Page 53 of Stroke of Fate

His voice is a low rasp when he asks, “How is it?”

Eating a piece of meat should not feel this erotic, yet I can’t ignore the way my thighs are squeezing together under the table.

“It’s good,” I answer, hating how breathy my response is.

I take a sip of water to cool myself off and allow my brain to focus on something other than Levi or the pulsing between my thighs.

My notebook and pen rest beside my plate like a giant warning sign. Whatever weird spell we are under breaks as the yellow smiley face on the cover stares back at me.

“I have a few questions I’d like to ask,” I say, redirecting us back on track.

“Sure,” he dabs his mouth with the cloth napkin. “On one condition, though.”

“What?” I lift a brow, wondering what he might want from me.

“For every question I answer, you answer one, too.” He says, spearing the last piece of broccoli with his fork.

“No way,” I shake my head. “I’m not the one being interviewed.”

“We’refriends, right?” He grimaces when the word leaves his mouth, and I wonder if the broccoli didn’t taste as good as it looked. “You want to know about me, and I want to know about you.”

I roll my lips, pondering what he said. “Fine, but I’m starting.”

After finishing the rest of my meal, I push my plate to the side and flip open my notebook to the page where I wrote my questions. Pen at the ready.

“Any stiff or achy muscles?”

“Yes, morning stiffness sometimes.”

The pen hovers in the air as my eyes flick to Levi, but his poker face is so good I almost believe he didn’t mean for it to come out sounding like an innuendo.Almost.

Despite my thoughts straying where they shouldn’t, I scrawl something legible on the paper. However, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to incorporate “has morning stiffness” into my report.

“What made you come to Huska?” He asks when I rest my pen down on the page.

I stare into his eyes as he waits for my answer. He looks genuinely curious.

Rolling my lips, I debate how much I should tell him. A part of me is embarrassed to admit I ran away from my problems, and the other part doesn’t want to dredge up the past. For whatever reason, I don’t want to taint this evening with Levi by bringing up my ex.

Keeping it vague but truthful, I say, “I wanted a fresh start, and they have a good academic program.”

His brows lift in surprise, as if he wasn’t expecting that to be my answer. “Why the fresh start?”

“My turn.” I remind him. “Back to the muscle, uh…ache, how often do you have it?”

“Lately, it’s been around every day.”

Don’t react, Bear, just write down the answer.

“Where is home for you?” He shoots back.

“California. I grew up in a town outside Los Angeles.”

A sudden urge to ask him where he calls home hits me, but I remind myself that tonight has a purpose. And it's not about getting to know him beyond the questions on the page.

“Where is the ache located?” I ask instead.

“Here and there.” I give him a pointed look. “Fine, my shoulder. I have a pinched nerve that flares up occasionally.”

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