Page 153 of The Penalty

The Chinese food delivery shows up at that moment, so I deal with that while Rhys gets the mattress set up.

I get everything on the counter, but we don’t have any forks. Or plates. Or anything else. So I grab one of the chopsticks, break it apart, and stab my sweet and sour pork with one.

Rhys comes down the hallway and finds me shoving food in my mouth and stops.

“What is happening right now?”

“‘m ea’ing,” I mumble around a mouth full of sweet and tangy deliciousness.

“Has no one taught you to use chopsticks? Did they not include forks?” He digs through the bag and doesn’t find any forks, either.

“I am using the chopsticks!” I stab a chunk of pineapple. “See?”

He shakes his head, but he’s smiling at me. Pulling his own out, he pulls them apart and uses both at the same time, like some kind of wizard.

“What kind of magic is that?” I demand.

“Have you never seen anyone use chopsticks before?”

I roll my eyes. “Obviously I have, but it’s fucking magic. How. Do. You. Do. It?”

Rhys spends the next several minutes showing me and arranging my fingers, but it’s impossible.

“See? Magic! Us mortals can’t do it!” I stab a potsticker and shove it in my mouth.

“An entire continent uses them.”

“Entire countries of people with hands that are magic. I could never even imagine the decapitation it takes to do that.”

“Dexterity?” Rhys asks.

“That’s what I said.” I sit on the counter to eat, and Rhys moves to stand between my thighs with his back to me so he can lean on me.

“You can learn. It just takes practice.”

“That takes a kind of brain hand smarts I do not have. This place is pretty sweet. I can’t believe we live here.” I sigh and wrap my arm around him.

“It is pretty amazing.” He pats my hand and sets his food down.

Good, he’s done. I made sure to leave room in my tum tum because I have plans.

Leaning down, I kiss his neck, then up to his ear. “Soooo, wanna try something with me?”

“That could mean so many different and terrifying things from you.” He turns and runs his hands up my thighs to my ass, pulling me more solidly against him. “What do you have in mind?”

The blue package I hid in the cabinet has been haunting my skull jello for hours.

I cup the back of his head in my hand, then whisper against his lips. “Double stuff me.”

Rhys blinks then pulls his head back with those adorable confusion lines between his eyebrows. “You just ate a fuck ton of Chinese food and immediately after, you want a DP?” His eyes are really big like he’s had a shock.

“I mean, Icouldgo for a Dr. Pepper right now. Do you have one and didn’t tell me? That’s pretty rude. We’re life partners.”

“What? Now you want soda?” He looks around like he’s not sure if he has it.

“Don’t tease me about Dr. Pepper. Do you have some or not?” A Dr. Pepper and double stuffed Oreos sounds so bomb right now.

“No! I don’t have Dr. Pepper!” Rhys rubs his eyes and sighs. “Dr. Pepper? That’s not what DP means. I thought you’ve been on Reddit.”

---