Page 36 of Cruelly Bitten
“Hmm, I think you like that more than I do,” he mused. “Which is saying a lot because I rather enjoyed the taste myself. But the sounds you’re making intrigue me more.”
He fed me another forkful of deliciousness before moving on to another appetizer—bruschetta.
Rather than try it himself first, he cut off a piece and brought it to my lips. “Open.”
I obeyed. Not just because I was starving but because this reminded me ofmyCam.
He watched while I chewed and swallowed, his sapphire gaze following the column of my throat before taking his own piece.
“I prefer the other one more,” he admitted after finishing his bite. “But this is decent.”
My lips twitched. “You’ve said that before.”
He arched a brow. “Have I?”
“You have. But you still always order bruschetta.”
“I wonder why,” he murmured as he gathered up another bit of caprese on his fork.
“You like the way it pairs with the eggplant,” I told him, glancing at the main dish.
He considered it as he enjoyed another tomato. Then he shifted gears to his entrée and cut an adequate piece off to try.
His expression didn’t change at all while he ate it, his blue eyes more focused on me than on the food. But when he picked up a piece of bruschetta to eat with it, I knew he was satisfied.
Thankfully, I’d been truthful about his favorite food. I’d considered lying in case he asked me to prepare it—which would have been a huge problem—but this had worked out okay.
And I had some answers about Cam.
MyCam.
Because he was here. In front of me. Eating Italian food.
My heart skipped a beat as I allowed the realization to settle over me, my insides warming with excitement.
We’re finally together.
It wasn’t the way I’d anticipated us meeting again, nor was it ideal, but I’d accept this over never seeing him again.
“You may eat your pizza, Ismerelda,” he told me, his gaze still holding mine.
“Thank you, my liege,” I replied, playing into the obedient act he obviously expected of me.
Because of Lilith mindfucking him, I thought sourly while taking a bite of my pizza.
I needed to find out exactly what Lilith had done so I could attempt to reverse the damage.
Or perhaps it’s as simple as breaking down the mental wall between us.
Well,simplewas an understatement. Nothing with Cam could ever besimple.
Cam was the most stubborn vampire I’d ever met, his decisions resolute and unapologetic. Once his mind was made up about something, it was basically impossible to convince him otherwise.
And I had no doubt this version of him was exactly the same.
Which meant I had to coax him into coming up with the idea himself rather than blatantly suggest it.
That would take time, something I hoped we had a lot of but likely didn’t.
