Page 56 of Zalis
“It is ridiculous.”
“I don’t know, it lets me do this?—”
In one smooth motion, she grabbed the tie and wrapped it around her fist, drawing him close. Their lips were a breath apart from each other. She grinned and rose up on her toes, kissing him lightly.
“Seems handy,” she said.
“I retract my statement.” He blushed furiously, the heat of it threatening to immolate him on the spot.
Gemma stepped back, looking thoroughly pleased with herself. “I was promised a picnic.”
He retrieved the basket and gestured for Gemma to follow. He knew the ideal location for their picnic.
“To answer your question from before we got distracted, I like food,” Gemma said. “A surprise involving food is always good, as long as that surprise isn’t food poisoning.”
“I noticed that you have used humor in several vastly different situations. Currently you sound in high spirits, but I cannot always deduce your reception by tone and delivery.”
“I guess I do that,” she admitted. “You’ll know if I’m upset. I’ll be crying or screaming and throwing things.”
Humor again.
Zalis slowed his pace, allowing Gemma to match his speed without struggling. “There is more. I have always had difficulty with tone and understanding the motivations of others, especially when they do not say what they truly intend.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll try my best to be clear. You doing all this,” she said, against wiggling her fingers at him, “the clothes and the picnic, is top notch. Good job.”
“Even I know that was sarcasm, but I am glad this meets your approval.”
The path twisted, leading them to a secluded corner of the garden. Two weeping dewdrops stood on a small hillock opposite each other, creating a natural grotto from their entwined branches. Dewdrop flowers hung between the branches, heavy and fragrant.
Following the ritual he observed in films, he spread the ceremonial blanket on the ground and unpacked the basket.
Gemma lowered herself on the ground, her legs folded to one side. She smiled, taking in the garden. She reached up to touch the dewdrops. “We promised honesty, right? I’m so impressedthat you’re trying to do things I like. I really am, but there’s two of us. It doesn’t have to be all about me.”
“I am courting you.”
“I understand that, but I want to do something you like.” In a teasing tone, she added, “Come on. I showed you mine. Now you show me yours.”
“Very well. I will show you mine.”
GEMMA
The picnic was perfect. The setting? Top notch with the gentle glowing plants in the Night Garden. Food? Delicious.
Zalis unpacked a box of fried dumplings. Then steamed dumplings. At least three more containers. He listed the fillings, some meat, and some vegetables. She was particularly intrigued by the custard dumplings that swam in a golden syrup. It wasn’t a carefully planned menu so much as a repeat of the great noodle incident, where he didn’t know what she liked so he got one of everything.
Fortunately, getting one of everything was exactly what she liked.
“This is like eating a fluffy cloud wrapped around a barbecued pig,” she said with her mouth full. “So good.”
Company? As delicious as the food.
Seriously, they needed to have words about that suit. The jacket had a corporate raider vibe, which didn’t get her hot and flustered. The pants loved his ass, but she suspected that all pants loved his ass. It was a good butt. What made her stumbleover her words like an inexperienced rookie was the button-down shirt. It just wasn’t fair the way he rolled up the sleeves. Criminal.
From his pocket—she called shenanigans, because those pants were painted on and there was no way he was smuggling anything in them other than a choking hazard—he withdrew a bug. A shimmering green bug with elegant wings, but still a bug.
It flapped its wings and drifted up from the palm of his hand.
“What is that?” she asked.
