Page 64 of Burn With Me

Maybe not, but she’d certainly used my own arrogance against me and given me a run for my money.Sneaky bad girl. I tip my beer back and drain what remains in the bottle in one go.

“Ask your questions,” I say. “But I can’t promise I’ll answer.”

She lifts up and eyes me. “Seriously?”

I arch a brow. “If you want me to take it back…”

“No,” she says quickly. “No, I want to know—”

I lean closer, across the table. “You want to know what?”

“About your father.”

I sit back. “No.” I shove my beer to the side, sliding it to the edge of the table for the waitress to pick up when she returns. “Ask something else.”

“Fine.” She sits back. “Then let’s start with why you brought me here?” Aurora turns and gestures to the bar.

“We’re on a date,” I tell her honestly.

She blinks back at me. “That’s it?”

I shrug. “That’s it.”

“You brought me … to a bar … for a date?”

“Yup.” I pop the word and lean back against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest. The way her eyes go to the stretch of my t-shirt over my biceps doesn’t escape my notice, but it does ease the hardness in my chest caused by her initial question about my father.

“Why?” she demands. “Why here? I mean you’re…” Her head shakes and a strand of hair slips free from her bun, falling to the side of her face, and sliding along her cheek. She doesn’t seem to notice it. “You’re you—you’re Isaac Icari. I’m sure you go to places that are so much more…” I wait, listening to her words as she fumbles over how to explain her thoughts.

“You expected something expensive?” I ask. “Something that stinks of wealth and privilege?”

“Well…” She blows out a breath. “Yeah.”

I shake my head. “What about you?” I reply. “You’re not poor. Why’d you follow me into this building even after finding out what it was?”

“Because I don’t care,” she says easily, “and I wanted to know what you were planning.”

“And now that you know, why haven’t you left?”

“Uh, because you drove me?”

I chuckle under my breath. “You have money, Aurora,” I remind her. “You could’ve called a car to come pick you up. Hell, you could’ve refused to meet me at all, but you didn’t. You entrusted yourself to me.”

“No,” she snaps. “You threatened me.”

“Did I?”

Before she can respond, the waitress appears and drops off our food. The smell of greasy meat and ketchup reaches my nostrils, making my mouth water. The basket of fries, piled high and laden down with salt, is slipped onto the table between our burgers and the waitress hightails it away.

“You did,” Aurora presses as I pick up my burger, squeezing the sides, and bite into it.

I chew thoughtfully and swallow. “Maybe,” I give her, “but did you really believe me?”

Her mouth parts and I reach forward, plucking a fry from the basket and sliding it between her lips. Her lips close around it and she pauses, eyes widening as she realizes how fucking good it tastes. There’s really nothing like some backwoods, hole-in-the-wall bar food. It’s ten times better than that garbage my father shells out hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on a personal chef for.

“Oh my God,” she moans, reaching for another as if she can’t help herself. I doubt she can.Goon’sfries are some of the best I’ve ever had. Even as picky as Shep is, he loves it here.

“Why don’t you just relax,” I suggest. “Eat and enjoy the date. Don’t think about it too hard.”

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