Simon went over to Jace and dropped the soup can into the cart. "So what was that all about?"
"I think," Jace said, "that she asked if she could touch my mango."
"She said that?" Simon could hardly believe his own ears, though there was no doubt that he'd heard it wrong, with his new vibrant senses. He was filled to the brim with anger and jealousy at this.
Jace shrugged.
Just a shrug? How can you be so nonchalant? She asked if she could touch your mango, Simon thought. "I wish I could touch your mango."
The shopping cart jerked to such a sudden halt that even Simon's vampire senses couldn't react fast enough before he was rammed into it. Jace hadn't turned to face him, but he could hear the disbelief and—strangely—breathlessness in his voice.
"What?"
Simon raised an eyebrow, and then lowered it when he remembered Jace couldn't see him. "What?" he repeated sincerely confused.
Jace slowly turned around, his knuckles white as he gripped onto the cart. He looked right into Simon's eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing violently in his throat.
Simon wondered when he'd ever seen Jace this nervous and uncomfortable. He couldn't.
But watching Jace look at him like that made him begin to feel self-conscious, so he reached his hand up to rub uneasily at the nape of his neck.
"Did you say," he said unsurely, "you wanted to touch my mango?"
His hand instantly fell to his side and he bit so hard on his lip, that he drew blood. Sliding his tongue over the cut, his tongue instinctively cringed towards the back of his mouth at the taste of his own blood.
Had he really said that out loud? Oh, G—once again, choking on the word—that was very, very embarrassing.
"Um… uh, yeah, I uh, I guess I did.." Simon tripped over his words, his eyes locked on the spot above Jace's head. "Well, I… Do you like pickles? I'll go get you some pickles."
If Simon could blush, his face would be the color of Clary's hair right then. Pickles? Really, Simon? He scolded himself. Before matters could get even worse—if so possible—Simon ditched the shopping cart and bolted around Jace for the pickled items aisle.
Before he could get more than a few feet away, he felt a firm grip close around his elbow. His arm shaking in nervousness, he turned to face Jace. He was laughing, very loudly, at Simon's nervousness.
"I've been wanting to do this for a very long time, Simon. And now you've finally given me the chance." His face softened as he looked down at Simon and his face was flushed from either embarrassment or from the heat from laughing, though he couldn't tell.
He didn't much care what the reason was for why his face had gotten red, but more so for the result. The image of the blood so visible in his cheeks almost made his mouth water. He hadn't fed in days, and the lack of blood had drained him. However, as this lovely Shadowhunter with bright cheeks loomed above him, his mouth inches from his, his hot breath on his face, the smell of blood inviting him…
His fangs slid from their sheaths.
Is this the moment?
Oh, this is the moment.
The moment to feed.
And Simon quickly changed direction and sank his fangs into the deliciously throbbing vein in Jace's neck.