Read Online Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C Bennett - Free Book Online Page A

she quickly took two more bites, filling her mouth.
    He laughed. “Like it?”
    “Mm-hm,” she mumbled around another mouthful.
    “Taste the bread,” he suggested.
    She reluctantly set the pizza down and picked up the bread. Once again amazement lit her face.
    “Fane,” she enthused. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”
    He grinned with satisfaction as she returned to devouring her treat. When she was full, she finished yet another slice of pizza and half a piece of garlic bread until she felt a little sick. It was worth it.
    “Well,” Fane said, “I’m impressed at the amount of food you managed to pack into that small body. Most girls would eat a dainty amount and leave the table still hungry to impress me.”
    Rapunzel turned horrified eyes on him. “I . . . I didn’t—”
    Fane laughed and held up a hand. “Please, don’t apologize. It doesn’t impress me when they do that. I much prefer to see my money well spent on a hearty appetite.”
    Rapunzel smiled uncertainly.
    “Aren’t you going to ask me?” He cocked his head and looked at her.
    Her brows lowered in confusion. “Ask you what?”
    “Why I was late.”
    “Oh, that.” She shrugged. “You’re here now, so that’s all that matters, right?”
    He shook his head in amazement. “You definitely aren’t like the other girls I know.” Rapunzel didn’t know whether to take that as good or bad. “I’m going to tell you anyway. Since you’re sitting here in oblivion, you may not know that your house is usually swarming with construction workers.”
    Rapunzel narrowed her eyes at him. “I do happen to know that, Mr. Obvious.”
    Fane laughed. “That’s not . . . never mind. Well, what you might not know is that I had to wait for them to leave before I could sneak in. Apparently they work until six.”
    “Oh,” was all Rapunzel could say. She hadn’t thought about the workers when she arranged for him to come. Because she heard them but rarely saw them, they were almost a nonentity in her world.
    “Ready to see what I brought you?” he teased.
    “It wasn’t the pizza?” She was surprised. The pizza was more than enough.
    “No, I told you I was bringing dinner. That’s not the surprise.”
    “So this is the thing worth killing me over if you told me prior to bringing it?”
    “Absolutely.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out a floppy, book-sized brown bag and handed it to her. She could feel hundreds of small discs inside.
    “M&M’s?” she read. When he didn’t answer, she looked up to see him watching her with a stunned look. “What?” she asked.
    “You don’t know what M&M’s are?”
    Rapunzel looked back down at the package. “Should I?”
    “Oh, my friend,” Fane moaned. “You have been far too sheltered.” He smacked a hand on the counter, startling her. “I’ve decided from now on, it’s my privilege—nay, my duty ,” he punched the air with one finger lifted, “to introduce you to all of the wonders of life that you’ve been missing.”
    Rapunzel laughed. “Well, based on the pizza, I can hardly wait.”
    Fane took the package from her and tore a corner open. “This candy serves a double purpose. Not only are they delicious . . .” He took one of the candies and held it to her mouth. She opened and he popped it in. “They also make excellent poker chips.”
    Rapunzel chewed the chocolate candy and grinned at him.
    “Like them?” he asked.
    “Oh, yes,” she said, holding out a hand for more. He dumped a small amount of the brightly colored discs into her hand but refused to give her more, claiming they needed them all for poker. They sat at the table and he explained the value of the different colors of candy—which fascinated her with how pretty they were—along with the rules of poker and how to bet.
    Rapunzel found she had a knack for the game, and with mounting pleasure, she watched Fane become more and more frustrated. After an hour, he threw down his