The living room was a homey space, plush navy couches in front of a large TV. A guitar hung out in one corner, and a fake potted plant stood guard in another corner. Framed band posters decorated the walls, but with uneven gaps between them that made Aaren think Hades still had yet to finish his poster collection.
“Those are some wide couches,” Aaren said. “They’re almost like beds.”
“They’re comfy enough to sleep on. And the backs are... comfy too. For you to bend over.”
Heat bolted through Aaren; he remembered last night. “Mmm. Last night was amazing.”
Then he remembered that houses hadkitchens,and he promptly released Hades’ bulge to hurry there.
Behind him, Hades chuckled. “I didn’t think there was anything that would make you release my cock.”
“I’m not obsessed with it,” Aaren protested.
“Uh huh.”
Aaren pretended not to hear that, slowing down closer to the kitchen. It was larger than he expected, more spacious than Ballus’. If Aaren could, he would’ve written a love song for this kitchen.
The granite counters were clean and uncluttered, the double sink was large enough to fit a huge pot, and the fridge was a humongous masterpiece. Aaren hefted a frying pan—one of the better brands—and found a seasoned cast iron pan. The knives were mounted on a magnetic strip above the sink, and a stand mixer perched on the far side of the counter. The spice rack wasfull of spices, including some that Aaren had always wanted to try but couldn’t afford. The spices were fresh too; he sniffed at a jar of rosemary and purred in delight.
When he opened the cabinets, he found a pile of kitchen gadgets that were hyped up on the internet, but that he had never gotten his hands on. Aaren squeaked. “You have the fancy pepper grinder! People say this one is the fastest in the industry.”
“Yeah, the regular grinders are way too slow,” Hades rumbled. Then he looked hopeful. “Is the kitchen to your liking?”
“Yes! You have all the things.” Aaren carefully did not start pulling out all the gadgets; he wanted a whole day here to slowly examine each and every one of them. “It’s bigger than Ballus’.”
Hades’ laugh curled down his spine. “You knew that, going in.”
“It can go in again,” Aaren blurted, and blushed vividly. “I didn’t know about your kitchen. This place is like a wet dream.”
“Good,” Hades purred.
Aaren peeked into the oven to check how much space it had, then he peeked into the fridge and freezer too. There were stacks of vacuum-sealed meat in the freezer; he pulled out a package of bison and wriggled excitedly. “Can I cook this?”
Hades grinned indulgently. “Not right now, but I can set that aside for you. Tell me what ingredients you want to use with it, and I’ll make sure they’re here.”
I love you,Aaren almost blurted.
No, that was too soon. No one fell in love intwo days.
He returned the bison meat to its proper place and checked the other packages—seafood, chicken, lamb, and beef. So many different meals, so many possibilities.
A thought struck him. He turned and frowned at Hades. “You can cook.”
“Yes,” Hades admitted. “I can.”
“So why did you follow me all the way to Meadowfall and pay me two hundred bucks to cook for you?”
Hades smiled crookedly. “Sweetheart, there’s a difference between knowing how to cook, and cookingwell.Your cooking is phenomenal. Better than anything I can make. Sometimes I use boxed mixes and take shortcuts.”
“Well, I do that too. It’s not like I go out of my way to make the best things for Ballus.” Aaren shrugged.
“Would you do that for me? Go out of your way, I mean.”
“I will if you give me the ingredients, enough time, and some advance warning,” Aaren said dryly.
Hades came closer, grinning fondly. “Your parmesan-crusted chicken was beyond perfect, and you whipped that up with no advance notice at all.”
“Half the battle is won by having the right ingredients on hand.”
