Chapter eight
1825 Words
Why are they having this conversation?
Food was the one thing she doesn't have an intensive knowledge of. Any food quiz she is bound to fail.
Most of the food at home was prepared by Gran Karen other times, she mostly took takeouts and prepared the only thing she was good at for Sam.
Either making a salad or sandwich would do until Gran Karen brought the food she home-cooked. Samantha loved Gran Karen food and besides, she doesn't have time to cook.
The last time she stood by the stove, things got burnt and wasted.
Wait, he called her Aly, she almost missed that.
"Hmm, I don't know why I don't believe you." She raised her eyebrows at that statement and snorted. She was grateful he suspects her, that way he would drop the topic.
"Tell me, Aly, what is your favorite food?"
"I love all food... And quit calling me Aly," She sighed sipping her glass of water.
"What do you take regularly?" He furthered and she felt agitated, she wasn't here for a question and answer session.
Just answer him, a part of her told her.
"Mostly takeouts," she replied.
"So you don't cook."
"Where is this discussion heading?"
To add more to her misery he laughed mildly, well that is a beautiful laugh.
"It is not bad to admit you can't cook," he said sarcastically.
"I would cook for you if I was given a chance to," he flirted his eyes held sincerity.
"You can't cook," she scoffed ignoring his cheesy offer.
"Have you ever heard of Chef Leo," He asked?
"Wait... you are a chef?"
"Yeah, this is my fourth restaurant in the state."
"What? But you said it is your Dad's." She was confused here.
"No, he just recommended your company to me and he is one of my investors."
He is a famous restaurateur, well that is not the way she envisioned a chef.
No potbellies, or crooked mustaches, no puffy cheeks.
All she could see was a man chiseled to be an Adonis.
"My offer still stands," he pulled her from her reverie.
"Instead of cooking for me, maybe when I am less busy you could teach me."
Wait... did she just flirt back.
-
The sound of the night was as sensual as the cacophony of a beautiful choir, just that this time around it was the silent chirping of the crickets, the whistling of the calm evening air that continues to whip the strands of a roughly loosened bun tied hair into Alison's face. Before Leonardo would notice she would brush quickly away from her face, their earlier physical proximity still fresh in her mind.
After they finished from the diner, she was about to head back to the hotel, when Leo pleaded with her to take an evening walk with him.
Okay, not like he pleaded, he kind of persuaded her to walk with him and she found herself not refusing. She gave him a quiet inconspicuous look and noticed how the smooth moon rays played with his features, his hair whisked partly into his face, his gray eyes had the same luminosity as the moon reminding her of a slightly cloudy night with the promise of rain.
He straight noise stood prominently from his face, accentuating the chiseled contours of his face.
She could not deny it, he was painfully handsome, so bad it tore into her heart. Only his looks can make any woman fall into his bed without invitation, but here she is rejecting him like a snot-filled tissue paper. In her heart, she knows how difficult it is to hold back from responding to his affectionate touches. It felt so good for someone who had not received any love or affection for the past three years.
She was sure her heart was damn too rusted, not even thousands of affection could grease it up.
So she thought, but that was a different case entirely when with Leo.
Under the pretext of a friend which she wished it would stay that way given that she can't afford any romantic relationship with anyone especially one whose sole aim is to flirt and tease her endlessly. Just within two days he unleased her aging heart and started giving it promises to experience love again.
She was sure if Alison was her young self, she would give any thoughts to falling endlessly in love with this man beside her.
Love at first sight, she was sure of it. But now, Alison was matured not the naive twenty-three old college graduate Richard had his way with, left her and her baby.
Alison was sensible enough not to let those stupid feelings take the reins of her body instead of her brain. Richard made sure she stayed that way, coupled with piling responsibilities for her four-year-old daughter and her grandmother.
She just finished with Samantha's college savings and isn't even up to half of her insurance plan. She still had to ensure Sam received the best of everything.
If Richard thought she and her daughter would come running to his for monetary support he thought wrong after all she was sure he still fended from his father who was a popular statesman.
She made sure none of Samantha's had Richard's legacy, the reason being he wasn't an ounce of a deserving husband or a father. Samantha had her legacy and answered her maternal name.
"Alison, your grip is tight," Leonardo's smooth bass voice reverberated in her soul. Her eyes reached his and she was drawn from her thoughtful worries and regrets. She was appreciative of Leonardo, it has been so long since anyone stood by her side.
So long she started to think she was facing this world on her own. Except for this time, Leo created a reassuring illusion of someone having her back.
Smiling sadly as she released her hands from his wondering how it got there in this first place, "Sorry, I wasn't aware my grip was tight."
Leonardo felt his hand empty all of a sudden, he looked down to see Alison's hands by her side and he hurriedly placed her hand in his. Loving the smooth feel of her hands against the rough texture of his hands.
Being in the kitchen all the time isn't going to leave you with very smooth hands especially with countless burns and chards on his skin, cuts from sharp blade knives, and being around the heat of the kitchen.
Alison gasped, surprised as he put his hands in hers but didn't give any fuss as he thought she would do.
Such a fiery woman, he regarded her for some moment and was surprised to see her calm and thoughtful, feeling a gaze on her Alison looked up and saw Leonardo searching her face, his eyes met her as he paused on the road to properly assess her and maybe find out why she has a solemn expression on her face.
She lowered her eyes and looked away, feeling wary all of a sudden.
Why was he so interested in her?
"Alison," he called softly she raised her eyes to look at him, "What is the problem? You are quiet."
Surprised and touched by his words she took moments to collect herself.
"Why would you think that? Must I talk all the time," she retorted trying to mask her feelings. She can't let him into her problems she was sure he had a mountain of his.
Deciding not to push it, Leonardo resumed their walking holding her hand a little firmer to give reassurance, he searched her face one more time and saw a forced stoic expression on her face.
He sighed and decided to look more at the environs. Trees and shrubs were by the sides of the road, while the moon shone dimly, its rays penetrated the canopies of the trees. He wished Alison would let him into her life like the rays of the moon into the trees.
You are a bit fast.
A part of him reminded him, it was just two days and he found himself falling more, he wanted to know more of her, for now, his emotions were a bit confusing. He had to figure out why this woman stays so close to his heart and he was starting to create a space for her in his heart.
She shivered slightly when the evening breeze became stronger and chillier, he noticed it with the slight jerk of her body and the immediate goosebumps on her smooth skin, it was getting cold they need to head back, he thought.
Alison's eyes widened as she felt the slip of a jacket wrapping her, the strong scent from his jacket stirred her senses and made her a bit dizzy, "You were cold," he pointed out silently, she only nodded and hugged herself into the jacket embracing the spicy scent that overpowered her nostril.
*
Reaching his car, she allowed him to open the car door for her for some unknown reason she felt quiet and too reserved, Leonardo observed and the way she hugged his jacket like it was life itself was musing even to him. She needs a hug but instead of her asking for it, she preferred his jacket.
No need to be Jealous, Leo.
Well, at least she hugged a belonging of his.
Halfway to the hotel entrance, "Are you coming to the site tomorrow. I could drive us there."
Alison looked at him like he had horns on his head, "I am going home tomorrow Leonardo. I won't be around until it's next week, I need enough time to sort out the office works, paperwork and create a plan for your restaurant."
He nodded this time he was the one being quiet, "I need to go now, need to pack and arrange my things," She said opening the door, he came out too watching her actions, she slowly collected her little bag that housed her materials, slinging it over her arm, she paused "Thank you for driving me back and treating me to dinner," her subtle smile stirred something in him.
"Don't thank me, it's kinda embarrassing"
Smiling briefly she waved at him and made her way to the hotel just to stop quarter way with a blush creeping on her cheeks, "Your jacket." Unwrapping herself from the comfort of his soothing jacket that smelled like him and hot spices with subtle traces of his cologne.
She is going to miss that smell.
"Oh...Thanks almost forgot that."
He collected his jacket from her outstretched hands for a reason only known to her she kept her distance far from him.
Collecting it from her, Alison was about to go when she felt a hand on her arm, "Our cooking date still stands right?" He asked his features softer than usual.
"Date?" She chuckled lightly.
"You are teaching me how to cook and we are not having a cooking 'date'."
- Writer
