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It was nice to have clothes again, though a wilder part of me had secretly enjoyed wearing nothing but Valentino’s T-shirt. It’d been risqué and exciting, and more than a little dangerous with his stare drinking me in.
I stepped past the kitchen island counter, then opened the pantry door. On finding crackers, I pulled them out before I opened the huge fridge. There were condiments inside along with three different cheeses, pastrami, olives and cherry tomatoes.
I took them out and began slicing the cherry tomatoes in half, then placed them and the olives into a container with separate compartments. I’d cubed the cheese and was adding it and the pastrami into a compartment when Valentino’s tread sounded from behind.
“What are you making?”
I resisted shivering at his dark voice so close behind me, then said in an even voice, “I thought we could share a late lunch out on the patio.”
“Hm. Good idea. I’ll open a bottle of champagne.”
He took off his neck chain and used the key to unlock the balcony door, then opened it wide. A sea breeze immediately invaded the space and I sucked in an appreciative breath before I took the food outside while he retrieved two glasses and a champagne bottle from the fridge.
I only hoped he’d forget about any punishment while enjoying the food and drink.
He placed the glasses and bottle onto the round glass table, then pulled out my chair. “Allow me.”
I resisted wincing. He was fastidiously polite, too polite. It was like the calm before the storm. Taking the seat opposite me, he opened the champagne with a pop before he poured some into our crystal flutes.
He lifted his glass and I lifted mine, our glasses clinking sweetly as he said, “To our time here together.”
I managed not to spill my champagne thanks to my suddenly shaky hands as I added, “May it be long and fulfilling.”
He cocked a brow, but didn’t add anything more. He didn’t need to. I knew where I stood in this fucked-up relationship, if it could even be called that. I was a ticking time bomb with a short fuse and he was my fire starter.
I sucked down my champagne in a few big gulps, then hiccupped as the bubbles caught up to me. He smirked and put his half-full glass down before reaching for some pastrami, cheese and an olive, stacking it neatly on a cracker and devouring it in one bite.
I looked out to sea, a different fishing boat anchored out behind the breakers this time. I sighed heavily. What must it be like to sit in that boat, a fishing rod in one hand and probably a beer in the other, and have not a worry in the world?
That the sun was close to the ocean’s horizon and spilling oranges and reds across the water barely registered. I was consumed by my too short future. Not even beautiful sunsets could deter me from my bleak thoughts.
More champagne splashed into my glass before I turned and caught Valentino’s watchful stare. He finished the last of the champagne by topping up his own glass, his silence making me nervous.
It was only after he took another sip that he asked, “Did you enjoy stripping then touching yourself for me?”
I picked up my glass and took a deep swallow, almost choking as my throat tightened. “More to the point, did you enjoy it?”
“Going by my permanent erection, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t.” His eyes glittered. “I’m guessing that was your intention though, was it not my little Tilly?”
What was it about his pet name that made me shiver with self-awareness? I was no more special to him than any other woman he took to bed and fucked. Less so considering he wasn’t about to simply let me walk away once he was done with me. I lifted my chin. “You’ve kept me alive to fuck. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”
His chuckle was soft and deadly, though his expression stayed unreadable. “You’re honest, I’ll give you that.” He drank the last of his champagne. “So why did you sleep in the guest bedroom?”
He was smart, telling me I was honest then expecting my next answer to be just as truthful. “Being in your bed would have reminded me too much of you,” I admitted.
His eyes darkened. “Don’t you want to remember how good we were in bed together?”
“I’m not comfortable knowing I’ve had multiple orgasms from the same man intending to kill me.”
“It is a bit of a dilemma,” he conceded. “Eat,” he then added. “Starving yourself isn’t going to make your end come any quicker.”
“Good to know!” I snapped, automatically reaching for a cracker and cheese, then shoving it into my mouth.
He made my coming death seem so insipid we could have been talking about algebra or calculus. I only wish we were talking about math’s problems!
I chewed angrily. “So where did you go earlier today?”
“That isn’t up for discussion.”
