Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“You looked me up?”
I jut my chin at her, not wanting to deny it. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
She waves at the table. “This is… Wow, I mean this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
Anger rolls through me when she says it. If anyone deserves nice things, it's her. Guilt has been eating at me for lying to her, but I also know that I didn’t have much of a choice. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
I pull out a chair for her and gesture to it. “Here. Sit down. I wasn’t sure what you’d want to eat, so I got a little bit of everything.”
She sits down, and as I move around to the other side of the table and sit down, she’s staring at me with her mouth hanging open instead of looking at the food between us. “If you’re not hungry… you don’t have to eat.”
She shakes her head. “No, I mean yes, I am hungry. I guess I’m just surprised is all. This is, while really nice, it’s really unexpected, that’s all.”
I should explain to her, but I’m not sure how she’ll react, so that alone has me holding back. “I could tell you why I did this, but I fear it’s not appropriate for our working relationship or even something you’re ready to hear. Will you eat with me, please?”
She has questions. It’s obvious by the way she’s looking at me that she wants to understand, but she doesn’t ask me anything. She simply nods her head. “I’m starving, King. Thank you for doing this. I thought I was going to have to grab something when I left here.”
She reaches for the tongs and picks up a filet steak. “Would you like one?”
I nod, and she puts it on my plate as I tell her, “I should be serving you.”
Her smile turns up a notch. “Look at this, King. You did all this. I can surely put food on your plate.”
I bind my hands together in my lap as she points at each plate. “Do you like green beans?”
I shrug. “I’ll have whatever you don’t want.”
She laughs and points around the table. “There’s enough here for at least ten people.”
Without even looking at the food, I tell her, “I’ll have whatever you’re having then.”
She continues to dish up the food, and I don’t even pay attention to what she’s giving me. I could watch her all night. The way her eyes light up and she smiles as she puts something on my plate. I debated if this was a good idea, but I’m glad I did it because it obviously made her happy.
After she’s done serving the food, she holds her fork up. “This is just wow, King. This is so nice of you, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I’m happy to have a meal with you.”
She starts to eat, and I do the same. We’re both quiet, enjoying the food, but I can’t resist watching her. Whether she realizes it or not, when she likes something, she lets out the tiniest of happy moans. If she takes a second bite, she moans a little louder. I’m enjoying watching her eat so much that I barely even touch my food.
When she notices me staring at her, she lifts her napkin to her mouth and wipes at the corner of her lips. “Do I have it on my face?”
“No.”
I can’t see her mouth, but her eyes light up. “Why are you staring at me then?”
“Because you’re beautiful,” I answer without thinking about it.
She folds her arms on the table in front of her. “Wow. Dinner and compliments. You’re really pulling out all the stops today.”
“I’m sorry… if it’s making you uncomfortable…”
My voice trails off as she starts to shake her head.
“No, I get it. I thought about our last appointment all weekend. I know I sounded pitiful… but I don’t want you to pity me.”
“Pity you? I don’t pity you. Why would you think that?”
She looks down at her plate and picks at her food. “It’s not a big deal.”
I reach for her, and when she tenses, I let my hand fall to the table. “Haven, look at me.”
She keeps staring at the table, and I plead with her, “Haven, please.”
She finally lifts her big green eyes to me, and I hate the insecurity I see reflected back at me. I can’t touch her, so I lean forward, trying to shorten the distance between us. “I promise, I felt a lot of things after our last appointment, but not once did I feel pity for you. I enjoyed talking to you, and even though this is not appropriate, I wanted to sit here with you and do something normal together.”
I’m holding my breath, hoping I’m saying the right things, and finally the corner of her mouth lifts, and she nods her head. “Okay. I enjoy talking to you too, King.”