No wonder my curly-haired bestie all but shoved me out of her family home.Panzanella, my ass.
I finally take a step forward and cautiously shut the door behind me. “Heard you had a cozy breakfast.”
“I don’t think your dad’s a fan of me.” Cillian presses his glasses up, then stirs whatever he has in a wide-rimmed pan before concentrating on me again.
My lips curl, just as they did in the lobby when I pictured him sitting down for breakfast with my parents. “Can you imagine if you were my real boyfriend?”
That dropkicks Cillian’s smile.
“Oh, come on… Don’t tell me you forgot that this”—I point between the two of us—“is only a means to an end?”
Guilt tugs at me for bringing this up while he’s been slaving over my stove to surprise me with dinner. But I can’t risk Cillian getting attached. Even if I can erase his memories, I can’t erase mine.
“Is it?” His tone is so pinched that it clamps down around my spine and echoes in my marrow.
I lick my lips, finding the courage to say, “You can bow out.”
“I’m aware.”
“Youshouldbow out.”
“Why?”
Because you kicked my crush on Malachi out of my system.“Because things are serious between Mal and Ines, and he’s unfailingly faithful, so we’re just wasting each other’s time,” I lie.
To be fair, it might not be a lie at all. I’ve been so consumed by my imploding life that I’ve stopped looking into the matter of Malachi and Ines.
Cillian holds my stare, penetrating it in a way that makes me think he’s onto me.
“Don’t mistake this for an opportunity, because I’mnotattracted to you.”
“Well, then, why are you so intent on pushing me away?”
I stream air out the side of my mouth.
“Consider this the dinner date I was hoping for. If you still want me gone afterward, I’llbow out.” His irises gleam like quarters behind his lenses. “Unless you change your mind…”
“I won’t.”
He doesn’t speak, yet his stare lingers, unshakeable—he honestly thinks I’ll change my mind.
“I’m serious, but fine. We’ll have dinner. In how long will everything be ready?”
“Ten-fifteen minutes.”
That gives me ample time to grab a shower and a change of clothes. I walk past him, flooding the living room with lights with a flick of magic before sealing myself inside my bedroom.
For a heartbeat, I just stand there, panting like I’ve just crossed a marathon finish line. The guy is relentless. And delusional. So delusional.
On the way to my ensuite, I hop on my chat with Calanthe.
ME:I hate surprises.
CALLIE:No one actually hates a good surprise.
CALLIE:How cute is it that he wanted to cook for you?
ME:It’s not cute.
