Gawking incredulously, Cade declared, "It's literally just boiling water."
"I usually use the instant kind!"
Cade blinked.
"Can you walk me through it?" Tristan pleaded, and Cade turned back to the stove so he wouldn't have to look at this blushy-cute version of Tristan.
Clearing his throat, he explained the steps as he cooked the steaks. He didn't react when the other man's arm grazed against his (seven times to be exact) and refused to admit how adorable it was that Tristan hummed softly and mumbled to himself as he concentrated on his task.
Nope. Nothing to see here.
They sat down to the simple meal, and Tristan practically moaned with satisfaction when he took a bite of steak.
Cade was not going to think about that sound at all.
"Oh my god, this is so good."
"Thanks, I guess."
"You're a good cook."
Curious why these simple dinners seemed so fantastic to the other man, Cade asked, "What do you usually eat?"
Tristan finished chewing and said, "I don't know. Pasta, frozen pizzas, ramen. But we have salad and frozen vegetables too."
"Processed food is bad for you."
The other man's mouth turned down. "I know. I want to do better for Natalie, but she's so busy with school and activities, and I work late a lot. I never learned to cook, and it seems like it would be hard."
When Cade snorted, Tristan's head snapped up.
"If you went to college, you could learn to cook simple meals."
Gazing at him thoughtfully, Tristan relented, "You're probably right. Maybe when Nat and I get home, I'll cook more."
The talk about Natalie seemed to drain Tristan's energy and good mood, and Cade felt responsible. They finished their meal in silence, and when Tristan offered to wash the dishes, he didn't argue. Standing close to him at the sink probably wasn't the best idea anyway.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Tristan approached the sofa where Cade relaxed.
"Do you want to play backgammon again?"
"Nah."
"Stream a movie?"
"No."
"Tell me your life story?"
"No!"
The redhead crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. His annoyed expression and determined attitude were so sassy andappealing that Cade's heart tripped over itself. He admired this version of Tristan, the one who knew what he wanted and went after it with no apologies.
The thought of kissing those pursed lips and shaking that confidence filled Cade's mind, blinding him to the fact that he should respond.
"Well, do you have any ideas then?" Tristan's surly tone brought him back to the present.
He clearly had no sense of the depth of depravity of Cade's broken mind.
