Page 28 of The Image of You

I laughed at her deflection. She had no idea how she affected me.

She rolled her eyes, indicating the remaining pizza sitting between us. “You should have another slice.”

“I already ate more than half.”

“This will be it for me.”

I sat back, frowning. “Is there anything you need to tell me? Do you not like food, or do you just eat really slowly?” I narrowed my eyes, remembering the way she nibbled her toast and barely ate any of the snacks I had put out for her. I wondered if she had some sort of eating disorder. She was certainly tiny enough. “Or something else?”

She frowned and shook her head. “I was taught a girl eats like a lady. I never eat very much, I suppose out of habit.”

“Habit?”

“My portions were controlled. When I was younger, Ronald felt I was too pudgy. That was unacceptable.”

I held back my curse. What was unacceptable was his attitude.

“So, you mean it’s fine I stuff my face and you don’t?”

She shrugged.

I slid another piece onto her plate. “Nope, not happening. Be yourself with me.” I took the last slice and folded it in half, taking a huge bite, chewing and swallowing. “And by the way, this is how you eat pizza.”

She giggled, and I leaned forward, holding out the piece. “C’mon, Ally. Be a rebel. Take a bite—no utensils.”

I quirked my eyebrow in a silent challenge. My laughter couldn’t be contained when she took the slice from my hand and awkwardly bit into it, sauce and cheese spilling over onto her chin. She handed me back the slice, chewing and wiping her face with the napkin as she tried not to laugh with her mouth full.

“Tastes better, yeah?”

She rolled her eyes as she picked up her glass.

I winked.

“Suck it back, my girl. A big, long, hard swallow. It’s good practice.”

Her eyes grew round, with her lips wrapped around the straw, her cheeks growing redder every second.

I burst out laughing. She was so easy to tease. Her eyes were very expressive, and I could read every emotion she was feeling in them. I was determined to start taking her picture this afternoon. I wanted to capture every expression I could.

She glared and swallowed the liquid, setting her glass down with a thump. I struggled to stop laughing, grabbing for her hand again. “I’m sorry. I’ll behave.”

“Can you?”

I slid out of the booth and slipped in beside her. Before she could ask what I was doing, I kissed her. I plunged my hands into her hair, fisting it tight as I claimed her mouth. She whimpered, clutching my shirt in her hands as I kissed her until we were breathless.

Leaning my forehead to hers, I tried to catch my breath. “You do this to me. You make me want to tease you. Get you to laugh. Laugh with you.” I confessed. “Sean tells me all the time I’m too serious and I don’t laugh enough, yet with you, I find myself doing it all the time.”

“Oh,” she breathed out.

Slipping my fingers under her chin and caressing the silky skin, I kissed her lips. “You make me feel things I can’t explain. You make me want to buy sheets so I know you’re comfortable. Want things I’ve never wanted before.”

“You hardly know me,” she whispered. “How could I affect you like that? How do you know you want all those things with me?”

I shook my head. “I only met you a couple of days ago, Ally, but I’ve been waiting for you all my life. Waiting for you to find me.”

“Adam.”

She stared at me, her eyes glistening under the lights.