Free Eternal Flame (Eternal Flame #1) by Sofia Giselle Page B

Before long, that hardness was back. He looked over to her, gesturing towards her salad. “Are you done?”
    Kristen glanced down at her half-eaten salad and resumed eating. “No. I still have a little bit left.”
    Roman threw his burger down on his plate and shoved it away, wiping his mouth hard with his napkin. “Yeah well, as soon as you’re done we’ll get out of here. I’ve lost my appetite.”
    Kristen looked at him, anxiety gripping her chest. She hated this back and forth with her emotions. They were about as screwed up and twisted as his. It was difficult for her to stay mad at him and she hated that. “I’m sorry,” she timidly said.  “Did I say something wrong?”
    “No. I’m just ready to go. I have things to do.”
    Kristen swore and slammed her fork down on her plate. “Oh my God, would you please stop saying that? I know that already!”
    “Obviously not. It’s taking you forever just to eat one damn salad.”
    “You know what? I don’t even have to finish. This shit is ridiculous. It was your damn idea to get something to eat. We could’ve just stayed at your family’s house if this was how the day was going to turn out.”
    “God no. That would’ve been torture.”
    “You know what? Screw this shit. Where’s the waitress?” Kristen looked around for the waitress, her pretty face twisted with exasperation. “Let me get a damn doggy bag so we can get out of here.”
    Roman dismissively waved a hand at her, ignoring her attitude. “It’s fine, go ahead. Finish.”
    “I’m not hungry anymore.”
    “You said you were hungry in the car, go on and eat. It’s fine. I’ll wait.”
    Kristen stubbornly lifted her chin. “I’d rather not. I’ll get a doggy bag.”
    “Just eat.”
    “No. I’ll get a doggy bag so we can leave and you can do whatever you have to do-“
    “Damn, you’re a pain in the ass. Will you just shut up and finish the got-damn salad?”
    Kristen widely looked at him, her mouth open; her body rigid and trembling with anger. “What is your damn problem?”
    “I don’t have a problem. I’m just ready to go.”
    “Well, you don’t have to be an asshole about it. We can leave. Call the waitress over and ask her for the damn check.”
    “You need to lower your voice.”
    “ I need to lower my gotdamn voice? You’re the one who was screaming.”
    “Look Kayla-“
    “Kristen!” she shouted as pounded her fist on the table. “My name is Kristen. Get it right asshole. You’ve been calling me the wrong name all afternoon. When you’re not doing that you’re asking me what my fuckin’ name is every fifteen minutes. Do you want a pen and paper so you can write it down? Do I need to write it across my fucking forehead so you can just look at it when you can’t remember?  Will that help your slow ass out?”
    Roman nervously looked around the restaurant at the startled guests and nodded to them to assure them all was well, giving them one of his dazzling smiles. When he looked back at Kristen, that warmness instantly vanished. His eyes flared into hers as he leaned across the table. If she had any sense the look he was giving her would’ve scared the shit out of her but no one could ever call her sane.
    “Lower, your voice,” he said in an eerily calm tone.
    “You’re a fuckin’ asshole and a fuckin’ creep,” she seethed through gritted teeth. “Is that low enough for you?”
    They unflinchingly stared one another down, stubborn Bull to stubborn Bull, neither of them wanting or feeling the need to back down. Roman was the one to break first.
    “I’m sorry,” he spoke through his teeth, averting his eyes away from hers, before looking at her again. “Okay? I’m sorry.”
 
    Kristen’s lip trembled as she looked at him, the threatening tears once again yearning to spill over. Fuck, she hated this weakness he pulled from her. “Just take me home.”
    Roman reached across the table and gently grabbed her wrist. Kristen gasped and looked down