Maybe he could.
Maybe he would, just to be nice, and then he’d lapse into a food coma. I was focusing on the next hour and a half and hoping I’d survive it. An Eddie Food Coma would just be a bonus.
“Let’s eat,” I announced, walking into the living room and heading toward the dining table. I was balancing two bowls and a platter and nearly dropped them when Eddie looked at me.
The minute he saw me, his eyes got funny, kind of lazy, amused and assessing al at the same time. His eyelids came down just a bit, the corners of his lips turned up and his dimple came out.
“I’l go get the gravy,” Mom said and wheeled away, guiding herself with her foot.
I set the food on the table, busy, busy, busy. I was just noticing the table Mom laid was set for five, rather than three when I felt Eddie come up behind me.
“Take a seat,” I said, not turning to look at him and not caring if I seemed impolite.
I was back to my Bitch Strategy. I was counting on the fact that no one real y wanted to be around a bitch, not even Eddie.
His hands went low on my hips, I felt pressure there and he turned me around. His hands slid around me, stil low on my h*ps so they settled at the top of my behind and he pressed me close.
I looked up, the lazy look was stil on his face but he was smiling ful now.
I took a mental deep breath.
“Food’s gonna get cold,” I warned.
“What’s the matter now?” he asked.
I blinked.
“What do you mean? Nothing’s the matter.” He watched me and then something lit in his eyes. I didn’t know what that something was but, by the look of it, it was something that made Eddie very happy.
“You’re scared of me,” he murmured, pul ing me closer.
I blinked again and my body got stiff. “I’m not scared of you,” I lied.
The smile was there but now it, too, turned lazy and somehow… satisfied.
“Yeah, you are.”
“Am not,” I said.
“You are and you should be.”
My eyes got round.
“Why?”
“Because, you don’t give it, I’m gonna take it and you know it.”
“Give what?”
“Anything,” he said and his mouth came to mine,
“Everything.”
Dear Lord.
My breath caught. My doo-da quivered. I grabbed onto his biceps and he kissed me. I slipped firmly into the Eddie Daze and, I’m afraid to say, kissed him back. When he lifted his head, it took a few seconds for me to open my eyes.
“Chiquita, you’re too adorable,” he muttered, watching me, the lazy look gone, the hungry look in its place.