Page 131 of Ruin Me With Lies
“I can boil water.That count?”
Another laugh tumbles out of me.“So Cora was in on this kidnapping plan, huh?”
Stefano shrugs as he takes the stool next to mine.“I’m her favorite.”
A rude, impatient growl rumbles from my stomach.
“Okay then,” he chuckles out.“Let’s get you fed.”
He lifts the glass lids off the warmer, and a wave of delicious aromas rushes out, prompting an even louder growl from my stomach.
“Gesù Cristo, she sounds angry.”He grabs the serving spoon and tongs, gripping them like he’s gearing up for battle.“Quick, talk fast.What do you want on your plate?”
“Oh, shut up.”I roll my eyes at his antics, laughing.“A little bit of everything.”
“I mean,of course,” he mutters under his breath.
Cheeks hurting from smiling so hard, I kick his leg on the stool.“Shut up and serve me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He fixes me a loaded plate, and we eat in calming silence.But Stefano is angled toward me, just watching me as he eats.Like I’m some abstract painting he’s gotten lost in.A fascination he can’t look away from.Having his undivided attention is both electrifying and unnerving.It’s like trying to sit still while being slowly, reverently unraveled.
Are my cheeks and neck hot?Yep.Am I letting it stop me from enjoying my meal?Not a chance.If he’s keeping me here all weekend, I might as well get used to him being so…unnervingly intense.
Stefano’s a picky eater.His fork is never full.A little pick of something here, a little pick there.It’s baffling how he manages to maintain all those sculpted muscles.Sure, he eats chocolate almond butter like it’s a food group, but I doubt that’s where the bulk of that mass is coming from.
Eventually, I break.“Why don’t you just go ahead and ask whatever it is you’re dying to know?”
He chews slowly.“Why bother?You’ll only lie.”
“Not becauseyoudeem something a lie does it mean that itis.”
“What’s your name?”
“Raya Michel.”
“See?Lie.”
I blink at him.“Do you think staring me down like that is going to coax some mythical ‘truth’ out of my so-called lies?”
He takes a sip of his drink, gaze unmoving.“Maybe I’m just memorizing every inch of you…because I know that as mysteriously as you showed up here, you’ll one day disappear.”
“You really make me out to be more interesting than I am.”I laugh, shaking my head.“Damn do IwishI was that girl of your imagination.She sounds sly.Mysterious.Kind of cool, honestly.”
A long silence stretches between us as his unreadable eyes move over me.Then, softly, but with razor-edge focus, he asks, “Do you like me?”Before I can answer, he adds, “Even though she betrayed him, Delilah loved Samson.”
What’s his angle now?“I’m…attracted to you.”
“Who isn’t?But that’s not what I asked.”
A giggle falls out of me.“Your humility is so…likable.”
“Humility is for broke men with small dicks.”
“Wow.You’re—”
“You want to humble me, don’t you?”
