I could feel my heart beating in my neck as I looked into his super serious eyes.
Call me crazy but his confidence and the words that went with it which pretty much promised he’d look out for my needs was definitely on the like side.
Time to shut this down.
So I blurted, “I’ve decided I’m hungry.”
His eyes went from serious to warm again. When they did that last I wasn’t up close to get the full impact and having it, I wished I didn’t at the same time I memorized that look and the feeling it gave me.
Then he said gently, “Then I better let my baby eat.”
“That’d be good,” I replied quietly. “But can we do it without talking? Most the time you talk, it freaks me out.”
It was then his eyes lit with humor close up and that was even better.
“Works for me,” he muttered then, “You cut into that steak and taste it, you won’t be talkin’ anyway. You’ll be shoveling more in.”
“Can’t wait,” I whispered, his eyes dropped to my mouth and darkened.
Okay, that was the best.
Then his eyes came back, his hand gave my neck a squeeze and he released me.
He turned back to his plate. I followed suit. He started eating. After a gulp of wine that almost choked me, I resumed.
About five seconds later I found he was right about the steak.
Melt in your mouth.
Perfect.
Chapter Six
Something Calm and Nourishing
My eyes opened slowly and I had no clue where I was. I just knew I was supremely comfortable and warm.
Then I saw them. Floor to ceiling windows and the lights of Denver twinkling.
I was on the slouchy, comfortable, gray suede couch in Knight’s whatever room, the one at the end of the hall where he kept his TV and clearly where he did his normal, average, everyday living (if he did that). It was decorated in shades of gray from dove to charcoal but it was far less stylized, decked out for comfort not visual impact. And it was where he led me to wait it out when he got called away for some business he didn’t exactly explain to me.
I saw the enormous plasma TV mounted on the wall was blue screen which meant the DVD Knight loaded for me was done. I’d missed it. With a sleepless night, I’d zonked out.
But I’d done it without the soft, woolen throw on me.
Knight was home and he’d thrown a soft, woolen blanket over me to keep me warm.
Okay, right.
Um…
Crap.
I took in a deep breath, stayed stretched out warm and comfortable on his couch and allowed my mind to sift through our post-lunch activities which were what led me to agree to hang while he saw to what he needed to see to in order for me to be there when he returned.
He had, as agreed, not talked while we ate. He had also provided me with an amazing lunch. It wasn’t just the steak which was, incidentally, by far and away the best piece of meat I’d ever tasted. The baked potato was delicious too. The skin was crunchy and somehow flavored in spices, garlic, Italian herbs, and the inside was fluffy with just the right amount of seasoning, butter and sour cream. It was simple, filling and yummy.
When we’d finished, he’d broken the seal on speaking to tell me to “keep your ass on the stool”. I did this while he picked up our plates, carried them to the sink and casually dropped the cool-as-heck crockery in with a clatter. He left them there without rinsing and moved to refill my wineglass.