“No, forget I said anything.” His voice was precise, clipped. He looked away from me; his leg stopped bouncing, his hands stopped shaking. His eyes stopped looking confused; his openness was gone. Now, all I saw was the blank wall he used to be. It was like his brain had turned, and he had just flicked on a reset button. “The tattoo caught me off guard. I did not think you would choose that kind of design. It is beautiful, nonetheless.”
I blinked, unsure of what just happened. “I can’t just forget what happened; you were saying something about—”
“I did not know what I was saying.” He started the engine of the car. “It has been a stressful day; I think we should getfood from that place you mentioned earlier; I cannot remember the name, but if you would—”
My hand covered his on the steering wheel. “Elio,” I called, bringing his hand to me while I placed my hand on the other side of his face, turning his head so he could look at me. “You can tell me anything,” I said, our gazes unwavering. “All jokes aside, all threats aside, I am here to listen to whatever—”
“I do not have anything to say. And stop looking at me like that. I am fine. I am not crazy.”
I shook my head quickly. “I didn’t say that. At all.”
“Then stop looking at me like that; I don’t like it.”
“Okay, I just—” I blew out a breath. “Listen, if I had known the tattoo would affect you this way, I would have gotten something else.”
He shook his head. “It is okay. I understand. As I said, it is a beautiful tattoo. I panicked for nothing. I am not used to this, so it is most likely normal that you do this, and it is okay. It is your body, and you can choose to do whatever you want to it. I will only support you and offer my opinions if asked.”
I didn’t like how he spoke, calculating his words before he said them.
“I—”
“And please, forget about me wanting to hurt myself. I do not, and I will not. I have too much to lose if I die now. So you do not have to worry; that was not what I implied.”
I sighed, reluctantly letting it slide. “Okay,” I said.
“Hm,” he responded, detaching his hand from mine. “Now, where is that restaurant of yours?”
We ordered paella. No,Iordered paella, Elio just ordered what I ordered, and I wasn’t sure he liked it. It was a special recipe, so it wasn’t the typical paella; this one was fully garnished with prawns, beef, and calamari, and the rice was incredibly delicious.
When I took the first spoonful, I almost forgot why therewas a bit of tension between me and the man sitting opposite me in our booth. I was enjoying the meal, but then I looked up and realized he was picking at his food.
“You don’t like it?”
He looked up at me immediately. “I do.”
“Then why aren’t you eating?”
He looked at the plate in front of him before settling his gaze on me again. “I like it, but I don’t eat that much.”
I scoffed. “Now that’s a lie.”
He raised a brow at me. “What makes you think it’s a lie?”
I pinned him with a blank stare. “Seriously? All this coming from the guy who ate almost all the food in the fucking bowl I provided right after he fucked me in a tub?” I asked. “Or do we have to have sex before you eat like you did that day?”
He tilted his head like he was thinking about it. “Are you suggesting that we do? Because if you are, I would love to try that method.”
A laugh bubbled from my chest and out of my mouth. “Oh my God, Elio, I can never figure you out.”
The sides of his lips lifted a bit. “I was only considering what you said; besides, I think I ate that much because we were eating together.”
“Weareeating together now.”
“I meant from the same plate or bowl, rather. Also, I do not really like… prawns.”
I nodded. “So why did you order paella with prawns?”
“Because you ordered it,” he stated.
