Cursing, I put my elbows on the table and leaned forward; sweat started to pool around my temples. I was going to be sick.
“We’re friends, right?” Bee asked.
I didn’t look at her. But I nodded my head and managed a tight. “Sure.”
“Then, I’ll help.”
I could really do without her type of help.
Bee reached for the fork and put a small bite on it then slowly lifted it to my face.
I turned; the lasagna was steaming off the fork, mocking me, begging me, tempting me. My eyes flicked to hers.
She nodded.
My breathing became erratic.
“It’s just lasagna,” she whispered.
“No, it’s not.” I gulped my stomach rolled with the need to puke. “Not to me.”
“One bite.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
She shrugged, and then searing pain hit my shin as her foot collided with it.
“What the hell!” I yelled, opening my mouth, and, what do ya know, the fork found its way inside. The minute the food hit my tongue, I damn near passed out from ecstasy. Chewing never felt so good. I couldn’t remember a time that lasagna actually tasted so mind-blowing, so explosive. I swallowed and looked greedily at the fork again.
Bee met my gaze and winked, then dipped the fork into the lasagna again. “Here comes the little airplane.”
I fought damn hard not to smile.
“Are those teeth I see?” She leaned forward. “Is Phoenix De Lange… smiling?”
“One thing at a time.” I forced the smile down. “It’s good, Bee.”
“The airplane? Because I can do a choo-choo train too.”
“No.” Damn her! That smile made me want… so desperately. “The lasagna… even though I had to earn a bruise in order to taste it.”
“If you wouldn’t be so difficult.”
“Ha!” I nodded. “I’m good at difficult.”
“True.” She handed me the fork. “Think you can handle this on your own, champ?”
I nodded, taking the fork in my shaky hand. The second bite was hard because I was doing it on my own. I kept expecting her to make fun of me. What loser couldn’t eat food? What loser was tempted to throw up from the idea of pleasure? Me. Only me. I was sick. I would always be sick.
I finished the food in record time, my body stuffed so tight I thought I may actually have to throw up.
With a sigh, I rose from my seat and put my dish in the sink, careful to wash off any remnants of food before placing it in the dishwasher. Bee moved around me in silence; she set the lasagna dish back in the fridge and closed the door.
“So…” Bee leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.
I hadn’t noticed how short her shorts were or how tight her tank top was. I looked away, ashamed I was noticing now, pissed that there was just enough light to see the outline of her body.
“…about making friends.”
“Bee…” I clenched my jaw and rubbed my face with my hands. “Look, all you need to worry about is being yourself. People will love you. Promise.”
“You can’t even look at me, and you expect me to believe you?”
Sighing, I slowly turned my head. The minute my eyes found hers I lost the ability to speak. My fingers twitched, my body hummed, I took a step toward her, then another, until my body was almost pushing her against the counter. The heat from her hit me in slow, erotic waves.
“Be yourself,” I whispered, placing my hands against the cold granite countertop, careful not to let my arms graze her body. “And they will love you.”
“Be myself,” she repeated, her eyes darting between my lips and chin. “What if it’s not good enough?”
“It is,” I croaked. “Got me to eat lasagna… first real meal I’ve had since…” I shook my head. “In a long time. You have a good heart Bee. Just let them see it.”
“And you’ll be with me?” Her innocent gaze held mine.
“Yeah.” I swallowed the dryness in my throat. “I’ll be right there, willing to shoot anyone on the spot who throws that friendship back in your face.”
“Like you did.”
Caught, I could only stare and give her a pathetic nod.
Bee’s hand moved to my chest. I didn’t pull away. I should have. But I didn’t. The warmth felt too damn good. I shuddered. Then I freaking leaned in.
“Whoa, midnight snack?” Sergio’s voice sounded from what seemed like a mile away.
I jerked back and gave him an eye roll. “Yeah, I was… starving.”
Bee smiled and moved around me. “Sergio, you need some food too?”
“No. just water.” His eyes narrowed in my direction. “It’s late. You two should be sleeping.”
“He was,” Bee said confidently. “Then I forced him to get up, tell me how to make friends, and eat food that had color.”
“Wow, you accomplished all that? In the wee hours of the morning?”
“I’m magic!” She threw her hands into the air and then yawned. “And tired… See you in the morning, boys.”
The sound of her soft footsteps hitting the stairs finally allowed me to breathe easy. That was until Sergio stalked toward me and said in a cool voice, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I was sleeping…” I rolled my eyes. “…then the princess needed lessons… and force-fed me, and now I’m going back to sleep. Why? That bother you?”