AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I think more about the consequences of what he’s saying. “We really cannot sleep together on the same bed? That’s difficult considering you said you wouldn’t let me sleep on the couch. I’d planned on just surprising you and sharing the bed with you.”
His eyes widen.
I point a spoon at him. “I meant fully clothed. As friends.”
“No…that’s not a going to happen.” He stands and steps close to the pot on the stove and looks down at the simmering soup. “That smells good. What is this food?”
I give it another good stir. “It’s called minestrone soup and luckily for you it’s a similar color to your bags of blood.”
He grins, which only makes him more handsome. I’m loving the peek of fang.
“Oh, wait, actually we could sleep next to each other without touching if we just put pillows and bedding in between us. Then we could both sleep on a bed and no one has to squeeze onto the loveseat.”
His brow furrows. “I think it sounds risky.”
“I think it'll be fine.”
Hale’s jaw clenches. “Sabine, why aren’t you trying to remain more distant? I’ve told you all kinds of things about me that should make a human terrified.”
“And where would I run to? The bathroom? No, I believe I will remain safe. I mainly need to just not touch you, right?”
I look up because he’s quiet. Is he staring at my neck again? And why does the idea of his sharp teeth in my skin continue to sound sexy? It must be because I know how it will happen. I attempt to change the subject. “I'm making us lunch and this soup is enough for dinner too because you need to eat this too. You didn’t bring anything other than bags of blood.”
“I still need to drink that blood,” he says. “It is the antidote.”
“It will completely cure you of this blood frenzy?”
“No, no, no, it will not cure me. Nothing can decrease the frenzy except time and possibly distance from the pheromones of a compatible female. I had some blood earlier, before you arrived. It is the reason I was able to go outside during the freeze and the reason I’m able to remain sane in your presence.”
“Oh wow.”
“Yes.” Hale looks at the clock. “And I need to drink another bag in an hour.” Then he glances back at the fridge. “And I'm worried it won't be enough.”
After the soupsimmers for another ten minutes, I add a cup and a half of small ditalini pasta. I let it simmer ten more minutes and add most of a bag of fresh spinach.
Because I’m still nervous, I start oversharing while it’s cooking. The way I’m behaving, you’d think I’d had a glass of wine, but I’m entirely sober. I talk about my last trip to the cabin. I learn more about his first days on Earth and what that was like for him, which sounds interesting. Luckily, he seems to really like the humans he’s met so far and despite the frenzy hopes he can recover and later continue with his trading mission.
Finally, our lunch is ready. “Are you sure this soup won’t make you sick?” I question.
“I can eat human food,” he confirms. “This soup of yours looks highly edible.”
I smile and pull out two ceramic bowls from the cabinet and real spoons from a drawer. Then I ladle steaming portions out along with grated parmesan on top. We’re seated at the tiny two-person table that divides the kitchen from the equally tiny living area. There is a window to our left that lets in what light remains outside. The wind howls and the window panes still shake. But the small cabin remains warm. The woodstove works like a champ and Hale is doing a great job of keeping it going.
I watch with fascination as Hale tentatively takes his first sip of the broth with a large spoon. He swallows and then a smile breaks across his face.
“You like it?”
He takes another spoonful. “I do. Thank you for making this for us.”
My chest swells with pride. “I like making this soup on the first day of my vacation,” I agree. “It tastes really good and makes a lot that I can reheat and eat for days afterwards.”
And then he’s soon eaten the entire bowl of soup, making sure to scrape every last morsel. He stands and walks over to the stove and uses the ladle to carefully refill his bowl.
And maybe I stare at his perfect ass a beat too long.
I quietly add some red pepper flakes to my own soup and eat the whole bowl too and even get a bit more.
While I eat I quietly mull over the implications of stripping off all my clothes and falling into bed with this guy. He’s told me many times that he’s not safe.
