I didn’t even know how to explain, so I sighed, and motioned for the door.
“C’mon, I made a huge feast, and I’m sure you’re way hungrier for food than family drama,” I said, brushin’ back some of my blonde hair from my cheek and hoping that I looked calmer than I felt.
“You bet,” he said in a gruff, firm voice, and I could tell he wasn’t gonna pass up the opportunity for some food.
So we traipsed on into the house, where I had laid out an embarrassingly big meal before us, and Asher sat himself down.
“And it’s just the two of us?” he asked, sounding surprised as he tore off a drumstick and wasted no time helpin’ himself. Not that I could blame him, I still remembered what my pa was like, and it weren’t pretty come dinner time!
“Yup, so eat as much as you need. Seriously, you did awesome work out there today, Asher,” I gushed, and I tried to dial it back a notch.
“I got your room all ready too. I mean, we have power and all that, so if you wanted to hang out for a bit after sundown, we got the family room.”
Asher didn’t need much encouragement, the big lug was tearing into his drumstick even as he scooped up some mashed potatoes with his other hand, and it was clear he was ravenous. Couldn’t blame him after a hard day of work like he’d put in.
“That’s damn good,” he managed to get out in the short span between bites.
I smiled, watching him eat before more lightly beginning my own dinner. I couldn’t help but get enjoyment out of watching such a gorgeous hunk devouring my cooking.
“Thank you,” I said with a sigh. I had been planning on changing before Marcus pulled up, but instead I was stuck in my daisy dukes and button down shirt. He didn’t seem to even notice, though.
Asher helped himself to a generous portion of everythin’ on offer, and of course, I only welcomed it. I’d served up ma’s portion to her in her room before hand, not that she got much enjoyment outta such things anymore. And best of all, he took great relish in enjoyin’ it too. He ate fast, but the number of savoury mmm’s and ahhh’s I got were not to be diminished!
“You’ve got a real knack for cooking,” he said, looking across the table at me with his dark, intense eyes. “Shame you’ve not had anyone to cook for out here.”
“Yea,” I admitted, a bit more morose about it than I intended. Loneliness is a hell of a thing, but I’d done well to ignore that nagging feeling and just do what needs to be done. One day at a time and all that.
I took a bite of my own chicken, and I couldn’t help but agree. I was a damn fine cook if ever there was one, though the wholesome ingredients didn’t hurt.
“You eat like you ain’t had anything decent in ages,” I finally said with a sparkle to my eyes.
He looked over at me, across the table and our eyes locked a while as we chewed.
“You could say that,” he remarked, and his shirt still left his bulgin’ biceps and thick forearms exposed delightfully. “You can’t get good food like this in the city. No way about it,” he said firmly, shakin’ his head as if in regret for all the misspent years with lousy meals. “Even when I knew a good cook, she didn’t have the kind of ingredients you have to work with. You’re a miracle worker in the kitchen.”
Somethin’ about praise from him felt a lil’ more genuine, and a lil’ more flatterin’ than the usual.
Maybe that was my loins talkin’, but it felt good. Real good.
“You charmer,” I grinned, trying to hide the fact that I was blushing like mad.
Thankfully I still had a bit of a tan, so hopefully that muted it a bit.
Asher never took no notice to my blushin’, but instead looked about the place, soakin’ it all in as he ate. He slowed a little, but not much, he was still intent on devourin’ the whole feast I’d prepared, it seemed.
“That fella,” he began, dipping some bread into the gravy I’d prepared, “Do you really think he’s going to cause trouble with the sheriff?” he asked.
“He’s my cousin, just lookin’ for trouble,” I said with a sigh. “He don’t want me to spend my money on hired help and thinks you’re gonna burn the farm down with me in it.”
“Ahh,” he said, as if coming to some great realization.
“What?” I asked.
“Oh, nothin’. Just figured he was some jealous boyfriend, that might get me into some trouble with the law,” he responded in between hungry mouthfuls.
I laughed out loud at that.
Marcus wasn’t only my cousin, but he wasn’t my type neither. I didn’t have time for that book stuff, for sitting around and bein’ idle all day. Even though he lived out in the country, he wasn’t like most guys around, not the rougher sort, and that was what I liked.