42. You Don’t Like It, Leo?
You Don’t Like It, Leo?
Leo
Today is my day off, and even if we were doing nothing at all, I’d be so happy because I’m exhausted and working solidly on one tattoo all day yesterday has my back protesting movement, but we have a date planned, and it’s one I’m looking forward to.
‘What is this place?’ Zoe leans forward, checking out the nondescript gray building in front of us.
‘You’ll see. Come on.’
We spent the morning being lazy. We ate breakfast on the balcony and took a long, very indulgent shower together before getting ready and heading out.
Last weekend was weird. Zoe and I had a fight, a real couple’s fight, and a real couple’s making up. It was good, though. I feel like we took a step forward.
Taking her hand, I lead her inside the building. A customer at the shop told me about this place and highly recommended it, so I’m remaining hopeful, but inside the building, I can’t help wondering if I have the wrong place.
Another couple walks in behind us and stops, looking around in the same way we are.
‘You here for the class?’ I ask, and the guy nods.
‘Yeah, this the right place?’
‘I hope so.’ I smile when the door to the elevator opens, and a small woman steps out.
‘Hi, guys. My name is Leela,’ she laughs as she takes in our confused faces, ‘I need to get some signage down here, huh? Come on.’
When we step out of the elevator, we’re in a large kitchen with multiple cooking stations set up. Another couple is already behind one of the stations, wearing aprons and smiles.
‘Okay, come in, come in. Welcome to your Thai cooking class.’
I look down at Zoe, who beams up at me. She recently discovered how much she loves Thai food, so I thought a couple’s cooking class would be fun.
‘This is so cool.’ She bounces with excited energy and pulls a hair tie from her wrist, roughly pulling her hair up into a bun. ‘Don’t look at me that way right now, Leo Bennett,’ she says quietly, and I laugh.
‘I can’t help it, munch.’ And I can’t. Something about the way she does that gets me every time. It’s the way she doesn’t care how it looks or what anyone thinks, not to mention she does it before she puts my dick in her mouth, too, so the muscle memory has me excited.
‘Okay, so we’re going to be cooking three things, and then the best part, we’re going to eat it all.’ Leela says with a grin so wide it’s infectious. ‘Wash your hands, put on your aprons, and we’ll get started.’ We move over to the sinks and start washing up, and she continues talking while we get ready. ‘We will be cooking three things, a soup, then we’ll make a curry, and then the best part, dessert. In the plan is mango and sticky rice in coconut milk.’ Zoe snaps her gaze up to mine — that’s her favorite. I can’t keep the smile from my face. Nailed the date choice, Leo. ‘Look at the menu on your stations, let me know your preferences, allergies, etcetera, and then we’ll get started.’
‘Good job, guys. Let’s get to the tables and see how you did.’
Leela walked us through every step, from choosing the right ingredients and how to prepare them and the stages for putting together each course. We both made the same spicy soup, but she went for green curry when I made red, and then the mango that she’s itching to get to.
We sit at our own little table, and she eagerly picks up her spoon.
‘Dig in,’ Leela says, and we waste no time.
‘Oh my god.’ Zoe groans, and it gets my attention. I watch her, forgetting to try my own soup.
‘You don’t like it, Leo?’ Leela asks, and I clear my throat.
‘Uh, yeah, sorry. I was distracted.’ Chuckling, she pats my shoulder and walks to the next table.
I try mine, and yeah, it’s damn good.
On to the curry; mine is delicious, and Zoe takes a bite of hers and closes her eyes. I can’t stop watching her. Zoe has always loved food. She gets so excited about trying new things and just getting to eat in general. She’s beautiful like this, excitement and enthusiasm pouring out of her. I mean, she’s always beautiful, but this is something.
‘Is it good?’ she asks, pointing her spoon to mine, and I nod.
‘Yeah, you want to try?’
We push our dishes to swap them, and I try hers as she tries mine.
‘ Mmmm , baby, that’s so good .’
Well, that went straight to my dick. I freeze, spoon in front of my mouth, and glance up at her as she takes another spoonful. Jesus.
Now dessert, and yep, fucking incredible. I sit back and watch as she excitedly digs into the mango and warm coconut rice.
‘ Ohh my god.’ She tips her head back as she swallows, and I can’t take my eyes off the bob of her throat.
I release an exhale and shake my head. ‘Shit.’
‘What’s wrong? Is it not nice?’ she asks, and I laugh lightly.
‘Oh, it’s very good. I’m a little embarrassed that I’ve never heard you moan like that before. I need to up my game.’
‘Shut up.’ She laughs, and the sound is perfection.
‘I’m serious, munch. I don’t think I can stand up for a while.’ She laughs louder and eats some more, and I dig in, too.
‘It’s so good, babe.’ Well, shit, I like her calling me that. ‘This is an amazing date, Leo. I have a way to go to beat this one.’
‘You don’t need to beat it, munch. Every date with you is incredible.’
And they are — on every date, I fall deeper for this woman.
‘Thank you for tonight, Leo. I loved it.’
‘I loved it too, honey.’ I kiss the top of her head as I hold her close, her head resting on my chest, and my heart races because I know I can’t hold it in. ‘I love you, Zo.’
I feel her body tense, and I hear her intake of breath before she pushes away from me and sits up, turning to look me in the eye.
‘You do?’ Her bottom lip catches between her teeth, and she looks unsure of herself, so I sit up, reaching my hand up to her hair and bringing my mouth to hers.
‘I love you so much. I always did, but now you’re mine, and it’s like nothing I ever felt.’
‘Oh, gosh.’ I see the tears in her eyes, and I panic that she’s not going to say it back.
‘Zo, it’s okay, you don’t have to…’
‘No,’ she swallows hard, ‘I love you. God, I love you, Leo. I just didn’t know how it would feel to have you say that to me.’
My heart races, and I smile wide as the air rushes out of me.
‘You love me?’
‘So much.’
I press my mouth to hers, kissing her like my life depends on it. Relief floods my veins, and I pull her body against me, falling to the mattress with her beneath me.
‘I’ve never felt this happy, munch.’ I pull back to look down at her, peach-colored hair fanned out against the black sheets, my favorite shirt on her body.
‘Neither have I.’
The weight of her words hits me in the chest, but all I can do is lower my body to hers and show her exactly how I feel about her. She’s never felt this happy, never . She’s mine. I don’t have to compete with a ghost.