His brows raise.
“I’m hungry, and I really don’t want to be murdered by a stranger tonight. At least not on an empty stomach.”
He throws his head back and laughs before stepping up to the stand and gathering both of our meals into his big arms.
“No problem. We’ll eat first.”
First...
Then what’s second?
“One more thing,” I say, lifting my hand to stop him again. It’s probably cliché, maybe a bit immature, but I don’t want this interaction to extend past tonight. Itcan’textend past tonight. “Nothing personal is shared tonight. No names, no phone numbers, no identifiable details.”
His brow arches, amused. “Then how am I supposed to get to know my future girlfriend?”
I shake my head. “You’re not.”
His eyes narrow slightly, heat flickering there. “I don’t like this game already.”
I try to think of an alternative, something that will give him just enough to satisfy him, but not enough to know me.
“Two lies for every truth.”
He tilts his head. “Pretty sure it’s two truths and a lie.”
“Yeah, but that gives away too much,” I say with a shrug. “For every true thing I tell you, you have to give me two lies to hide behind.”
He rubs a hand over his jaw, studying me like I’m a puzzle he’s not sure if he wants to solve. “Seems complicated.”
I toss him a wink over my shoulder as I start walking toward the lawn to find us new seats. “I promise, I’ll make it worth your while. Just play along,suit.”
He follows, that deep, rough chuckle rolling out of his chest, and God help me, I can’t wait for later tonight.
Chapter 2 – Rhiannon
Not using each other’s names has created an interesting dynamic, one that makes this whole thing feel like a game. I’m not sure what to call him, or what to call this, as we stretch out on the blanket that Leo left me, tucked near the edge of the lawn beneath the dark canopy of trees that swallow most of the city light.
“I call this the make-out section,” I tease, nodding toward the clusters of couples scattered nearby. Some are tangled under their blankets, limbs barely hidden. Others just sway together, watching the movie like the world outside doesn’t exist.
“I can see why,” he says.
I smile, leaning up on my elbows to face the screen. The movie’s halfway through now, right at the steamy part, and I can’t help thinking it’s a perfect kind of poetry.
“She’s so fucking pretty,” I whisper, mostly to myself.
It’s been forever since I’ve had the energy to enjoy something this simple. Most nights I’m dead on my feet by this time, work, bills, survival before I crash face first into my bed. I can’t remember the last time I let myself just exist and enjoy my evening.
“Yeah,” the stranger murmurs. “I’m definitely into blondes over brunettes. Especially ones with blue eyes. And my name’s Cain.”
I roll onto my side, biting back a smile when I realize what he’s doing. I catch the hint of a grin curving his mouth. At least he’s playing along, though he just broke our no name rule.
Two lies and one truth.Cain. The name fits him. Dark, dangerous and biblical.
“Yeah, blondes do it better, don’t they?” I say, twisting a strand of my dark brown hair around my finger.
He smirks. “I certainly don’t like hazel-eyed girls with pink, full lips either. I like the color green on you.”
I laugh. “You’re pretty good at this. Have you ever been here before?”
