Page 13 of The Truth in My Lies (Secrets of Suburbi 1)

“Well, what were they for?”

“What, you want a list of my problems? How dare you barge in here and be…be… so demanding.”

He put his elbows on the table and leaned forward slightly. “Doll, you literally pulled me inside your home. And I’m not being demanding, I’m just making conversation.”

Doll. My mind seemed to focus on the most random parts of his sentences.

“But I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable. Forget that I asked. He pulled out the other sandwich, unwrapped it, and then dumped some fries on my plate.

“How would you feel if I asked you what prescriptions you took?” I unwrapped my sandwich and tried to ignore him.

“I’d tell you that I don’t take any.”

“Just illegal ones then?”

He laughed. “No. My only vice is the occasional drink with a beautiful woman.”

I stared down at the burger I had just unwrapped. It was topped with crunchy onion straws and there was a delicious looking sauce dripping down the sides. He had called me beautiful. Yet, I couldn’t look up at him. I didn’t want to know if he was being patronizing or serious. So instead of looking, I pushed the utensils to the side, lifted up the burger, and took a huge bite.

“Are you trying to make me fall in love with you?”

“What?” I said with my mouth still full.

He laughed. “The last date I went on,

the girl ordered a salad and only ate half.”

“If that’s a challenge to see if I can eat this whole thing, you’re on.” I swallowed the bite still in my mouth. “I slept for 24 hours straight. I’m starving.”

“Twenty four hours? Was meeting me really that exhausting?”

“Excruciatingly so.” This burger was everything delicious in the world. I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten a burger. Or red meat. Or fries. I started to shovel those in my mouth as well without even realizing what I was doing.

Ben laughed.

I looked up at him mid-chew and realized I must look like a starving animal. I swallowed and cleared my throat. “Please don’t stare at me while I eat, it makes me nervous.”

“Please? Did you really just say please? I think that was the first nice thing that I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said.

“Do you even know how to give a compliment?” He smiled as if he had me right where he wanted me.

“Of course I do.”

“Then let me hear one.” He leaned forward slightly as he waited.

“It’s not a compliment if you have to beg for it.”

“It doesn’t have to be about me. I just brought you lunch. You could thank me for that.”

“But I asked you not to bring it.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I think you just proved me right.”

I didn’t want him to think I hated him when it was so fiercely untrue. “You look very nice today. Cleaner than yesterday.”

He laughed. “The first half of that was a compliment. The second half was an insult.”

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