32.
February 29th, 2020
“You lured me in with a promise of feeding me homemade Indian food,” Gallan said from behind me. “That’s the only reason my ‘patience is wearing thin’, as you so nicely put it.”
I chuckled, and finally managed to open my apartment door. “You’re being sassy again, Underwood. Is this part of your midnight hunger crisis?”
He huffed but said nothing.
With a grin on my face, I pushed open my apartment door and stepped inside. I placed the keys in the black glass bowl on the table next to the door, and then looked at the time on the living room clock.
1:27a.m.
The shoot had run late, and when I’d asked Gallan to come over to my place around thirty minutes ago after things had packed up on set, he’d said yes.
Throughout the 18-hour shoot session, it had been a treat to watch Kenneth and Gallan work together. It was as if they knew how the other worked; their synchronization with each other was awe-inspiring. Their dialogue delivery, their body language during each scene, and the teasing way in which they corrected each other over minor slipups – it was all so impressive to be an audience of.
Amara was a dream. She’d worked seamlessly on Kenneth’s makeup and touchups, whereas Dylan – well, him and I had had some really good laughs while mocking Aubrey when she’d miss her lines or get frustrated over them.
I smiled as I fixed my glasses, and then turned to face my very surprised boyfriend.
Gallan’s eyes were wide as he looked around my small apartment. I knew he liked what he saw. How could he not? The place quite literally SCREAMED my name in every literal way, after all.
“Damn, babe. These walls are so fucking cool,” he said, and then looked around the area again. “All of this is soyou.”
My smile broadened. My parents’ neighbor was big on renovations and interior designing. I’d seen catalogs upon catalogs of his work in the past, and it was all pretty damn impressive. So, when my dad had suggested I ask Frank, his neighbor, to renovate my place, I’d said yes in a heartbeat.
From the newspaper-print walls to the white accent furniture; from the small yet comfortable living room to the black-and-grey combo kitchen; from the spacious bedroom with an attached bathroom and a cozy balcony, to the black marbled floors – my place looked stunning, classic, and super sleek.
“I’m glad you like it,” I told Gallan.
He walked over to me. “I’m impressed,” he said.
I grinned. “Good to know.” I grabbed his right hand and tugged him towards the kitchen. “Come on; let me feed you. I promised you homemade food, after all.” I winked at him from over my shoulder.
He chuckled. “HomemadeIndianfood, to be exact,” he said.
I shook my head a little. “Yes, that.” I let go of his hand and opened the refrigerator once we were in the kitchen. I pulled out a container full ofChickenYakhniPulaothat I’d made the day before, and then popped it into the microwave before turning it on and setting the time.
“Okay, so now we wait,” I announced, and then walked over to Gallan, who was sitting on my kitchen counter with a smug look on his face.
“What?” I asked as I stood before him.
He smirked. “I like the idea of you working in the kitchen, and of you cooking for me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Did a Neanderthal bite you in the neck on a full moon or something?”
He chuckled. “I’m sure it doesn’t work like that.”
“With you, it’s really hard to tell sometimes.”
He grinned, and then slowly ran a knuckle over my left cheek. “Come here.”
Goosebumps erupted throughout my body at the slight gruffness in his voice; at his short yet impactful command. I took one step forward and stood between his legs, and when he leaned in and kissed me, I closed my eyes and moaned against him, against his irresistible taste.
“Hey, Gall,” I whispered over his lips, and then placed my hands on his thighs.
“Yeah?” he responded.
