Primals (Reverse Harem 1)

“My parents...” She pauses, exhaling. “Sorry, but that’s a touchy topic for me right now. I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” I raise one of my hands again. “We’re all entitled to our own secrets.”

The corner of her lip twitches.

“What about a boyfriend then?”

Her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

“Do you have one? I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.”

Clarissa places her hands on her hips. “Are you flirting with me?”

“And if I am?”

She raises a finger. “One, you’ve just met me.”

“I’m a good judge of character,” I tell her unable to resist smiling.

“Two, I’m pretty sure you’re younger than me.”

I grin. “And I’m pretty sure you’re not.”

I’m very sure of it.

“You’re still in school,” Clarissa points out, and I remember just in time my cover story. Ah yes, the school project.

“A graduate student,” I remind her. “Here, graduate studies can take a long time.”

“I think that can happen anywhere.” She rubs her chin. “Still, you shouldn’t be flirting with me.”

“There’s no law that says I can’t,” I tell her. “But fine, I won’t.”

She looks away. “So, where are we going next? It’s getting late.”

“Where do you want to go?” I throw the question back at her.

“Hmm. What about...?”

Just then, I hear her stomach grumbling.

“Let me guess.” I scratch my chin. “You want to have something to eat.”

“What?” Her eyebrows crease. “What made you think that?”

I glance at her stomach. “I heard your stomach grumbling.”

“No, you didn’t,” she protests.

“Yes, I did.”

“No, you...”

Her stomach grumbles again and she sighs. “Fine. Take me somewhere with great food.”

WELL, SHE SURE HAS the appetite of a primal, I think as Clarissa gobbles up her sixth okonomiyaki in an hour, making me grateful that I brought her to an all-you-can-eat restaurant.

I, on the other hand, have just eaten three – one, because I’m not hungry and two, because I’ve been busy watching her.