AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stare at the menu, written in a language I’m not familiar with. “I don’t know what any of this is. Will you order for me?”
“What are you in the mood for?” I stare at him with a smirk. Ty sets the menu down, returning the same energy I’m giving him. “If you’re not careful, I’ll shut this entire restaurant down just so we can make love on this table.”
“What makes you so sure I want to be careful?”
Out of nowhere, a young blonde server appears, offering a warm smile and speaking a language I don’t understand. Ty clears his throat before answering. He points at an item on the menu, ordering in Norwegian. When she walks away, I have no idea what he ordered, and I’m okay with it.
“I hope you like pig snout,” he says, showing the dimples.
“Pig snout. As in pig nose?” I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but no.
The server returns, carrying a bottle of champagne, two empty glasses, and a glass of ice water. She sets the water and one empty glass in front of me, pouring champagne into Ty’s glass.
“Your meal will be out soon,” she says in broken English. I appreciate her attempt.
“Thank you,” I answer. She turns with a smile.
“Would you care for any champagne?”
For me in the past, alcohol represented being out of my head. Not being in control. It’s the reason I’ve never taken a drink. Looking at the ice giant in front of me, his warm gaze gives me confidence and security like I’ve never experienced before, and I decide to take the plunge. “Yes. I would.”
Ty barely covers the bottom of my glass with the soft pink liquid. “You might want to start slow,” he warns.
Lifting the glass to my lips, the bubbles tickle my nose, making me scratch like a toddler. The first sip is so small that it barely makes it past my lips. The second is larger and fills my mouth with airy bubbles. I glance at Ty, who is watching me like I’m opening a present he purchased.
“Well?”
“It’s not bad,” I answer, taking another drink. This time, the bubbles tickle my throat as they slide down. “Actually, I like it.”
“Good.” He fills my glass to a respectable level.
Minutes later, the server returns, setting a plate in front of each of us. Thankfully, there’s not a pig snout on my plate. Instead, a beautiful filet covered in butter sauce alongside asparagus and potatoes makes me salivate.
I fill Ty’s ears with stories of my childhood as we eat, entertaining him with my reclusiveness. “What about you?” I ask.
“What about me?”
“Tell me about your life.”
Ty slides back in his chair, covering his empty plate with his napkin. “My life has been long. Many times it was good, and many times, it wasn’t. For the past millennia, I’ve been alone, the last of my kind—or so I thought.”
I reach over, laying my hand on top of his. “You’re not alone anymore.” I’m still in awe of where this brave, flirtatious, alcohol-drinking woman came from.
“I’m not alone anymore,” he echoes. “How about a walk?”
“I’d like that.”
He stands, pulling my chair out before I have a chance to move. Seconds later, I’m wrapped back in my coat, and we’re heading outside. The sun has completely set, leaving an eerie glow over the mountains. I take a deep breath, noticing how clean the air feels. “Have you always lived in Norway? You said you were formed here, but I’m curious if you’ve been here the entire time.”
“Most of the time. I’ve changed homes periodically and lived in other countries several times, but Norway is where I call home.”
I lace my arm through his as we walk along the sidewalk. The city of Oslo is huge, but this street reminds me of a quaint village where the streets are lined with stores of every kind. I pull him to a stop in front of a crystal store. In the window is the exact replica of the crystal I have in my penthouse, only smaller.
He follows my line of sight. “That is a replica of the stone of Brimir. Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Brimir? The ancestor of all jotunn?” My words surprise him.
“Yes. Norse mythology says that Brimir birthed male and female from his armpits.”
