Chapter Twenty-Five
As Ellie and Alex washed their hands and put on white aprons, Alyssa wrote out the instructions for the curry, explaining a few of the techniques and trickier elements to Ellie as she went and patiently answering her questions.
Then she said, ‘I’ll be grilling on the barbecue outside if you need me.
Everything I need for the meal tonight is fridge one.
But feel free to take anything you want from the pantry.
I’m afraid fridge two and three are for the wedding.
Have fun!’ Alyssa walked out of the kitchen back door with a cheery wave.
‘Ready?’ asked Ellie, re-tying her apron.
He looked around the huge kitchen, uncertain of what to do. He’d never been much of a cook. Had never needed to be. There were always personal chefs, nutritionists, restaurants and room service that could do a better job than him, and he’d never felt the inclination to even try.
Before he had a chance to regret his life choices, Ellie had gotten him straight to work preparing the vegetables. As he was trying to peel a slippery onion, he felt her eyes on him.
‘What?’ he asked.
Her lips were twitching as if she were trying to stop herself from laughing. ‘Is that how you peel an onion?’
He rotated the brown vegetable thoughtfully. He’d never peeled an onion before and he hadn’t realised there could be a wrong way.
‘You’re peeling it like a banana.’ Ellie stared at him as if he had two heads.
‘How do you do it then?’
She nudged him with her hip and he took a step backwards, unsure if he could trust himself around her.
She grabbed the sad half-peeled onion from his hands, her fingers gentle yet confident.
She’d plaited her hair down her back and he fought a ridiculous urge to stroke the braid as it swung between her shoulder blades.
She was so full of vitality and feminine power that she almost dropped him to his knees.
‘Like this, you great big idiot.’ She giggled, and he watched over her shoulder as she chopped off the tail and top. As the layers were released, they fell like petals across the wooden chopping board. Turning a little, her dark eyes sparkling with humour, she said, ‘See.’
‘Oh,’ he whispered. More in reaction to her close proximity than his ignorance.
Her gaze softened, flicking down to his mouth momentarily. It was an open invitation and he leaned closer, but she took a step away from him, visibly shaking off the tension with a shiver of her shoulders. ‘God, you make me… laugh,’ she said with a weak chuckle, her cheeks warming to a rosy pink.
A sense of pride radiated from his chest straight down his spine. He shouldn’t be so pleased that Ellie found him attractive, but he was. Relieved and glad that he wasn’t the only one unsettled by the chemistry between them.
Except, he was beginning to crave more. Every day, little by little, the fire between them burned hotter and brighter, and he wanted more. Despite his fears and the potentially terrible consequences that might follow.
‘I’m useless in the kitchen. You need to give me exact instructions.’
‘Don’t you cook for yourself?’
‘Nope, except breakfast. I’ll always make you a nice breakfast.’ He couldn’t resist giving her a cheeky wink. If only to see her flush once more.
When she did his body reacted instinctively and he became light-headed as all the blood rushed to his groin. A physical reaction that he most definitely shouldn’t be having while chopping root vegetables.
He tried to refocus on the task at hand, and it didn’t take long to prepare the ingredients.
Admittedly, Ellie had been the one to do the majority of the work.
He’d been too busy staring at the curve of her neck and the strand of hair she’d missed when tying it up, longing to feel the silky softness run through his fingers.
Thankfully, she was unaware of how awkwardly he was chopping things into the wrong size or shape.
She didn’t seem to mind his poor offerings, just helped him with the patience of a saint until all of the ingredients were ready and sat in orderly piles awaiting fire and spice to become something new and wonderful.
They just had to throw it together and hope for the best.
‘Penny for your thoughts?’ asked Ellie softly.
‘Nothing really. It reminds me of directing.’ He gestured to the piles.
‘Everything prepared and ready to go. Endless possibilities. That’s what I’ve always liked about being behind the scenes.
My family always wants to be the centre of attention, but there’s something magical and beautiful about being the one in charge of bringing it all together. ’
If he hadn’t been watching her so intently, he would have missed the way her pupils expanded, and her tongue poked out to wet her lips. ‘You’re such a romantic,’ she said huskily.
His heart stuttered in his chest. Everything was better with her. Whether it was house-hunting, swimming with pigs, watching a film or even cooking.
She always made it better.
He was already lost to her. There was no denying it, he wanted desperately to kiss her. The only thing holding him back was his fear of losing her friendship.
His hesitation cost him another opportunity, because she shifted a step away and turned on the gas to heat the oil, leaving him bereft and kicking himself.
They cooked up the flour and spices first, Ellie following the instructions while he was in charge of stirring. Although he suspected that was more of a token job, like asking a kid to hold the bowl.
She added the coconut milk, her shoulder brushing against his lightly. ‘Just the lobster meat and lemon juice to add now.’
He went to the fridge to grab the ingredients, and handed the fruit to her helplessly, as he wasn’t entirely sure how you juiced a lemon and worried it would go the same way as the onion.
He was glad of his decision when Ellie grabbed a knife and something that looked like a mini medieval torture device from the kitchen drawer.
She was already at home in the kitchen, he noticed; she instinctively knew where everything was, and her confidence astounded him.
She added the last of the ingredients, then balanced a wooden spoon on the lip of the pan. ‘To stop it boiling over.’
Alex nodded, although he had no idea how a spoon would manage that. The curry bubbled gently, perfuming the air with delicious spice, and his mouth watered.
‘So, that’s done. Want to make a rum cake with me?’ Ellie asked.
‘Sure, sounds fun.’ He would have said or done anything to stay by her side.
‘We’re such geeks!’ Ellie grinned.
‘Shall we make a punch cocktail for everyone too?’ He was better with drinks.
‘Why not, sounds fun.’
They set to work on the cake and when they put it in the oven the curry was done, so she turned off the heat.
Unable to resist, Alex took a clean spoon from the drawer and dipped it into the luscious sauce.
Ellie stared at him expectantly as he tasted it.
‘I hope Alyssa approves of it for dinner tonight. I’d hate for her to have to make it again.’
Alyssa had an open budget when it came to meal planning, and could probably fly in chocolate from Switzerland if she needed to.
But he didn’t want to sound any more like a spoilt brat; besides, he was too busy sipping the sauce, and groaning with pleasure.
Warm spice, creamy coconut and salty-sweet lobster made the perfect combination.
‘Good?’
He rolled his eyes heavenward, steam on his glasses. ‘Mmmm-hmmm. Try it,’ he said, holding out the rest for her. Easing forward, she placed her lips against the spoon. A dainty sip, followed by a soft sigh of pleasure that made his body stiffen.
‘Gorgeous,’ she whispered, and he wetted his lips, his mouth suddenly dry.
She’d looked like this after they’d kissed. The urge to press her body against his was almost overwhelming. But this wasn’t the time or the place.
Clearing his throat loudly, he busied himself with putting the spoon in the nearby sink, embarrassed by his inability to control himself, as if he were a nervous teenager and not a fully grown man.
Ellie seemed to be fascinated by the label on the rum bottle, and was smoothing her thumb over where the label was peeling. ‘Everyone will need a drink after me exposing myself earlier,’ she joked sourly.
‘Don’t say that,’ he said firmly. ‘I enjoyed you exposing yourself. In fact, I think you should make a habit of it.’
She smacked him on the arm, but at least her smile was genuine and no longer embarrassed. He moved closer, his hip brushing against the curve of her waist.
‘Do you think you should talk to your family, about how you feel? It sounds like talking to Savannah earlier helped. Maybe you can explain the real reason I’m here. It might even help them understand what you’ve been going through.’
He frowned at the sudden change of subject.
Why would she bring them up now? Granted he’d told her about his conversation with Savannah, and how it had helped close the door on some of his conflicted feelings, but the last thing he wanted to think about now was his fractured relationship with his family.
It was almost like she wanted to put him off. Remind him of the real reason they were here.
‘Perhaps…’ he said, unsure if she were testing him or not. ‘But after the wedding. I don’t want to spoil their wedding day with my issues.’
‘Hmm, well, whenever you’re ready.’ She headed to the pantry, her voice overly bubbly. ‘Let’s get everything out and start making up our marvellous medicine.’
The strange moment had passed by the time they returned from the pantry, their arms brimming with ingredients. He supposed, if she didn’t want a relationship with him, he couldn’t blame her. The paparazzi alone would be enough to put any sane woman off him for life.
One of her rules had been that no one would get hurt. Could he guarantee that when his family were constantly in the tabloids and on social media?
She took out a large jug from a cupboard and began chopping fruit.
‘How can I help?’
‘Chop these.’ She handed him an orange. He could definitely chop an orange.
‘Into slices…’ she added, and made a sawing motion with her hand. He turned the knife above the orange and she gave an approving nod, followed by an indulgent chuckle.
Maybe he’d always act this dumb in the kitchen. He liked making her laugh. Plus, who was he kidding? He was dumb in the kitchen.
The juice, rum and bitters were added one splosh at a time.
Every now and then she would sample the punch and bite her lip and ask him what he thought it needed.
He made suggestions and they tweaked the ingredients.
Eventually she was happy with the mix, and he thought it the best cocktail he’d ever tasted in his life.
‘You sure it doesn’t need more syrup?’
‘It’s perfect. Just like you,’ he said.
She grinned back at him and he felt fifty feet tall.
Alex’s family were impressed when they walked into the sun room with their big batch of afternoon punch and rum cake.
‘Darling, you made this?’ gasped Jessica, her gold bangles clinking delightfully as she gestured at their bounty. He didn’t think his mother could have been any more impressed if he’d walked in with a freshly caught shark.
‘The cake sank a bit in the middle,’ he grumbled. It had been his fault. He’d opened the oven door to check on it, and all of the heat had escaped, causing the cake to flop.
‘Only a tiny bit, it’s barely noticeable,’ said Ellie, as she placed the jug of punch down beside the tray of glasses and cake he’d brought in.
Richie looked up from his phone as they entered, but quickly returned to it with an unimpressed frown.
He was always on his phone. Alex was glad he and Ellie had put theirs away.
He found life easier without any social media or emails distracting him.
The pressures of the real world disappeared when he wasn’t being confronted by them constantly.
Ellie had timed the late-afternoon break well.
Savannah and Liam were slumped on the sofa looking defeated.
Savannah’s eyes were red and hollow, as if she were on the verge of tears, but they brightened a little when she saw the afternoon treats.
‘Oh, that’s so kind of you guys. I could do with a drink after the news we’ve had. ’
‘What happened?’ asked Ellie, pouring drinks.
Savannah gave a shake of her head and tucked her head closer to Liam’s chest, leaving him to answer.
‘It looks like the flowers have gotten lost in transit. I’ve chartered a boat to bring them here as soon as they find them, and our wedding planners are on the case.
Don’t worry, honey, it’s going to be fine. ’
Ellie cut a generous slice of cake and handed it to Savannah. ‘I’m sure they’ll arrive in time. Flowers are not easy to lose. They’ll soon turn up.’
Savannah’s bottom lip trembled, but she took a deep breath as if to steady herself. ‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’
Dinner was a little sombre after that, and he couldn’t help but wonder what other disasters might befall the Kings between now and the wedding.