“Oh.” She drops her arms.
What did I say?
“Okay.” She steps back.
I immediately miss having her close. “Are you hungry?”
She nods. “Yes.”
“Please, have a seat.” I pull her chair out for her.
She sits, and I take the seat at the head of the table. I don’t even bother trying to look casual.
Mrs. Putnam walks in with the macaroni and cheese.
Vivian’s stomach growls, and I immediately start scooping some onto her plate as Mrs. Putnam returns to the kitchen for the chicken and dumplings.
“Eat up.” I scoop even more.
“That’s enough.” She laughs and digs in.
“Wait!” I take her hand, holding it still. “It’s hot.” I blow on the mac and cheese she’s got on the end of the fork.
She watches, and I can feel her legs fidget beneath the table. When I look at her, her eyes are on my mouth.
“Now.” I slide my fingers down her arm then release her. “Now you can put it in your mouth.”
Opening wide, she does just that. Then she moans. The sexiest goddamn thing I’ve ever heard in my life.
And right at that moment, I realize I am well and truly fucked.
8
VIVIAN
“I’ve never eaten something so wonderful.” I shove another giant spoonful of mac and cheese into my mouth, followed by a spoonful of dumplings.
If Ms. Morgan was here right now, she'd take my plate and send me straight to bed for my lack of manners at the dinner table. It didn’t matter that we ate off cafeteria trays at school; we always had to be very proper at the table. I don’t think Mrs. Putnam would ever do that. I’m pretty sure that woman doesn’t have one mean bone in her body. She’s gone out of her way to make me feel welcome here.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
I glance over at Griff, who is being very proper. I sit up straight and drop my elbow off the table that had creeped up there somehow.
“Are you not hungry?” I ask Griff since his plate is untouched.
“Starving.” He picks up his fork and takes a bite. He doesn't seem as excited about the dinner as I am. “Go on.” He nods toward my plate.
I go back to eating.
He watches me. “Tell me, did you have any plans for after you graduated?”
“Not really. I’m not sure what my parents had planned for me. We hadn’t discussed it in much detail. I think they were still fighting over whose college I’d attend.” I shrug.
“You didn’t have a say in what school you were going to attend?”
“No, it didn’t really matter to me,” I respond as Mrs. Putnam walks in.
“How is everything?”