100% That Witch - Celia Kyle Page 0,42

ready,” he said casually as he moved past her toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you come in and sit down?”

She followed him slowly, her attention caught by the big bow tied behind him. He wore a green apron with red trim that looked all kinds of cute, and with the ends tied at the small of his massive back, it looked nothing short of adorable.

“Aren’t we going to study?” she asked as she sat down at the table.

He shook his head. “I think you deserve a break. Let me spoil you for a night.”

She liked the sound of that, but she didn’t like the way it made her heart leap. A sudden urge to turn and run struck her, but she was too enraptured by him to listen to her instincts.

Is it my instincts, or just my fear and doubt?

A bottle of white wine sat on the table—a crisp, dry white, her favorite. How could he have known something like that? Why would he even care? Meh, most young women liked light whites, so it was probably just a lucky guess. Tiffany was even more puzzled by the soft, mellow music playing in the background. It was incredibly soothing and not something she expected of the big, tough Nero.

“Tell me, how does a vampire know how to cook?” She grabbed a small piece of bread from the basket on the table and realized it was homemade—and still warm. The butter was also the perfect temperature, soft enough to spread without tearing the bread.

“It’s a challenge,” he admitted as he set down two drinks in front of them. “I can’t really taste foods the way I did before. Eating normal food doesn’t hurt me, but it doesn’t do a thing for my tastebuds either. It usually makes me nauseated unless it also contains a fair bit of blood, like a very rare steak. I can taste most alcohol though—spirits are a totally different thing.”

“So then why go to all this effort?” she asked, puzzled.

He turned from the stove and smiled at her. “For you. This dinner is for you. You’ll have to forgive me though, if I didn’t get my seasoning just right. I remember the taste of the vegetables well enough. It’s just really hard to add spices without tasting the dish, so I tend to go light on them.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Tiffany said softly, catching her tone and trying to stop herself from gazing at him like he was the most perfect man in the world. He was going to so much trouble, just to please her!

What the fuck is going on?

Nero started bringing plates of food to the table. There were little corn fritters made with potato, breadcrumbs and sunflower oil, a pasta dish with mushroom sauce, and a beautiful green salad scattered with small pieces of roasted sweet potatoes. Once all the plates were on the table, Nero sat down and watched her expectantly.

She stared back at him, her eyes darting between him and the plate. She kept telling herself there was nothing between them. There couldn’t be. But the way he was looking at her right now…

“Tiffany.”

“Yeah?” She snapped back to attention.

“Please, taste something.”

“Oh!” He was waiting for her approval. Duh!

She took a big forkful of salad, scooping up a chunk of sweet potato with it. It was like nothing she had ever tasted before, and she mumbled her excitement through the food, nodding her head emphatically.

“You like it?” he asked eagerly. “I’m pleased. You roast the sweet potatoes lightly and sprinkle them with a bit of sea salt, fresh pepper, and oregano. You can also use turmeric. It goes beautifully with a salad, from what I understand.”

“It really does,” she exclaimed, diving in for another mouthful. “The salad isn’t just lettuce either. It’s absolutely delightful!”

“Fresh from my own garden,” he beamed proudly. “There’s lettuce in it, a few different kinds. There’s also some spinach and kale. A smattering of sprouts. Salad can be so exciting.”

Tiffany smiled at that. With Nero, it certainly was.

Next, she tried the pasta, finding the sauce incredibly rich and full of flavor. It was the type of sauce that would usually be creamy, but Nero had made the entire meal vegan. Tiffany found she didn’t miss the cream at all.

“How is it?”

“It is, without a doubt, the best meal I’ve ever had,” she said very seriously. “I can’t believe how much flavor you packed in here using only vegan ingredients!”

He grinned proudly. “I like to keep up my