The Half-Giant's Guide to Seeing the Future

The Day I Was Asked On My First Date

Once the dragons were gone, the halfants parted ways with Emma and made their way back to their base. I followed them back, and no one mentioned how I'd run off until I reached the entrance of the compound, and Alana caught my wrist. 

Her fingers were gloved, or I was sure she might have jumped at the contact. I'd seen her extremely rattled by touch before, so I was sure she wasn't grabbing me without purpose. She'd probably donned the gloves to avoid her bare skin touching the giants. 

Her voice was a deadly whisper. "If you ever go missing and I find out you were just playing hooky again, there will be serious consequences. Gorgon's Keep isn't the only place in Jontun with cells."

She let go of my wrist, and I rubbed circulation back into my hand. When she wanted to, Alana had a lethal vice grip. She waited for me to walk into the compound first before following me inside. 

The other halfants had already vacated the lobby. Only Moreno sat in the front room on camera duty. He lit up with a smile as we approached. Alana scowled and walked past him towards the barracks. 

"You're back," Moreno said to me and twirled in his chair in front of all the screens. 

He wore a simple black shirt and jeans, which almost made him look human. Half of his hair had tumbled out of his man bun and it curled around his ears and stopped at his shoulder blades. His bronze eyes met hers and he gave her a wicked smile. 

"Not like you were on guard duty," I said. "It's Gayle's fault you halfants lost track of me."

He looked me in the eye and I left instantly locked in his gaze. There was something between us like gravity that kept drawing me back to him. My cheeks heated as he stood. 

"Do you hate me?" He asked. 

The question caught me off guard. I looked Moreno up and down for any hint that he was joking, but his expression remained the same. The devil danced in his eyes as his words rolled through my mind again.  

I shook my head. "Of course not, Moreno."

"But you enjoy making my occupation more difficult?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"I went home," I said. "I've been to the Oakeley ranch a hundred times, Moreno."

He stiffened. "Don't leave without me again, Terri, please."

"You can't keep me prisoner here," I said. 

He actually had the gall to nod at me. "I don't plan to, Terri. In fact, if you're agreeable, I'd love to take you out of the compound for a date tonight."

My jaw dropped to the floor. Moreno asked me out. I felt like my brain was short-circuiting. There he was, staring at me, and I hoped I wasn't drooling in disbelief. 

What did one even do if a man asked them out? Jilly had more experience in this than I did. How embarrassing was it that my younger stepsister would know what to do when I just froze? I tried to breathe, and my lungs were heavy. 

"Um-" It was the only sound I could make as I tried to retrieve my mouth from where it had fallen. 

"This isn't a bribe if that's what you're thinking," Moreno said. "We can leave the compound without it being a date, of course."

Was he blushing? I bit the inside of my cheek, and I realized that he was as nervous as I was. How many girls had he ever asked out?

"Moreno," I said. "I wouldn't mind going out on a date."

He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh... I wasn't actually sure you'd say yes. I mean, I saw a chance and..."

I smiled. "It's okay, Moreno. What time should I meet you here?"