Page 78 of Plight
“Why?”
“Because it involves me getting naked.”
He paused, spoon midway to his mouth, which was agape.
“Thought so.” I continued sipping.
“Care to elaborate?”
“Maybe.”
He put down his spoon, his eyes hungrier than his stomach, and hungrier for me than the food I’d just dished up. It sent a jolt of excitement direct to my core, waking the muscles between my legs.
“Danielle!” he said, his voice low.
“Remember that game we used to play, when I’d give you one of my lollies if you told me something you were scared of?” I loosened the top button of my shirt, and he fidgeted in his seat. “Well … let’s play that game again, except this time, I’ll give you an item of my clothing instead.”
“Storms. Butterflies. Bats. Cats. Chickens. Needles. Water,” he rattled off, stretching his open palm across the table. “That’s seven items of clothing, please.”
I laughed and slid my fingers over his. “How about one at a time. And let’s start with chickens. I didn’t know you were scared of chickens. Why?”
“Because they peck.”
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? That’s enough.” He crept his fingers along my forearm and latched onto my sleeve. “Give.”
“Okay.” I slowly unbuttoned my shirt and slid it from my shoulders, acutely aware of his blazing eyes. “Here you go.”
He took it from me, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it behind him.
“Hey!”
“Bats. They have wings and are ugly as fuck.”
“They are not.”
“Have you ever looked at one up close? Their noses are squashed and they have big, pointy ears.” His eyes flicked to Dudley, who was asleep in his bed.
I glared at him. “Dudley does not look like a bat.”
“I never said he did.”
I sipped some more soup, continuing to glare.
“Another item of clothing please.”
“Fine.” I reached down and untied my shoes, levering them off my feet and kicking them toward him under the table.
A smiled played at the corners of his mouth. “Butterflies—”
“We spoke about that one today,” I interrupted, “so it doesn’t count.”
He clicked his jaw, and my God, it was sexy.
“Needles. They hurt and they draw blood.”
“Why’s that scary?”
