Page 17 of Ache
He pulls a small bunch of noodles up out of the box and proceeds to bring them to his mouth all while keeping his eyes pinned on me. I watch silently as his lips part and he slides the long strings into his mouth. He then sucks, drawing in the pasta-like strands. His plump lips becoming glossy from the sauce as the lo mein leisurely disappears.
Holy. Fuck. I know food can be sexy and all, but I’m pretty sure I’m never going to look at a noodle the same way ever again. Alec licks his now grease-kissed lips almost erotically, and I nearly pass out. What the hell is happening here?
Alec then smirks, and something crackles in the air. “I love lo mein.” He offers me some noodles with his chopsticks. “Don't you?”
Do I?I don’t know. I don’t know anything at the moment because it feels as if I entered an alternate reality and my brain function is sluggish.
“It’s life.” I gulp.It’s life? Oh, dear Lord, someone save me from my own fucking idiocy.
Alec cracks a smile and then laughs buoyantly. The entertainment on his face and the sound of his amusement is like the sun breaking through dark clouds. It’s vibrant and warming and dazzling. For a split second, I see Alec Prescott in a whole different light.
I take his offering, leaning over the table to slurp the lo mein into my mouth. And holy shitballs, it’s good.
“Thank you.” I cover my mouth while smiling.
“Welcome.” He sucks some more through his lips, the smirk staying.
“Chinese really puts you in a good mood,” I comment.
“Why, am I usually not?” he asks in all seriousness. I pause, unsure how to respond.
“Um . . .” That impish smile of his returns. “Oh, so you’re aware you’re cranky.”
“Not all the time.”
I shoot him a deadpan look.
He stabs his chopsticks into his lo mein. “Okay, not right now.”
“I think this is the first time.” I purse my lips.
“Not for me.”
“Definitely for me.”
“You make me sound like I’m a monster walking here.” He waves his chopsticks around in the air.
“Up until five minutes ago, I didn’t even know you could smile. And the last time we conversed, you weren’t exactly . . .pleasant.”
“How not? We didn’t even speak on the balcony.”
“Not the balcony. In this very room, before the party. You alluded that I needed moretimeto pull myself together.” My tone is snarky.
Alec grunts. “My apologies if I offended you. I was clearly wrong, since you looked stunning at the party.” He clears his throat and looks down at his food
Now I know I’m in an alternate reality.Alec Prescott giving me compliments?What the hell is in this Chinese food? I steal a glance at my chicken.
“This is a demanding job with high stakes. I can’t always afford to be pleasant.” He doesn’t look at me as he speaks, but his words are amicable.
“A little pleasantry goes a long way,” I advise.
Alec flicks his eyes up. “I’ll try to remember that.”
I nod. If Alec can try, so can I. Maybe this is exactly what we needed, a little one-on-one time to become acquainted with each other.
“Thank you for dinner.” I dab my lips with my paper napkin and tidy up my space.
“Leaving?” Alec picks up on my energy.
