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“No comebacks?” he asked.
Why were you in a bad place?
“None.” She shrugged, still watching him as he opened his frozen tub and devoured his cream and fruits. The way pleasure settled on his face had her swallowing. “You eat food other than meat?”
“Vegetables. Fruits. Take your pick.” Casually, he snagged one of her uneaten candied fruits on the counter. “What are you doing here?”
“I was told this kitchen was the most unused one.” When he didn’t reply, she pushed her hip off the counter. “I can leave—”
“Don’t hurry away on my account…unless I scare you that much.”
And that was enough to get her glued.
“I’m not scared of you.”
“Okay.”
She hesitated. When he continued eating without a care in the world, she slowly meandered back and bit into her third candied fruit. Klaus went back to the cabinet and deposited an opened bag on the counter.
“Travel beads.”
She picked up a bead in confusion. “Candy?”
“Lick it and find out.”
Sapphire eyed him suspiciously, then licked it cautiously. She dropped it in alarm when it expanded and turned into a roast similar to what they were often served for dinner. Astonishment hit her when she tried a piece.
“Just like real meat.”
“Yes. The best thing is the minty after taste. It leaves the mouth fresh for those travels where there’s no water.”
The minty taste stuck until all the meaty taste was gone, leaving a pleasant feeling.
“How did you…?”
“We have stacks in our basements. My ancestors must have had deals with your kind in the past to produce that much.”
“Well, we don’t have these.” She took another bead and licked it until it turned into a pie, which was soggy but still delicious. When she licked her third bead, she looked up and found dark eyes on her mouth. She cleared her throat, her mouth turning dry. “I’m wasting these.”
“Waste away,” he murmured. “It’s valuable, but with the stock we have it will last us decades.”
The invitation felt intimate, but maybe it was because he gave her free access to what he considered valuable. Sapphire looked down and focused on her food but couldn’t quite brush off the awareness that he was still watching her every move.
“Hungry?”
She tasted the eggs that the third bead produced and approved. “A bit.” She went for a fourth bead and nearly choked when the sour taste of the fruit hit her tongue. Sapphire looked up, positive she heard a snort, but he wasn’t even smiling.
“You’ve been skipping our lunch and dinner sessions lately,” he observed.
“Forgetting, not skipping. Sometimes I have late meals. And Emerald wants her privacy.”
“Is this a miracle or have you been possessed by someone else?” There was a dramatic gasp. “The Sapphire I know wouldneverleave her sister alone.”
She rolled her eyes. “Very funny. And no, I have not been possessed. Contrary to your belief, I do listen to my sister. She said you treat her with respect.”
“How else would I treat her?”
“Like a brute.”
