HARI'S POV (Continuing):
And for the first time in my life, I made a birthday wish I truly wanted.
Please… let her say yes.
I opened my eyes and blew out the candle.
The tiny flame vanished, and the faint smoke curled into the air between us.
Ciara clapped softly like I'd just accomplished something great.
Then she eagerly picked up the plastic knife and cut off a little piece of the cupcake.
"Here," she said, smiling.
Before I could react, she held it up to my mouth.
I blinked.
She was feeding me.
My heart nearly stopped right there.
I leaned down and took the bite.
And immediately...
My soul left my body.
Salt.
Not sugar.
My tongue almost betrayed me right then and there.
It took every ounce of self-control I had not to choke.
I swallowed with the determination of a man facing death with dignity.
Ciara watched me with huge hopeful eyes.
"How is it?" she asked.
I looked at her.
At her face full of anticipation.
At the effort she'd clearly put into this.
At the fact that she had remembered my birthday when no one else ever had.
And suddenly, the taste didn't matter.
Not even a little.
"It's…" I said, forcing the biggest smile I could. "Really good."
Her eyes widened.
"Really?"
I nodded, acting like I had just eaten the most delicious dessert in the world.
"It's amazing. So delicious."
And because apparently I had chosen suffering tonight, I took another bite just to prove it.
She gasped happily.
"See?!" I added dramatically. "This might be the best cupcake I've ever had."
That was definitely a lie.
A violent lie.
But one I would take to my grave.
Then she grinned mischievously and leaned forward a little.
"Feed me now?"
I froze.
Absolutely not.
My eyes widened in panic.
"No!"
She blinked.
I cleared my throat so hard it nearly killed me.
"I mean...." I quickly straightened up. "No… it's, uh… it's all mine. I'm going to eat it."
She put both hands on her hips.
"How rude! Let me have a bite!"
"No, you can't...."
She reached for the plate.
I snatched it away.
She gasped.
"Hari!"
"No!"
"Give it to me!"
"Never!"
She lunged again, and I held the plate higher, turning away while she tried to grab it from me.
For a few ridiculous seconds, we were actually struggling over a salty cupcake in the middle of an empty café at midnight.
Eventually, of course, she won.
Because apparently I was weak when it came to her.
She managed to steal a bite.