Page 20 of Aries

Climbing the stairs that scaled the shelving unit, I searched for a couple canvas I’d feel comfortable for Naomi to sell. She’d seen all of them, and I knew there were specific pieces she’d had her eye on.

“I’m keeping the dark navy with gold flakes,” I told her.

“What if I—”

“That’ll go in a vault, only to be sold on my death.”

“Please don’t let anyone else hear you say that,” she said.

I presented two pieces to her, carrying them down individually. My anxiety spiked knowing I wouldn’t have either of them in my possession if she took them, but I was progressing. Maybe I was entering Ash 6.0 now.

8. GAEL

I arrived at Ash’s apartment just after nine. I let Kelly lock up so I could leave a little early and grab supplies. Ash was slow to respond to texts, but he was pretty open to anything, in fact, I think he was more just looking forward to having someone cook for him.

He answered the door, covered in paint and a pair of tattered basketball shorts nearly falling down. “Come and look at what I made,” he said before I could even get a word out.

I managed to place the bag of groceries down before being dragged away into the studio at the back of the apartment.

The canvas he’d been working on was a masterpiece. It almost opened up as I walked toward it. I couldn’t stop staring. “Wow.”

“My friend came by, and afterwards, I—I went into this trance and when I came out of it, I saw what I’d done.”

“We might need to get you checked out if that’s the case,” I said. “And did your friend see you like that?” There was even more color on his body now, sure some of it was paint, but it made him look like he’d caught something.

“Yeah, she did. She thought I’d been attacked by a vampire,” he said. “I obviously told her you were, and then before she left, she made a comment about making sure you were fed the next time you came over.”

I embraced him in a hug. “I’ve got that sorted.” I kissed him on the forehead. “You wanna get washed up while I start cooking?”

“I should show you around the kitchen first,” he said, raising his shoulders before sinking himself into my grasp.

“No, no, I can figure that out. You should get cleaned up. I’ve got something fun for us to do later,” I said. “And no, it’s not ropes, or even the massager. I think you’ll really enjoy it.” I kissed him on the neck.

“Tease,” he said, trying to turn his head to me. “You didn’t tell me what you’re making either.”

“I gave you the chance to tell me what you wanted. So now, that’s also a surprise.”I smothered the side of his face in kisses. I’d been wanting to do that since he’d left the shop earlier. “Let’s get you into the shower, I want you to take as long as you need. I’ll make food and get things ready.” With my hand around his stomach, I felt the small rumble. Nerves, perhaps.

I knew my way around a kitchen, it didn’t matter whose kitchen, I knew how to work a stove, an oven, and a set of basic pans and cutlery. Ash had a set; everything was in the same chrome accent. I wondered how much use they got since everything was all stacked like he was presenting a show home. The plates, bowls, pans, and mugs, all in perfect symmetry and order.

The kitchen hadn’t always been my element, but when I discovered that people weren’t lying when they said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, I took an interest in it. It wasn’t just pleasing a guy sexually, I needed to please their other senses too. Taste, smell, and even sight. Although I might not have chosen something I could nicely plate.

Chicken parm with pasta. By the very essence of it, a chicken parm was messy, all that sauce and cheese went everywhere.

As I transferred the breaded chicken steaks from the pan to a casserole dish, Ash came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Look away,” I said, spreading the tomato sauce over the top, followed by enough parmigiana cheese to put Italy into a cheese recession.

“Let me help you, I can’t have you just cook for me.”

I looked at him once the chicken was in the oven. “You can start by getting dressed, and then telling me where your table is. I saw chairs, but I can’t see any table.” And I hadn’t noticed any last night either, but then again, we’d both been far too preoccupied with other things.

“Right, a table,” he mumbled. “It’s under a bunch of clothes. I’ll clear it and get dressed.” He nodded as if to tell himself they were instruction.

I prepared the spaghetti pasta on the stove, making sure the water was bubbling hot. The last time I made food for anyone was a games night I’d held at my place with my employees. We each brought over a dish, and I’d made a chili. It was homemade with cornbread. But the last time I’d made food for a guy was a while ago. In fact, I couldn’t remember a time I’d seen someone as often as I was seeing Ash. It felt like it had been longer than it had.

“The table is clean,” Ash said, coming back to me in a pair of sweatpants and an unzipped hoodie, showing off the hickeys on his chest. I desperately wanted to add more to him. “Do you want me to set it or anything? I don’t know what the correct thing to do in this situation is.” He gestured to the table, it was a small, circle wood table covered in splashes of dried paint.

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