Page 3 of Hungry Like A Dragon
She poured a drink and then stood there, resting her hip against the counter while she continued to watch him work. It was even more exhilarating up close. She could really see the definition in his arms as he moved, as he reached for the dial to turn up the heat under the frying pan.
Clearing her throat, she asked, “You’re not curious about why I have to go to New Orleans?”
He gave her a swift look and then dumped chopped garlic and cut up chicken pieces into the sizzling oil. “If you want to tell me.”
“How come you don’t ask? A normal person would be curious about a statement like that, would want to know the story behind it.” Why the hell was she goading the guy? Everyone knew Noah didn’t talk or ask questions.
“Sometimes it’s better not to know the answers.”
“What the fuck kind of cryptic bullshit statement is that?”
He laughed. It was more of a surprised bark, like he was as shocked by his response as he was to her question. Shaking his head, he murmured, “You don’t hold back any punches, do you, Petra?”
She shrugged. “No point. When the Elders decided to make Gabe reeve, I learned how pointless it was to keep my damn mouth shut.”
“There was a whole lot of information in that remark.”
Her wineglass was empty, so she moved to the fridge for a refill. Which she probably shouldn’t pour because she was already feeling loopy. But she wasn’t a lightweight, so it was likely because she hadn’t eaten yet today. Noah’s delicious smelling stir fry would take care of the buzz.
“How much longer?” she asked.
“Impatient much?”
She snorted. “I get that a lot.”
He raised his eyebrows again.
“Well, not a lot. Actually, not often at all, unfortunately.”
“I’m not quite following your train of thought.”
She watched the wine swirling in her glass. “I’m talking about sex,” she blurted.
“You’re impatient during sex?”
Well, at least he wasn’t laughing at her. “Sometimes. But, you know, sometimes I just want to reach the finish line. Get it over with.”
“It sounds like sometimes you aren’t having sex with the right guy.”
Is he offering to be the right guy?her dragon whispered.
Noah shook his head. “I’m definitely not the right guy.”
“Oh shit, did I say that out loud?”
He chuckled and scooped brown rice into a bowl then added steaming vegetables and chicken before sliding it across the counter toward her. “Lunch is served.”
“Are you going to eat with me?” At least she’d managed to use “with” in that sentence.
“You eat. I need to clean up the kitchen before Gabe and Talia come down.”
Since she didn’t want to see Gabe again and she didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness that had fallen over her and Talia’s friendship, she hurriedly ate so she could get the hell out of there before they arrived.
“Damn, you were hungry, huh?”
Petra glanced down at the empty bowl. “Guess so. Well, it’s been a little bit fun and a lot weird talking to you, Noah, but I better get going.”
He draped the towel he’d been using to dry dishes over the knob on a nearby drawer and said, “Where to? I’m done until dinner.”
