Page 39 of Some Things Never Change

“I was actually going to suggest that we cook something together tonight.”

“What were you thinking of making?”

“Crying Tiger. I’ve been craving this for a while.”

Crying Tiger, sometimes known as Tiger’s Tears, is a well-marinated Thai-style grilled steak. Thai people always pair it with a spicy chili dipping sauce, which is apparently so spicy it can make tigers cry. Hence the name. Along with the steak and chili sauce, this dish is often eaten with fresh veggies and sticky rice on the side.

“We can grab some groceries later. I’ll pay.” Andy yawned.

“I’ll marinate the meat and you’ll handle the grill.”

He gave me a slow and drowsy smile. “Perfect. We can go grab whatever we need tonight after work.”

“Sounds great.”

“Since it’s Friday, want to grab some coffee before heading downtown?”

Andy quickly ran his hand through his bed-tousled hair to keep his fringe out of his face as he continued to give me his cute, lazy smile. That simple movement somehow short-circuited my wires for a second as my heart started racing. I quickly tore my eyes away and focused on his wrinkled white cotton tee instead. If I looked at his face any longer, I knew I’d just end up ogling.

“Sure.”

For a quick moment, I couldn’t believe I forgot how good Andy always looked in the mornings. I would think years of seeing him stumble out of his bedroom in boxers every weekend would be burned into my mind, but how wrong was I. I hated how he was always pretty no matter the time of the day. How in the world did he still look so handsome after rolling out of bed when most people woke up in a complete mess?

That, I would never know.

Feeling self-conscious of how horrible I probably looked, I quickly excused myself to wash my face. Afterwards, I went to the kitchen to soak uncooked Thai sweet rice grains in water. Soaking the uncooked rice for a whole day or overnight was a great way to ensure the sweet rice grains would be cooked properly and evenly.

Afterwards, I got ready for another day in the office. In the mirror, I could tell I looked a tad more rested today. By the time I was done with my light makeup and put together a decent work outfit, Andy had already been waiting for some time.

“Here,” he said. He pushed a mug toward me as I walked into the kitchen without looking up from his iPad.

I walked over to where he sat by the kitchen bar, only to realize he had already brewed me a fresh cup of herbal tea. “Aw, you made this for me?” I asked, taking it. “Thank you.”

Andy looked up and nodded as I took my first warm sip. I involuntarily let out a sigh. “The tea is brewed perfectly.”

“Good. I timed it perfectly then.”

I smiled at him as I took a long sip. “We can head out after I finish this.”

“It’s fine. Take your time.”

The small talk between us dwindled into silence. I hummed as I took in the last few sips of my tea and watched the soft golden sun slowly rise from her slumber through the kitchen window. Sensing he was too quiet, I glanced at Andy only to find him, watching me intently.

His eyes were gentle and a tad more green than usual this morning. They were usually more hazel in the morning sunlight. There was a mix of emotions I could see swimming in the tender gaze he was giving me. But I couldn’t tell what they were.

I leaned into him a little more. “Your eyes are so green this morning. They’re so pretty.”

Andy smirked and inched a tad closer. “Well,” His voice oozed with smugness. “Why don’t you come a little closer to get a better look?”

I held back the urge not to roll my eyes as I moved closer. Andy let out a dramatic scoff. His warm breath fanned over my face down to my neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

“Come on, Tink. Come a little closer.”

I smiled ear to ear. Two could play at this game if he wanted me to. Wordlessly, I placed my hands on the sides of his face and pulled him toward me, only leaving mere centimeters between us. I blinked slowly as I watched the way the cockiness left Andy’s face. He looked back, stunned, as it became my turn to grin triumphantly at him. I clearly won the game he was playing at.

“You really are pretty, aren’t you?” I whispered softly.

Before Andy could answer, I pulled away with a hearty laugh. I could feel his fiery hot flush under my fingertips as I did so. He was blushing so intensely that even his ears were bright red. Embarrassed, he pursed his lips together as his brows knitted together. He was now obviously pissed off and embarrassed.

---