“Sure.” He handed her the knife and nudged the slices of bread toward her. “Mayo those up on the outside. I’ll grab the pan.”
After the chaos of the last few days, it was nice to be able to relax and do something normal for once. She was more than digging this deal thing they had going on. It didn’t hurt that Gunnar was not only an awesome host now he’d decided she wasn’t on the same bitch level as his ex-wife, but when he chilled out, he was pretty damn nice too.
“What do you want to watch on the box?” Gunnar slid the sandwiches onto plates while she spooned the soup into bowls. “If you don’t mind eating on the couch, that is?”
“Nope, the couch is fine. I’m not really a TV kinda person, so you pick. I have one but I rarely use it, unless it’s to check the news if some big art sale is coming up.”
“Okay.”
They brought their food into the living area and sat on either end of the couch. Jorja kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs in under her.
“I have no idea how that’s comfortable.” Gunnar half stood off the couch to reach the remote. His phone chose right then to ring. “Every single time.” He pulled it out and checked it. “It’s my mom. Remi probably called her, bitching that I threatened to cut him off.” He nodded to her plate. “You start eating.” He waited for her to nod before turning his attention back to the phone. “Hey, Mom. Tell Remi… oh… um, nothing?”
Apparently, no matter how old or badass a man was, getting called out by his mother turned him into a little boy. Jorja bit into her sandwich and grinned when he blushed.
“Um, yes. She’s right here.”
The sandwich went down the wrong pipe and Jorja coughed hard enough to hack up a lung. How on earth did his mother know she was here?
“Crap. Yeah, I’ll tell her.” Gunnar winced. “No, Mom, I’m not telling you why she’s here.”
Jorja placed her plate on the coffee table and reached for Gunnar’s plate with her knife in her hand and made a cutting motion, silently asking if he wanted her to cut it into smaller pieces so he could eat it while he talked to his mom.
He smiled and mouthed, “Yes, please.”
She cut the sandwich and nudged the plate closer to him. He’d probably draw the line at her spooning soup into his mouth, so that would just have to wait until he finished his phone call. She knew her mom didn’t bat an eyelid if she was eating while they spoke on the phone.
Mom. Crap.
She tapped him on the thigh and whispered, “Did my mom call yours?”
“Yeah.”
Of course, she did. Why wouldn’t she? Jorja hadn’t told her she’d arrived safely. Her mom was probably losing her mind. More surprising was that she hadn’t called the police or the embassy to report her missing.
“One second, Mom.” Gunnar lowered the phone. “You have to call your mom or she’s reporting you missing at midnight.”
Wow. Thanks, Mom.
“I’ll call her just as soon as I find my phone. I promise.”
“Did you hear that, Mom?”
Lord, he’s like an adorable little boy when he’s been told off by his mother.
She heard his mom’s voice but couldn’t make out the words.
“I…ah… that’s none of your beeswax, Mom,” Gunnar said around a mouthful of sandwich. “If there’s something you need to know, I’m sure one of the boys will tell you before I do.”
Jorja zoned out and finished her food while Gunnar chatted with his mom. It was all so freaking normal, or at least what she assumed was a normal couple thing to do. She didn’t date much and had always preferred to eat out when dating someone. But this was different; it wasn’t her space being invaded. She wasn’t quite ready to admit that she wouldn’t mind Gunnar invading her space to eat dinner and… more.
“Tell me what you’re thinking?” Gunnar’s question snapped her out of her musing. “What put that pretty blush on your face?”
He’s still a jerk-god.
“I need to call my mom.” That was a pretty good deflection, even if she was the only one who thought so. “Because she will call the cops like she told your mom. I’m so sorry she bothered her.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Gunnar went to the kitchen and opened a cupboard over the microwave which revealed a safe. “Remi gave it to me yesterday. I put it in here with my weapons so I didn’t leave it somewhere and forget it. I’m sorry, I didn’t think of having you call her either.”
