane clears his throat and sits back a bit, his demeanor still composed, but the atmosphere between us is much heavier than it was before. He doesn’t take his eyes off me as his lips curl slightly. “So, where to next?” he asks, his voice still steady but with an underlying tension I can’t ignore.

I lean in slightly, a mischievous glint in my eyes. “*Now*, we're going to do my weekly grocery shopping,” I say, smiling like a deviant, as I stand up and grab the now much lighter beer box.