“Deal.”
“Grab that loaf and slice it up with the bread knife. A little thicker than that. Yeah. Cut off the crusts if that isn’t your thing.”
Mathlin gaped. “Cut off the crusts?!”
“It makes the sandwiches delicate. The bread becomes cloud-soft in your mouth,” Titan said. When Mathlin continued to stare, the alpha frowned. “You’ve never had that? Sweetheart, stack some slices together and remove the crusts. Let me show you a world of deliciousness.”
Mathlin was doubtful, but he obeyed Titan’s orders. He preheated one of the ovens and popped several slices of bread in there—some with butter, some with sweetened condensed milk, and some with black pepper and sliced cheddar.
When the toast came out of the oven, their toppings had dried out. Mathlin eyed them again.
“It concentrates the flavor,” Titan said, nodding at them. “Take a bite of each.”
The buttered toast was crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. Mathlin moaned, cramming the rest of the slice into his mouth. He tried a slice with sticky condensed milk next—it was sweet and amazing. And the toast with pepper and cheese—that was the most delicious of all.
“Oh gods,” Mathlin whimpered, drooling and grabbing another slice. “Where has this been my entire life?”
“Have I gotten you hooked on finger sandwiches?” Titan grinned.
“I feel so bad about cutting off the crusts, but... it’s like you said. I’m eating little pieces of cloud heaven; they’re so good.”
Titan rumbled, propping his hip against the counter.
“Do you want a slice?” Mathlin held up a piece of toast.
“Give me the one you like least.”
“But I like them all.”
“Give me some of the crusts, then.”
After Mathlin had spent all that time moaning over the toast, it was unthinkable to give Titan only the discards. He grabbed a cheesy slice and held it out. “I want you to have this.”
Titan’s eyes lit up. Carefully, he took large bites so the toast was no longer in Mathlin’s hand. “Eat, sweetheart. Don’t leave your belly empty.”
“It’s not empty anymore. You saw me eat all those slices.”
“Well, I would like you to be stuffed,” Titan said.
“You didn’t just go there with food,” Mathlin spluttered. At Titan’s shark-like smile, Mathlin ducked his head, stuffing his mouth with buttery toast. He popped more bread into the oven, and when those slices were done, he topped them with new condiments from the fridge.
Through it all, Titan watched him, his expression almost... indulgent.
“You’re having fun watching me,” Mathlin blurted. “Like I’m a... a rat or something, hoarding food.”
Titan snorted. “No, I’m having fun watching you try something new. It’s like my first time, all over again.”
“Wow. And here I thought you couldn’t make food soundmorelike sex. The next thing I know, you’ll be telling me to use butter as lube.” Only then did Mathlin register the words coming out of his mouth. “Oh gods, that would break so many health codes.”
“Not if you bring it to the office,” Titan said mildly.
Mathlin choked. “We’re not doing that!”
He peeked at Titan, only to find the alpha grinning handsomely. No, Titan was too dangerous to look at. Mathlin wrenched his gaze upward, and—
A scroll was pinned open on the ceiling, that hadn’t been there the day before.
When you open your eyes, I fall into them like a man into a well. When you open your mouth, I’m enchanted by your flapping tongue. When you open your legs, I trip and land in your hole—It’s like quicksand. Wait. I can’t get out. Help! 911! This hole is eating me alive!
