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“That’s exactly what I did.”
With those words, what I saw before me took on another dimension. Luc had personally gone to the trouble of doing something for the sole purpose of making me feel a little less lonely.
“I don’t know what to say.”
He grinned. “Say ‘let’s get started.’ Because I’m famished.”
Chapter 18
Luc
“No, no, no, you’re being too rough.”
“Not a complaint I’ve ever heard before.”
The double entendre came out of my mouth without any thought on my part. Something about Ava made me talk, and feel, a certain kind of way.
Her fair skin tinged red a bit in the cheeks that was irresistible.
“You’ve got some mind on you, you know that Luc?” In spite of her words, the smile stayed on her face. “Why don’t we focus on the task at hand?”
“Right, the cakes.”
“So, you’re being a little too rough with the crab meat. It’s a common mistake.” She gestured to the bowl in front of me, a yellow and white ceramic dish that contained the crab meat, saltine crackers, and the parsley. “This is one of the most important parts of the process, mixing it all together. You have to do it just right if you want to keep the mixture nice and light.”
“Got it,” I said, holding my eyes on hers for a moment before turning my attention back to the bowl. “So, show me how it’s done.”
She pursed her lips together for a moment, as if considering something.
“Give me your hands,” she said.
“My hands?”
“Your hands.”
I did as she asked, raising my hands in front of her. Ava wasted no time taking them and bringing them into the bowl, setting them gently onto the mixture.
“Now,” she said. “Don’t do anything with them. I’m going to use your hands to do the mixing.”
The idea was so strange that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Alright,” I said. “You’re the chef.”
“Now you’re starting to get it. You might be the boss of this palace, but in hereI’min charge. Now, watch and feel.”
Her hands on top of mine, she gently pressed my palms against the mixture. In spite of what we were doing, I couldn’t help but love the sensation of her skin on mine, her touch as she worked my hands into the mixture.
“See?” she asked. “Just barely. The secret to Ava’s crab cakes is how they’re rich and filling but somehow light at the same time. This is how I achieve that. Next, you want to form your hand into a loose claw. Like this.” She spread her fingers over top of mine, pressing down and curling my hand just a bit. “Now, with your fingers hooked, you sort of… move them up and down.”
She guided me once more, lifting my hand then letting it fall. It seemed strange, but the method worked. The mixture slowly but surely gelled together, the crab meat staying intact rather than being smashed.
“There you go!” she said. “You’d make a fine sous chef.”
“I quite like my job as is, but I’ll keep that in mind.”
We stood close as she helped me finish mixing the dish. I had to admit it was very distracting having her close enough that I could feel the warmth of her skin, smell her scent. I lost myself in her nearness as we worked.
“Alright! That should be good.”
