When our hot chocolate arrived, and Mark thankfully moved away, our conversation took a different turn.

"What's your job?" Tobias surprised me with his question, as we'd more or less avoided finding out details about the other before. It suited me fine since I didn't have to think about how much I could reveal to him about myself, and now I was faced with the same dilemma again.

"I work in IT," I answered automatically, adding no details. I doubted there were many people around who worked with holograms, and I didn't want to expose myself.

"Really?" Tobias looked surprised for a moment. I didn't know why, though, or whether to take it as a bad sign. He obviously noticed my reaction to his surprise, so he quickly added, "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just find it impressive. Most people around me have more ordinary jobs if that makes sense?"

I nodded, picturing a group of hunters who were considered to be his entourage.

"What about you?" I couldn't help but ask the question. I assumed hunters had day jobs too, since hunting supernaturals probably hardly paid their bills.

"Nothing interesting. I help out at the bar in our neighbourhood." He shrugged. Again, he seemed uncomfortable with the topic, even though he'd started it himself, and I was beginning to find his personal life quite taboo for him. I knew why it was that way for me, but I couldn't stop wondering what was keeping him from confiding in me. Well, except for the detail that he couldn't tell me straight up that he was a hunter.

"Maybe I'll stop by with my friends sometime." I decided not to change the subject. Even though I didn't like seeing him timid, I wanted to know more about him.

"If you want," his reply was polite, "I'll warn you though, we probably won't be able to talk much."

"That's too bad," I replied automatically, a small smile appearing on his face, breaking through his sudden heaviness for a moment.

"I'm starting to get the feeling you want to spend more time with me," Tobias replied with a playful smile on his lips. We were flirting again, and this time he seemed to be more confident and definitely surer of himself than he was about his private life. He even leaned comfortably against the back of the chair behind him and draped his arm across it, looking supremely sexy in the process.

"Seriously? What gave that away?" I decided to reciprocate his flirting, even though it had once again taken us into dangerous territory.

"Well, wanting to talk to me even though your social skills aren't exactly the best is a dead giveaway," he stated in a serious tone, but I knew he wasn't really criticizing me. After all, he was no better when it came to keeping small talk.

"What can I say, you're making me outdo myself." I gave him a small but genuine smile. After all my words were true, but in a different sense. If he wasn't my mate, I would never have risked meeting him, let alone bonding with him.

"Glad I'm a good influence," he assured me, nodding, and the few wisps that fell into his face at that were immediately brought to my attention. Every second I spent with him was a painful reminder of how attractive he was no matter what.

"You sound like a good influence," I replied, and he immediately gave me a surprised look, as if he hadn't expected my words. "I know I can't estimate anything from the few days we've known each other, but you sound like a good person, Tobias. You're helping your sister and you're not only a loving brother but an uncle as well. You care about your family and that's the best first impression you can give someone." I had no idea where the need for sincerity came from, or if it was appropriate, but I couldn't help it.

"At least in my eyes," I added when he didn't answer right away.

"I-" Tobias was obviously taken aback and I had no idea if I'd overdone it, so all I could do was wait for him to find the words. His mouth was slightly ajar, and his eyes filled with an intensity of emotion that I couldn't quite identify.

However, I didn't have time to figure it out, as Tobias quickly ducked his head, blocking my view of his hickory eyes.

"I try," he said quietly. Then he cleared his throat and lifted his head back up, and I noticed immediately that something was different. The childlike playfulness in his eyes had been replaced by seriousness.

"Annie and I lost our parents quite early on and she decided right away that she would take care of me even though she was a child herself. We had a family that took care of us, but she was always a role model for me. Someone I could lean on. I'm just trying to repay her. And the same goes for her kids," he explained, and I was once again confronted with how amazing my mate was. Not only did he open up to me, but he did it with such sincerity that my heart clenched at the thought of little Tobias losing his parents. The wolf inside of me whimpered, sharing this pain, and we were both convinced in that moment that we would be a support system for Tobias. The same rock he was to Annie.

"You're so strong," I uttered without thinking. Still, I meant it with the utmost seriousness and had no idea how to put into words all that I had just felt.

The whole atmosphere between us changed and the feeling as if we had known each other forever became even stronger. At least in my case. Tobias decided to trust me, and I finally understood why he was uneasy whenever we talked about family.

This time there was nothing to stop me from putting my hand on his, which was on the table in front of me. Tobias seemed surprised by the gesture, but he didn't withdraw his hand, so I took it as a good sign.

"You're so kind to me," Tobias finally spoke, though the silence between us wasn't awkward and this time it was me who wasn't expecting his words.

"You've been nothing but nice to me from the beginning," I reminded him of the fact. "I'm just returning the favour." I gave him a genuine smile, letting him know there was more behind it, even if I didn't voice it.

"Well..." The corners of his mouth twitched up into a beaming smile, and the familiar warmth returned to his eyes. "Except for the ducks."

Honestly, if anyone had overheard our conversation today, they'd probably think we were crazy with the way we floated from serious conversation to playful and back and forth, but I wouldn't change it for anything.

"Yeah." I formed an exaggeratedly worried expression on my face that was fake from the first glance. "I'm gonna be traumatized by that for a very long time."

"What can I say, it's one of my charms," Tobias chuckled softly. The look in his eyes still suggested that he was well aware that for a moment he was sharing a part of himself that he wasn't letting just show on the surface often, but at the same time, he must have been pleased with my reaction as he continued the conversation and didn't look like he was going to run away in a moment.

After his confession, however, we did not return to the subject of the family, and I made no further attempt to bring it up myself. On the contrary. We talked about our hobbies, and our favourite food, and kept the conversation light.

And as the hot chocolate in our cups dwindled, Tobias' smile grew bigger and bigger. That is, until his phone rang, and he started to frown.

"Everything okay?" I couldn't help but ask.

Tobias gave me a brief glance before lowering his gaze back to his phone and biting his lip. "More or less. They need me at home."

His words made me sad, even though I understood them, but I tried not to let my disappointment fully show. I knew that tonight's date had to end sometime, and even though I ironically didn't want it to start at all, now I was sorry to have to say goodbye to him.

"So... next time?" slipped out of my mouth, and Tobias returned his full attention to me, though he still seemed slightly disturbed by the message he'd read.

"That is, if you want another date," I added.

"I'd love to," he admitted with a smile, and my cheeks immediately copied his.

His phone rang again shortly, and Tobias' eyes immediately went to it, reading the letters on the screen. Although he didn't feel the bond between us the way I did, he clearly had trouble leaving my presence, so I decided to push him. Not that I didn't want to spend more time with him, but it was the right thing to do.

"Go," I told him. "You have my number. Text me when you get a chance."

Tobias nodded immediately. "Okay. I can do that."

He got up immediately, although the speed with which he did so suggested that it was the last thing he wanted to do. To show him that I was okay with it, I got up as well and walked around him. I took a few steps and turned towards him, tilting my head slightly to the side. Tobias was at my side in a second and we left the cafe together.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped by the time we got outside.

"I had fun today," I told him with a genuine smile.

"Me too." He looked super cute as he shifted from foot to foot and again, I had an overwhelming urge to kiss him. However, before I let my desire consume my thoughts, I decided to compromise. I leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Text me," I reminded him as I pulled away.

"I will," he nodded in a small voice. His cheeks were a deep red again and the sight of him made it really hard for me to leave.

"See you." In the end, surprisingly, it was Tobias who choked out the last words before turning to leave. He obviously realised that he really had to go, and I couldn't help but watch him for a moment before turning to leave as well.

I was obviously crazy because after today I had no doubt that it would be extremely difficult to keep my distance from him.