The scene was a testament to Ty’s secret culinary prowess, and it filled me with amusement and awe. My man was certainly a Jack-of-all-trades, and I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets and tricks he had in his magic bag of talents.
Ty laughed, his eyes glimmering mischievously. “You look so surprised. I picked up some things from my housekeeper and chef. Give me a little credit for knowing how to function as an adult.”
I moved to his side and looked at the roast. “I’m not surprised as much as this was the last thing I expected to see today.” I put my hand in the center of his back and smiled. The simple touch spoke of the easiness between us. The comfort. “Honestly, if you were dressed in a tutu with sparkles, I would be equally shocked.” I danced my fingertips along his spine as I spoke. “I have obviously underestimated your abilities in the kitchen. Impressive stuff.” Exactly what women dreamed about.
He smiled and shrugged, leaning closer to me until our lips were mere millimeters apart. “Just wait till you taste it.” Even if the food didn’t taste as good as it smelled, his confidence was easy to love.
“When did you have time to learn how to cook?” I moved to the counter and dipped my finger in the au jus to taste it. “Holy shit. This is delicious. Have you been taking classes behind my back?”
“Well, it’s not something I reveal often,” he confessed, a hint of pride lacing his voice. “I used to sneak into the kitchen and watch the chef work. I was always impressed with his quick chopping and dicing skills. He was so damn fast.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that skill takes many years to perfect.”
“So I learned.” He held up one of his left fingers. “When no one was looking, I picked up the largest, most intimidating knife and tried my hand at chopping a carrot. Needless to say, more than the carrot was cut.”
I took his hand and inspected the finger closely under the light of the cooker hood. A small scar I’d never noticed before cut into the skin just above the nail. “You better be thankful you didn’t lose a finger. Would have had to call you One Thumb.”
“We can’t all have innate chef skills, Liza.” He rolled his eyes, then winked. “My parents never thought cooking was a necessary skill, given our lifestyle, but I found it fascinating, so I picked up a thing or two along the way. You can be the ultimate judge on whether or not it tastes good.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Thank you, Ty. This means a lot to me.”
Satisfaction glinted in his eyes. “You’re welcome, Liza. Now, finish settling in and sit your cute ass down. It’s time for me to feed you.”
I kicked off my shoes and piled my hair into a messy bun on the top of my head before taking my seat at the table. Theanticipation built as Ty plated the succulent roast and roasted vegetables. My sense of smell was pleasantly overwhelmed by the delicious scent wafting from the dish before me. With each bite, my taste buds erupted in delight at the tender meat and the delicious blend of flavors. It was a symphony of taste, and a culinary masterpiece crafted by the hands of a man I was growing closer to with each passing day.
Gratitude and affection welled up within me. It wasn’t just the food that warmed my heart—andotherareas of my body—it was the gesture behind it. Ty cooking for me spoke volumes about his thoughtfulness and how much he cared, and I suddenly realized the depth of his affection and the growing bond we shared.
Not that I hadn’t been thinking about him every second of every day, but whenever he did something like this, it showed me he wasn’t just this stuck-up prince who expected everything to be handed to him on a golden platter. Ty was genuine, and he looked at me like I was the only other person in the world. I was as lucky as a woman could get.
Between mouthfuls, we engaged in lighthearted banter, our laughter mingling with the clinks of our cutlery against our plates. We avoided all talk of Sylas or anything remotely related to Castro, which was refreshing. My brain needed a break from all that anxiety.
For the first time in a while, I was content sitting in my little house, eating a home-cooked meal I hadn’t made.
Beneath all the glowing, happy thoughts of Ty and his masterful cooking, a question tugged at my mind. It didn’t take a genius or a psychic to see Ty was struggling with something, and I sensed that there was more he wished to share.
He’d kept up his end of our conversation and had smiled and laughed at all the appropriate times, but his eyes were darkand brooding. There was something he wasn’t talking about, and that scared me.
With a gentle sigh and a deep desire to help him work through it, I mustered the courage to address the unspoken tension. “Ty, is something bothering you? Did something happen during your meeting with your dad?”
He lifted his gaze to meet mine, a small crease forming between his brow as his mouth twisted from side to side. I could see he was struggling internally and deliberating over his words. “There is something I want to talk to you about.”
There was always something. I swallowed back another sigh. Why couldn’t we just have one carefree evening without something heavy coming up?
My anxiety reared its ugly head, and I crossed my arms, waiting for whatever it was. That burst of adrenaline was a bitch, and it hit every time my flight-or-fight response kicked in, which had been happening more often than I’d liked.
Ty’s voice was deeper with a hint of unease. “Dad thinks we should move forward with claiming each other—with our mating ceremony.”
A mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirled inside of me. I knew the significance of a fated mate bond, the intertwining of destinies that would tie us together for eternity. Yet, I couldn’t shake the reservations clouding my mind. The thought of a forced union, driven by duty rather than love, troubled me.
I ran my tongue over my teeth, keeping my tone cautious as I spoke. “Ty, you know I care for you deeply, but there’s a lot at stake here. Fated mates share a bond that goes beyond mere love. If something were to happen to one of us, we would both be lost. It’s not like a normal chosen mate. It goes way deeper than that. We’d literally die together.” I had no reason to believethat the rush wouldn’t be worth the reward, but we hadn’t even confessed our love to each other yet.
Yes, we were fated mates, so I had no doubt that the love would eventually come, but I didn’t want to be claimed when we weren’t even in love with each other. We’d be linking our actual lives together, so there was a lot to lose. “Is it worth the risk?”
My words hung in the air, the silence echoing our shared contemplation.
I sought clarity, a glimpse into his true motivations. “Do you want to mate with me because it’s expected or because you’re truly ready? I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this.” There was so much pressure.
Ty’s hesitation spoke volumes, and my heart ached. I wasn’t angry or resentful. Claiming each other was a decision that couldn’t be taken lightly. I understood the burden he carried, being the next in line to lead our pack. Sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the greater good. Not that I thought mating with him would be a sacrifice, but I couldn’t ignore the nagging doubts that gnawed at my heart.
