My stomach cramps at the thought of eating a burger, and I immediately regret my choice. But I’m not changing it.
No way can I eat a burger and fries in front of him.
When the server leaves, the conversation turns lighter. We talk about school. Art. The places we’ve been, the things we’ve seen. He discusses his brothers. His sister. I tell him about my parents, but I don’t go into too much depth. I don’t want him to know how lately, our relationship feels fractured. I don’t like how it makes me feel.
By the time our meals arrive, I’m starving, and I stare at my salad in dismay, the scent of Crew’s lunch wafting toward me, making my stomach growl. I watch as he brings the burger to his mouth and takes a big bite, my gaze lingering on his lips. How he chews. Swallows. Grabs a couple of fries and dips them in ketchup before he drops them into his mouth.
I stab my fork in the bowl of salad like I’m trying to murder lettuce and kale, shoveling it in, frustration rippling through me as I eat, wishing there were at least pieces of chicken in it. It’s good, but I bet I’ll end up hungry again within the hour.
“You’re watching me eat as if you want to steal the burger out of my hands,” Crew says at one point, amusement in his voice.
“It looks delicious,” I admit.
“Why didn’t you order one?” He takes another bite.
“I don’t eat a lot of red meat,” I admit, which is true.
“Why not?” His gaze narrows. “You don’t think you’re fat, do you?”
I shake my head. Shrug. “Maybe? I don’t know. I need to watch my weight.”
“You’ve got big tits, Bird. That’s it. And a nice ass.” He drops the crude compliments so easily, making me blush.
“They’re too big,” I whisper, briefly glancing down at my chest.
“No, they’re definitely not.” He’s staring at them, then blinks, as if shaking himself out of a trance. He holds the burger toward me. “Want a bite?”
I’m dying for a bite. I nod, and he feeds it to me, placing the burger in front of my mouth as I sink my teeth into it. The moment the flavors burst on my tongue, I’m moaning, savoring it as I chew slowly and eventually swallow.
Crew is staring at me, his lips parted. The half-eaten burger still clutched in his hand. “You’re sexy when you eat.”
My blush deepens. “I’m sure I look like a pig.”
“You definitely don’t.” He drops the burger on his plate and pushes it toward me. “Have some fries.”
We share his plate, clearing everything in minutes, the salad long forgotten. When the server stops by, Crew orders more fries and lets me eat most of them, watching me with an amused look on his face the entire time.
Like I entertain him, which is both thrilling and scary. I don’t know what we’re doing, but I’ve decided to stop wondering about his motives and just go with it.
“You never did answer my question,” I say to him as I’m still devouring fries.
He frowns. “What question?”
“Why you want to take me out for my birthday.” I sip from my water glass. “You barely know me.”
“I’m getting to know you.”
“And sometimes you still act as if you don’t like me.”
“Right back at you.” He smiles.
Ugh, he’s too pretty when he does that.
“I just don’t go out for my birthday with some random boy,” I say, my voice small.
“I’m not just some random boy, as you call me. We’ve known each other for a while,” he says, as if that makes all the sense in the world for him wanting to take me out.
“And you’ve treated me terribly since day one,” I remind him.
“Yet here you are, sitting in a restaurant having lunch with me.” The smile is still there, and I’m tempted to slap it off his face.
Or kiss it off.
Okay fine, more like kiss it off.
Clearing my throat, I decide to be brave for once in my life.
“Do you like me now, Crew? Or is this some sort of secret trick you’re going to pull on me? Is Ezra lurking around the corner, filming us together? Or maybe it’s Malcolm. He seems to dislike me more.”
Anger flushes his face and his eyes burn as he glares at me. “No one is secretly filming us. Don’t put me on the same level as Larsen.”
“I’m not, it’s just…” My voice drifts and I stare out the window for a moment. “I don’t know if I should trust your motives.”