“What’s your favorite thing about holidays?”
“I’d like to make some traditional Melomakarona cookies for you. Wheat-free of course and full of honey.”
The day after the cemetery trip, we went bowling. Spiro wowed me with his tenta-licious skills while I made an absolute ass of myself. He didn’t seem to mind, even as he was scraping me off the floor when I’d flown after the bowling ball and flopped on the alley. I hadn’t had that much fun going out since forever.
Our next trip included seeing The Phantom of the Opera at The Chicago Theatre. Neither of us had seen it before and enjoyed it immensely, especially the huge swinging chandelier by the end.
Every day for a week, we’d do something fun downtown paired with a visit to a food place where I’d order a meal to create a post about it. Spiro helped me pick the restaurants and diners, and also ordered stuff I could eat so I could try and judge two dishes.
On the morning of the twenty-fourth of December, we had breakfast together and finished decking the living room with the decorations we’d bought during our sightseeing, small enough to fit in our luggage later. Spiro set the miniature Christmas treeon the table, which had only the baubles from the BlackHorns hanging on it: one with tentacles and one with a yule cat, and candy I’d got at the market we’d visited on decorative strings.
We’d decided to place only two things under that tree, and I had wrapped the book I purchased for Spiro perfectly the night before.
“Wow, so you can be bad at something.” I gasped theatrically as I pointed to his book.
“You’re such a brat.” He nibbled my earlobe, right under my piercings. “But yeah, I suck at wrapping gifts.”
“Whenever you suck, you do it very well, if that makes it better.” I stuck my tongue at him and ran.
He bolted after me and caught me before I reached the kitchen. Hoisting me off my feet, he held me by the ass while I wrapped my legs around his waist. I was still giggling like mad from the thrill when Kaos captured my lips.
I could feel his smile on mine as we exchanged open-mouthed kisses. Joy bubbled inside me alongside something much deeper that hid secretly in my heart. I was happy and safe.
I was going to miss that feeling.
The shift in mood was palpable as Spiro buried his face in my neck and inhaled deeply, then sat me on the kitchen counter.
“I have a list of simple meals I can teach you how to make that will match your needs and keep you healthy. All instructions will be on the recipes I’ll give you, but I want you try them first so you’ll know which ones you like.”
Right. So Spiro was getting ready for us to part ways soon. Where I had been forcing myself not to think about it, he’d been preparing me for life without him.
Don’t cry, Kaos. He’ll see that you’re upset.
“But I always fuck up in the kitchen. I don’t want to ruin everything.”
“You won’t. You’ve been doing so well lately. And there will be a reward for every step.”
“Your cock?” I perked up even as I was forcing my bottom lip not to tremble.
“That’s for finishing the job.” He cupped my face in his big hands and kissed my nose as if that wouldn’t make me more emotional.
“What else?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re done so you won’t get distracted beforehand.”
I rolled my eyes. “So that’s our plan for today?”
Spiro rubbed his hands together like a cartoon villain. “We can start with making lemon chicken soup, then I’ll prepare dinner and cookies for the evening.”
“The soup you gave me that first day?” If I closed my eyes, I could remember the warmth and taste of the contents of that mug I’d been hoping hadn’t been poisoned. Maybe it had been spiked with a love elixir.
“You said you liked it.”
“Yeah.” I would always remind me of him. “I love it.”
“Let’s get started. Can you dice the sweet onion, carrot and celery that’s in the fridge?”
“On it!” After two weeks with Spiro in the kitchen, I was looking forward to making food as opposed to dreading it.
