“Somehow, you don’t seem to have a problem using curse words anymore.”
“You bring out the best in me. Am I not allowed to call you an asshole either, without you docking my pay?”
“No, call me whatever you want.”
She rolls her eyes. “I have two siblings, both older. My sister is a pediatrician in Aspen. My brother is a lawyer in Cincinnati. My parents died when I was in high school, a freak accident.”
“I’m sorry.” She doesn’t know how sorry I am, but no words will make the pain go away, so I keep silent.
She stares into space like she is reliving something, something dark I can’t see. She quickly comes back to reality though.
“I bounced around to various community colleges and jobs until I got a full scholarship to CU Denver. I’m not as smart as either of my siblings, so I thought I would go for a less challenging degree, nursing. I was supposed to graduate this winter, until you happened. And now here I am, what about you?”
I stare.
“You seriously aren’t going to answer after you demanded I answer? I don’t think that’s fair.”
“Get used to things not being fair.”
She glares at me, and I don’t know whether to keep holding back to keep getting that adorable glare or start talking to get her to pout again.
“I don’t have any siblings. My parents are very much alive last I checked, although I haven’t talked to them since I was five. I lived with my uncle until I turned eighteen, and then he kicked me out of the house.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I was a terror or a ‘bad boy’ as you would say. I was always in trouble. I spent high school drinking, smoking, and fucking.”
Her lips twitch as I speak. Jealousy perhaps?
“I got accepted into Harvard. I was going to go. Get a law degree and stick it to my parents, but then I met Abri.”
Her auburn hair and brown eyes float through my head. I hate thinking about her.
“We decided to take a year off before starting college. Go travel the world. We ended up eloping and started a million dollar company instead.”
Her mouth drops. “You never went to college?”
“Nope.”
“You got married at eighteen?”
“Nineteen.”
“And you are a millionaire?”
I nod. “You already knew that.”
She swallows. “I guess I did, but I’m still not sure I believe it.”
“You will when the money hits your bank account.”
“I’ll know that you have $250,000 to spare, not that you are a millionaire.”
Two bowls are placed in front of us.
She stares wide-eyed at the glorious bowls that look nothing like the ramen you get out of the little packets.
“Wait a second.” I pull out my phone and get ready to take a picture.
“What are you doing?”
“Proving you wrong. Take a bite.”
She gently takes the spoon in her hand and dips it into some of the broth, slowly lifting it to her lips like she thinks this might be a trap. She drinks the liquid and then smiles contently as she moans.
I snap a picture of her face. Blissful.
I hold out the phone to her.
She blushes.
“Fuck you, Knight.”
I cock my head, not sure why she’s cursing at me.
A tiny smile forms and she tries to hold it back. “This is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I grin. “I know.”
She looks to either side of her bowl. “How do I eat the noodles? There’s no fork.”
I grab two sets of chopsticks from the container at the end of the table and hold one out to her.
She eyes them like it’s a snake about to bite her but hesitantly takes them.
“Do you know how to use chopsticks?”
She carefully breaks them apart and then attempts to position them in her hand, but instead of holding them correctly she holds it like a knife. She tries to stab the noodles with them.
I laugh.
“Fine, I have no idea how to use chopsticks. I have never been to a restaurant that uses them.”
I position them in my hand. “Like this.”
She studies my hand, trying to mimic the position of my hand. She dips her chopsticks into the ramen bowl, scoops up some noodles, and they immediately fall back into the bowl.
She growls.
I laugh before lifting some of my noodles into my mouth.
She stares at me with a gaping mouth, watching me slowly slurp the delicious noodles. I purr quietly, reminding her of just how good the food is.