Page 50 of Barbi and the Villain

“Easy, guys. I’ll get some for you too, okay?” I tell my dogs.

They’re growing rather impatient with me, but PomPom knows how to obey, and in turn, she gets BonBon to follow my instructions, too.

I leave them hidden in the bushes while I run across the clearing to the still roasting bird. Knowing time is of the essence, I quickly tear out the hind legs, a bit of breast meat, and the thighs. Okay, maybe he will miss this much meat, but there are wild beasts roaming around in the forest at night. Any one of them could have been lured by this tantalizing scent and stolen a piece, no?

Once my arms are full of juicy meat, I steal away into the bushes with my loot.

PomPom and BonBon dance around me as they see the food and they make low sounds of approval.

“Here, this is for you,” I say as I give PomPom one of the hind legs. “And this is for you.” I do the same with BonBon.

While they munch away on their food, I take my first bite of the meat.

A divine sigh escapes me as I lick my lips, not wanting to let any of that tasty juice go to waste.

My, but this is divine.

He cooked it to perfection.

Another added perk that makes him the perfect love interest.

Ah, but I’m finally in my main character era! I don’t have to read about others getting their forever love when mine is just within grasp—as soon as I make my good-looking friend realize that we’re perfect for each other.

For now, I’ll settle for this wonderful meat.

Hidden in the bushes as I am and with my only audience of the four-legged variety, I don’t even have to mind my manners. I quickly finish my portion and give the bones to the dogs while I suck on my fingers for all the residual juice—we can’t have it go to waste now, can we?

“Have some more.”

More pieces of meat dangle in front of my eyes.

My hunger must be more potent than I realize since I’m now seeing things.

“Thank you,” I say as I take the holy offering, my eyes affixed to it as I smack my lips together, my eyes sparkling with want.

But as I reach for the meat, my hands still and I slowly look up.

I blink repeatedly, hoping this is all a bad dream.

He’s clean and dressed in new clothes—a dark shirt and a pair of loose pants. His hair has been tied back, away from his face, emphasizing that striking cut of his jaw and those ungodly cheekbones that would have nuns go into heat.

He looks down at me with amusement in his features—the first expression I’ve seen on his face that isn’t a scowl or that attractive brood he usually has going. His brow is raised, his mouth curled in a lopsided smile that makes my insides go all gooey.

I gulp down.

Good Lord, how is he more striking than before?

Is it the moonlight? Or is it my starved pitiful self that now sees him as food.

PomPom and BonBon are so busy with their food they don’t even realize I’m having the most embarrassing moment of my life—one I’ll likely never live down for the rest of my life. Main character energy my ass. More like class clown energy by the way things are going.

I wipe my mouth with my sleeve before I give him a guilty smile.

Seconds pass as I think of a proper reply, but my poor starved brain decides on the least appropriate thing to say.

“The dogs stole the food!”

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