Chapter 7 #2
Holy Fuck! I didn’t think he would go through with that. I look across the room to see Ishika’s jaw drop. A second later, her eyes crinkle as she covers her mouth with her hand and bursts out in giggles.
“Ryan, you weren’t kidding,” she says, trying to control her amusement. “I am sorry I didn’t believe you earlier.”
“I can’t control myself, Ishika. This man is hawt!” Owen says, puckering his lips, trying to peck my cheek while I palm his mouth away.
I deflect. “The food smells amazing. Can we eat?”
“Yeah, can you get some plates and cutlery please?”
Phew! That went down very well, if you ask me.
Ishika brings the hot pan of scrambled eggs to the table and sets it down.
“So why exactly are you feeding him?” Owen asks, heaping his plate with eggs, bacon, and a slice of toast and some fruit.
“I…I’m saying thanks for fixing my car. I had a flat and Ryan took care of it,” Ishika shares, biting her lip.
“How come you never volunteered to fix my car?” Owen elbows me.
“That’s because you don’t have a car.”
“Oh yeah! That’s right.” Owen chuckles. “That reminds me why I’m here. I need your bike.”
I glare at him. No one touches my bike.
“I have a job interview. Please, bro,” he begs.
“Take an Uber.”
“I can give you a ride,” Ishika says at the same time.
“I need to head to a few more agencies to drop off my résumé. Ishika, you just got here. Spend some time with my brother. He looks like a wild beast but he’s very charming once you get to know him.”
“Owen. No,” I warn him.
“Big bro, once upon a time, you said brotherhood and family is everything to you. Did you know lies can crumble budding relationships to dust? I’m telling you the truth about my predicament.
I need your Harley for a few hours because I can then get a job.
Unless you don’t want me to get a job, then I can always work with you in the garage and… ”
Asshole is blackmailing me but this is not the time or the place to fight him.
“If there is a single scratch on it...”
“I will treat her like a butterfly. Cross my heart,” Owen promises.
Reluctantly I hand over the keys to him. He swallows his entire plate of food within the next minute. Next, he guzzles down his coffee. “Got to go. See you around, Ishika.” He smiles at Ishika and then winks at me before running out the door.
I turn back to my plate and take my first mouthful of food. The textures melt in my mouth; butter, oregano, and a sprinkle of harissa. My eyes close and I lick my lips to savor the taste a little longer.
I would die a happy man if my woman cooked like this and looked like that… A temptress. A woman on a mission to tame the savage.
“Is it any good?” Ishika asks in a soft tone, almost sounding doubtful. My eyes open and I find her waiting for my verdict.
“It’s the best breakfast I have ever tasted. Girl, you can cook and I’m in heaven.”
I fork up more food and stuff it in my mouth.
This is the first time she smiles genuinely at me. My words make her happy.
“Do you cook often?”
“Not much now but my grandmother used to organize these prayer meetings and dinner get-togethers at home for her church group. There was always so much cooking and prep work involved that every member of the family became a kitchen hand at some point. My grandmother loves her church and she loves to cook,” she says, picking on her toast.
“Are you religious?” I immediately regret the question. It’s not my business to ask her this. I don’t care if she is religious or not.
“Oh, absolutely. I’m on my way to get my nun’s diploma. I am a Roman Catholic, by the way, so I have to live by the Ten Commandments,” she says, sarcasm dripping in her voice.
They call me Savage for a reason. Even though the scenario is disturbing, my wet dreams will gladly adjust according to this tidbit. My mind wanders and indulges my desires. I want to watch this innocent nun whimper my name on the pew when I lick…
“Did you know my life’s dream is to do tooth extractions and perform root canals for all the sisters in missions around the world?” She sighs dramatically, feigning innocence.
My eyebrows rise, calling her bullshit.
She likes our banter because then she bites her tongue. Her eyes sparkle with mischief and I can see how hard it is for her to hold back her laugh.
“Ishika, don’t take this the wrong way but you would make one very sexy nun. Forgive me, Jesus.”
She bursts out laughing.
Picking up my coffee, I say, “I would sign up for the priesthood right now if you were the hot nun in my parish. You in that nun’s outfit is going to stir so much trouble that the confession box will have to run overtime.
I never knew I had a nun fetish in me until now.
I am a convert because of you. Again, forgive me, Jesus. So this nun’s diploma you speak of…”
“Oh my God, stop.” She laughs hard bumping her shoulders to mine. In the process, her arm accidently collides with my coffee mug. The mug topples and the warm liquid pours down and soaks into my clothes.
Ishika jumps out of her chair. “Oh no. Shit. Does it burn? Hang on.” Picking up the dishcloth, she douses it under the cold water in the sink and then sprints back toward me.
“I am so sorry, Ryan. I’m such a klutz.” She bends closer and begins rubbing the damp cloth on my chest, abdomen, and my thigh. Her hand rubs and strokes haphazardly getting closer to my groin.
“Ishika, you don’t have to…”
“I am so sorry. Shh. Let me help.” Her rubs turn more vigorous, trying to get the coffee stains off me, more like strokes up and down on my groin.
I am doing my best to keep matters ‘down’ but all this friction and the girl of my dreams so close has made this moment very ‘uplifting.’
“Ishika, wait.” I grab her hand and she freezes.
My eyes drop downward on my cock where her hand rests.
“Oh my God.” She turns red like a traffic light. Pulling back her hand, she drops the cloth on the table.
“Sorry. I didn’t—I am so sorry about—”
Within seconds, she is running toward the door and I am chasing her. I catch her by the door, my hand on to her arm.
“Hey, wait. We didn’t finish breakfast.”
“This is so embarrassing. I am never going to be able to look you in the eye again,” she says, slapping a palm on her face to cover her eyes.
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“You think? I was simply trying to get the coffee out. I was not planning on doing that,” she groans.
“Listen, I grabbed your ass in turn you grabbed my crotch. We should call it even.”
“Oh God, please don’t talk. You manage to make it sound even dirtier.”
I laugh. “You are overreacting.”
“You know I am otherwise a very sane, intelligent woman who would never do such a thing. I don’t know why this happened,” she huffs, pulling her hand out of my grip and still avoiding looking at me.
“I know why. This is a sign. For us to start something new.”
“You think this is a sign?” she says, looking at me, her eyes dropping to my lips.
“Of course. It’s a sign in bold letters saying that we should be friends. Friends always embarrass each other.”
“Friends! You want us to be friends?” I note a hint of disappointment.
I like it. A lot.
About time we had some fun. I plan to manipulate this connection, our undeniable chemistry.
My game. My rules.
My temptation.
“And, Ishika, as a gesture of my commitment to our friendship, I’m willing to be your pretend boyfriend.”