Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“I will,” he told her. “Now, eat your burger before it gets cold.”
She gave the burger a skeptical look but picked up the knife and fork.
It wasn’t exactly easy to cut, and a small noise of frustration escaped her. Then he reached over and calmly took the knife and fork from her.
“Is it that you don’t like to touch the food when you feed yourself, or you don’t like anyone else touching it?”
“I don’t . . . I don’t know. No one has ever tried to touch my food before I ate it. I mean, I know they touch it to make it, but no one has ever . . .”
“Fed you?” he asked.
She nodded.
Ethan picked up the piece of burger and held it to her mouth. “Want to try, baby?”
“This is . . . you don’t have to do this.”
“If you think I don’t want to do this, then you’re very much mistaken.”
“I don’t think this is something friends do.”
“Sure it is. Open.”
The word was said firmer, and she took a bite of the burger.
Oh. That was really quite delicious. And strangely it didn’t seem to matter that he was touching her food.
She chewed and swallowed, then took the rest of what he was holding up into her mouth.
“Good, huh?”
Nodding, she looked around for another napkin. Grabbing it, she dabbed at her mouth. “Very good.”
“Try a tater tot.”
He held up a fried potato.
Cate hummed in appreciation and he smiled down at her.
“That’s delicious.”
“Isn’t it? Now, try it with the mayo.” Ethan dipped the bite into a tiny cup and held it up for her.
She took it and closed her eyes for a moment in appreciation. “That’s even better. Where have these been all my life?”
Ethan let out a quiet laugh. “I guess you just needed me to introduce you.”
“I guess so.” She yawned and tried to hide it behind her hand. “I apologize.”
He didn’t seem offended. “I’m worried about you.”
Surprise filled her at his words. “You are? Why?”
“You’re going to burn yourself out if you keep working this much. Hiding away. You’re already losing sleep and weight.”
There was a look in his eyes that she recognized. “You’re scolding me.”
“I am. But just lightly. Because I care about you.”
Cate mulled that over, thinking back to his words before as he fed her another tater tot with mayo.
“That’s something friends do for each other?”
Ethan nodded, then he turned to her. Picking up another piece of burger, he held it up to her mouth and she ate a bite.
“That’s what friends do,” he said.
Hmm. That might be so, but why did she feel sad about it?
23
“Eat your burger.”
Oh. She realized he was still holding the piece of burger to her mouth again. “I’m not hungry anymore. Thank you.” She always tried to finish when she was still a bit hungry, not liking that overfull feeling.
“You ate barely anything,” he replied with a frown. “I want you to eat this piece of burger and two more tater tots.”
“But then I would be full.”
“And full isn’t good? Open.”
The command in his voice was impossible to brush off, so she opened her mouth. “Now chew.”
Cate found herself doing as she was told. Even eating the two tater tots.
“Such a good girl. You did so well.”
Why was she blushing? Her entire body grew warm at his words. She liked them. Did she have a praise kink?
Or maybe it was simply that she’d very rarely been praised since her parents died.
Ethan finished his own food and then started to wipe his fingers with a napkin. She reached into her handbag and drew out a small pack of wet wipes.
“Always amazes me what a woman can fit into her handbag.”
Ethan took the wipes, but instead of cleaning himself up, he touched her chin, turning her face to him before he started gently cleaning her face.
Amazement held her still for a long moment. Cate couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken care of her like this.
Rhodes had helped clean her up a few times as a child. And her parents, of course. But that was it . . . and not in years.
“Good girl. Hands, please.”
It wasn’t even in her to resist him as she held out her hands for him to wipe.
“Let’s get that blanket back on you. You’re cold. Is there a reason you’re always so cold?”
“I’ve always felt the cold. I’ve seen a few doctors, but they all tell me it’s just that I have a higher sensitivity to it and that my low body weight contributes to that sensitivity.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Just keep my environment warm.”
“And make sure that you don’t lose any weight,” he said firmly.
“My aunt and uncle didn’t keep their house that warm. Even in winter. I used to freeze. I’d often end up crawling into Rhodes’ bed with him. They hated that. Called it unnatural. When Rhodes got a job, the first things he bought were extra blankets for me and some warmer clothing.”