I’m glad he noticed and knew why that bothered me.
Ash and Griffin return, wheeling in a whole cart full of food.
“Wow,” I breathe out, when the smell of all the burgers, fries, steaks, and all the other food we ordered hits me.
“I don’t give a shit, I’m starting with the cake,” Ash says, plucking the smaller plate off the top of the cart.
“Oh, me too!” I say.
Ash hands out all our plates of cake after a chorus of “me too’s” followed mine. I stare down at the rectangle of soft, spongy looking cake with white cream frosting and bright red strawberries scattered between the layers and my mouth waters.
I grew up with the obscure idea that people had cake on their birthdays. Some of the other girls who were brought in—or maybe now I should say taken—when they were a little older still had more memories than I did.
But we never ate cake at the facility.
I take the small metal fork and take a bite, the flavors exploding on my tongue.
Oh my God.
This is amazing.
I make some embarrassing noise that has all four of the guys staring at me.
“Sorry,” I say, feeling the sting of tears behind my eyes.
“What’s wrong, Sugar?” Rowan asks, his brows drawn down in concern.
“Happy tears,” I sniffle, fanning myself and trying to keep the tears from falling. “This is so good.”
Ash, ever the impatient one, takes a bite of his slice and groans.
“Fuck yes it is.”
Rage is the last one to take a bite. The plate looks comically small in his hand.
I watch, eagerly awaiting his reaction. I don’t think they had cake at the farm either.
He lifts the fork to his lips, eating a bite. He’s silent for the longest time after he swallows.
Then he says a single word.
“Fuck.”
That word coming from his lips, with that gravelly voice of his, said likethathas a shiver running down my spine.
And then I feel him throbbing against my hip again.
Oh wow.
My lower belly does a strange tightening thing again. Not quite painful, but more insistent than the last time. I should eat my pancakes. Maybe thiscake isn’t filling enough.
“Do you like it?” I ask, practically buzzing with excitement. I want him to like this too.
“Yes,” he says, his intense gaze meeting mine. “Now eat. Then...”
“Then we can take a bath?” I whisper conspiratorially.
That smile of his makes a reappearance, and I feel like I’ve won the lottery.
