Giancarlo took a bite of the tiramisu, stabbing his fork through the dusting of chocolate powder and into the creamy mascarpone to cover a flash of insecurity as he asked, “You do have feelings for me, tu no? You would not be so foolish as to claim me in front of the vampire factions and put me, my ristorante and yourself in danger without your heart being at least a little bit engaged ... right?”

“Giancarlo.” Joseph didn’t like tiramisu, but he’d rip his own tongue out before turning down an offering from his intended mate, so he took a small bite, nodded in appreciation of the flavor then vehemently reassured him, “I’ve been after you for years. Years. And not just cos you make the best food I’ve ever tasted or cos you’re pretty enough to make a fella believe in angels but for everything else amazing about you.”

He blew out a deep breath. “Beauty, my heart isn’t just engaged, it’s ready to be full on yours if you want it. If you’d take it. Yours. Anything and everything you want from me. Yours.”

“Ah. Well.” Giancarlo flushed an enticing shade of pink, uncharacteristically vulnerable and stammering over his words. “I suppose I’ll have to wait and see. After all, it’s easy to say such a thing when your clan is on the brink of war and you need me to uphold a lie.”

“Is it a lie?” Joseph’s pale eyes sparked red in challenge. “Didn’t feel like a lie to me, not with how easy it is to call you mine, not with how sweet you snuggled into me like you’ve been just waiting for a chance to sit on my lap.”

“Whether or not I want to sit on your lap has nothing to do with whether or not I am willing to indulge your mate claim.” Giancarlo stuck his pert nose in the air and sniffed loudly. “Just like how I feel about the size of your thighs and all those bulky muscles has nothing to do with how I feel about your recklessness tonight.”

“That sure was a whole lotta words to not actually answer my question, baby doll.” Joseph had lived a long time, had seen generations of humans born and live and die and had observed their behavior for decades. He’d never encountered anyone as beautifully, frustratingly captivating as Giancarlo, but the vampire still knew enough to know when someone was dodging a question.

“Was it a lie?” he prodded the flustered chef. “Was the way you went all trusting and sweet in my arms just for show, or was me calling you my mate the truth, and now we just gotta work out the details?”

Giancarlo’s throat jerked as he swallowed, and Joseph went quiet waiting, content to draw the moment out as long as it took to get some honesty from his mate.

“You will have to spoil me.” Finally, Giancarlo repeated his first demand in a near whisper, shy and smitten as he stirred his fork in small circles through the creamy dessert. “I have a reputation to uphold and if you are going to court me, you must do so to my standards.”

“And I don’t plan to make it easy for you.” He rushed to add before the vampire could speak. “I am not some bartering chip in your grasp for power and I will not be treated as such.”

“Never.” Joseph promised hoarsely, scarcely believing Giancarlo was saying yes. “I’ll treat ya right. Spoil you. Court you. Buy you presents and tell you every single day how damn beautiful you are, how good you smell and how the sound of your heartbeat racing up all excited when I smile at you is better than all the music I’ve ever heard in my damn life.”

“Oh.” Giancarlo’s fingers fluttered towards his throat, and he squeaked another, “Oh!” when the vampire’s eyes locked on tinting scarlet in blatant want.

“You can make it as hard as you want.” Joseph spread his thighs shamelessly, grinning over the double entendre. “I’m still gonna chase you. I should have properly chased you before all this, but I’m not gonna waste another second waiting to start. You’re willing to give me a chance, so I’ll put my whole soul into every single second of the hunt.”

“The hunt.” Giancarlo reached across the table to wipe chocolate dust off Joseph’s top lip, his breath audibly catching when the vampire turned his head to nip at the tip of his finger. “As -- as if I am prey.”

“Nah, beauty.” Joseph turned further to nose into Giancarlo’s palm, inhaling the faint scent of savory spices and the hint of bittersweet cocoa. “Not as if you’re my prey. As if you’re the other half of my heart and I’m just now brave enough to do somethin’ about it.”

“We’ll just wait and see.” Giancarlo breathed and Joseph nodded slowly, wove their fingers together and lifted Giancarlo’s knuckles to his mouth for an adoring kiss.

“I won’t make you wait long.”