Melanie laughs out loud and winks at me. “Yes! I remember one time I came in and the bakery was closing, and you were cleaning it up. You were in the back dancing before you noticed me.”
I nod. “Ha! Yes, I remember, I was dancing to Maroon 5.”
Aunt Maggie continues to heat the chocolate. “Roman, go get the radio, just like old times. It’ll be fun.”
“How about we just use my phone and I’ll dock it into the speaker back here. Besides, I can’t really go to the attic right now anyway.”
She hits her forehead. “Oh I’m so silly sometimes.”
Docking my phone on the speaker, I search for my Maroon 5 playlist and hit start. “Sugar” starts to play as the three of us bounce along to the beat. As the song plays, they mix the chocolate and ingredients together in the bowl for cooling. Just before Aunt Maggie puts it in the fridge, I manage to swipe my finger, grabbing a lick of frosting.
I motion toward Melanie. “Want to taste it?”
She shakes her head no. “I can wait for the cake.”
“You sure?”
She nods and removes her apron, handing it back to Aunt Maggie. Aunt Maggie sets the timer and opens the oven, checking on the pork. The intoxicating aroma instantly hits my nostrils, engulfing the room in its wild spicy flavor. She then wipes the counter down and starts to head upstairs.
She pauses and looks back at Melanie and me. “I’m going to rest upstairs for a bit with your uncle. I’ll be back to check on the pork.”
Melanie’s mouth drops. “Oh if you’re tired, I should go—”
“No dear. You can stay and keep Roman company.” She exits the kitchen with a mischievous smile and heads upstairs, shutting the bedroom door.
I face Melanie and nod toward the living room. “Come on, let’s sit by the fire.”
She follows and takes a seat on the sectional, and I pull my chair as close to it as possible. Lifting my butt of the chair, I scoot onto it, sitting beside her. Looking at her, her body displays a nervousness that is so sexy and cute at the same time. Her hands tremble as she glances around the room, looking anywhere but me.
I clear my throat and ask, “So, what do you want to do?”
She still avoids me. “We could put on a movie. I’m sure there’s something on TV right now.”
An amazing idea pops into my head and I know for a fact she would love it. “How about you read to me?”
Her head twists as she stares into my eyes. “Now? Here?”
“Yeah, why not? No one is around, just us. Besides, don’t you want me to find out what happens to that Darcy guy?”
Her face lights up. “Hmm good point. Let me get my Kindle.”
I watch as she steps toward the foyer, grabbing her Kindle out of her purse. “You have your Kindle with you?”
She smirks as she walks back toward me. “Of course, I take it everywhere I go. That’s what us book addicts do.”
Laughing at her admission, I get situated as she sits next to me. Her body’s proximity is extremely close to mine and even if I can’t really move very well, I’m sure that if I did move at all, our thighs would touch.
As she starts to read, her whimsical voice soothes me, lulling me into a tranquil state of peace. Her lips curve around every syllable as her eyes tell the story. I love seeing her so engrossed in something she already knows the ending of. Her sense of enjoyment exudes from her and as I sit next to her, I make sure to soak it all in.
Listening to her speak the words, I relax my body, resting it against the back cushion. At that moment, she slides closer to me; I freeze, unsure of what she’s attempting to do. Her body shifts next to mine and she lays her head against my shoulder, still reading.
The crackling fire heats up the living space as her voice carries throughout the room. I’m sure she must feel my erratic breathing and my heartbeat pounding against her. This moment is so perfect; I close my eyes and take a mental picture, capturing it for a lifetime. As she continues to read, my hand slowly grazes her arm, warming her skin with my touch. The feel of goose bumps under my palm brings a smile to my face. Now I know she feels it too.
******
Melanie slides out of her dining chair as she grabs her plate and follows Aunt Maggie into the kitchen. “Oh, please let me help you clean up.”
Aunt Maggie calls back from the kitchen, “If you insist dear.”