FIRST KISS

MARIANNE

I stared at Troy in disbelief, the hint of a smile tugging at my lips despite the absurdity of what he’d just suggested. “Seriously? You want me to make her blind?”

He shrugged, his expression nonchalant. “What’s the big deal? It's not as if she doesn't deserve it.”

I nodded, considering the truth of his words. “That’s not wrong,” I admitted slowly, “but it's extreme, even for me.” My voice softened as I added, “I’ll come up with something just as sinister—but not that. Thanks for the suggestion.”

He huffed, clearly dissatisfied. “What’s the point of asking for advice if you don’t intend to use it?”

I gave a small, knowing smile. “It’ll come in handy when the time is right, trust me.”

Silence followed. We finished our meal in an almost companionable quiet, though the tension between us hummed like an unspoken conversation. When we were done, I insisted on cleaning up. Troy finally relented, letting me take charge of the mundane task.

Once the kitchen was spotles