Page 255 of Reign

“That garden does need help.”

“I’m aware.”

“But the fire pit is excellent news.” I turn toward the kitchen. “Yes. We’re doing that.”

His quiet laugh follows me.

The kitchen lights come on as I enter. Luciano walks in behind me, his gaze lingering.

“The graham crackers and chocolate are in the pantry beside the refrigerator,” he says. “The marshmallows are in the other pantry.”

“Why are the ingredients separated?”

“Because I didn’t organize my kitchen around the possibility of you demanding s’mores after midnight.”

“An oversight.”

“Clearly.” He gestures toward the smaller pantry. “Get the graham crackers and chocolate. I’ll get the marshmallows.”

I open the pantry and find the graham crackers on the second shelf. The chocolate is arranged in a basket beneath them because apparently even Luciano’s snacks have assigned seating.

I collect several bars.

“We can bring the list outside too,” I say. “Now that Throne is coming off, I’m down to five names.”

Luciano doesn’t answer.

I tuck the chocolate against my chest and reach for the graham crackers.

“You can tell me more about them while we make the s’mores,” I continue. “Maybe we should add someone else too. Seven wasn’t that many to begin with, and now I’ve already eliminated two, so—”

I turn around.

Luciano stands near the other pantry holding a bag of marshmallows.

Something in his expression has changed.

His face remains calm, but the warmth has disappeared from his eyes. His attention settles on me with enough weight to stop the rest of my sentence.

“What?”

His gaze drops to the chocolate and graham crackers in my arms.

Then returns to my face.

He crosses the kitchen without answering.

When he reaches me, he takes the ingredients from my hands.

“Hey.”

Luciano places them on the counter with the marshmallows.

“What are you doing?”

“Come.”

“Where?”