Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
"Maybe you should talk to her?"
Celine shrugs. "I wouldn't have listened. When he smiled at me, every reservation I ever had about him melted away. If I can be a fool, she probably will be, too."
"You're not a fool," Travis interjects abruptly. "He is."
"And he's looking over here again," I whisper.
Travis reaches across the table and takes Celine's hand. I don't know if it's for effect or because he genuinely feels she needs reassurance. Either way, it makes Eddie's cheeks heat and his eyes narrow.
"Keep doing that," I say. "It's working."
Elias takes Celine's other hand, pressing her knuckles to his lips, and I try to stifle a smile. This shouldn't be fun, but it is. If Eddie was less of a douche, then maybe I'd feel bad, but he deserves everything he gets.
The servers bring our meals, and everything looks delicious. At the same time, Eddie and Abbey are also served their food. I cut into my lamb and take a bite, savoring the deliciously soft, salty meat covered in a slightly sweet, wine-flavored gravy. I cut another piece and extend my fork to Celine. "You have to try this."
She opens her mouth, and I gently ease the meat between her lips. The moan she makes as she chews reminds me of the way she sounded during sex. "Mmmm…that is sooooo goooooood." She rolls her eyes the same way she did when I made her come.
"This is fucking delicious," Elias says, shoving a huge mouthful of lamb and potatoes into his mouth. The portions might be smaller than I'd like, but the flavors are all there.
"In Europe, these kinds of restaurants are everywhere. Apart from fast-food joints, the standard of food is way higher." Travis is scooping mussels from their shells as he speaks, grossing me out.
"I can believe that. What's Germany like?" Celine asks.
"Interesting. The culture is very different. The people are more reserved in some ways and freer in others, and the humor is drier."
Celine takes another sip of her wine. "Did you get to see a lot while you were there?"
"I did. The German people are proud of their culture and history. I enjoyed sightseeing. The beer and bratwurst were the best, though."
"That's a sausage, right?" Elias glugs down half his red wine without savoring the expensive flavor at all.
"Yep. A big sausage."
"I've got one of those." He laughs. "You don't need to go to Germany for that."
Celine snickers at his ridiculous attempt at a joke. She holds out both hands with her palms up. "Elias's dick, or German food, culture and history." The hand she metaphorically placed Elias's dick in moves up and up.
With an accompanying grin, Elias says, "Nothing beats my dick."
Celine reaches out to touch his thigh. "You're right, baby. Your dick is the best."
"Can we not talk about dick right now?" Travis wrinkles his nose, holding a quivery mussel on the end of his fork and eyeing it with an air of disgust.
Celine laughs loudly, attracting the attention of a couple of the other diners.
And Eddie.
He’s staring over with blazing eyes.
"Yeah. Maybe the dick talk is better reserved for a less expensive restaurant," I say. A prickle of weird energy runs over my forearms, like the moments before a storm when the air starts to feel charged.
"Well, I recommend you guys all travel when you're done with your studies. The world is a big and fascinating place."
"I don't even have a passport," Elias admits.
"My dad is in Canada right now," Celine says.
"Have you been to visit?"
She shakes her head and presses her lips together into a grim line. I don't know much about her family other than her parents are divorced, and she's already an aunt.
"You should go." Travis spoons up some of the broth around the mussels. "Beautiful country."
"I haven't been invited."
Elias glances in my direction, silently asking if I know about this. I shrug back that I don't.
"Where would you like to go if money was no object?" Travis tips his glass to Elias.
"Romania."
We all stare at Elias in shock. "Romania. As in Dracula country?"
He shakes his head and rolls his eyes at me. "My country. Well, my mom's at least. I still have family there…distant family."
"So that's where Mazur comes from?"
Elias shakes his head. "It's Polish."
"Same as Gabriella's boyfriends," Travis says.
"Lauder is Scottish," Celine offers.
"Walsh is Irish," I add.
"Cross is English. We don't know much about our family history, though." Travis looks over at Eddie. "What about Eddie? Where's his family from?"
"The depths of hell." Celine scowls. "The flaming center of the Earth. I met his mom once. I swear that woman has an unhealthy obsession with her son. That's probably why he's so toxic. She hated me."
"She must be an idiot," Travis says.
"Definitely an idiot," I agree.
"Awww…thanks guys!" She reaches out to touch our arms again and I decide that it's time for another kiss. Celine acquiesces, and it's sweet and tantalizing. I'm so lost in the feel of her lips against mine that I miss Eddie rising from his seat and approaching our table. I only know he's getting close when Elias and Travis stand abruptly, their chairs skittering backward with a terrible grating sound.