You could share,the little voice in her head whispered.
Shedidwant to share it with Max, but it looked so good that she could probably eat it all herself without too much effort. It was so pretty, though, that it almost seemed a shame to disturb it – it was a light, soft, velvety brown, speckled with spices, and decorated with star anise, cardamom pods, and long curlicues of orange zest. It looked and smelleddivine.
And, she could now confirm, it tasted even better than it smelled – the buttery base crumbled deliciously as she bit into it, and the cheesecake practically melted in her mouth, the spices dancing on her tongue.
It’s like a warm hug for my mouth,she thought happily. It was surprisingly light, too – she knew she wouldn’t feel like a heavy, gluggy, regret-ridden mess afterwards, despite the cake’s enormity.
Max sniffed the air, apparently picking up the heady scent.
“Is that the chai cheesecake?” he asked, looking like he was doing his best to look only mildly interested, rather than like he wanted to grab it with both hands and devour the whole thing.
“Yeah,” said Poppy with a laugh. “You want to try some? It’s really good.”
“Oh, no, no,” Max said, still staring at it with an intensity that made Poppy wish for one strange moment thatshewas a piece of chai cheesecake. “I can always order one if I want to.”
“Well, now’s your opportunity to try before you buy, if you’d like,” Poppy said, picking up a spoon from the table and holding it out to him.
Max eyed the spoon, his face unreadable.
Am I being a bit pushy?she wondered.Though at least I didn’t give him the fork that had already been in my mouth!
She opened her mouth to apologize, about to move her hand back, when he reached out and gently took the spoon, eyes locked with hers, his fingers brushing her skin ever so slightly.
“If you’re sure?” he said.
“I… okay,” she breathed. “Please. Go for it.”
He cut off a small piece with the spoon and then raised it to his lips, meeting her eyes again for a moment before they closed in ecstasy.
This guy really does enjoy his food!Poppy thought, entranced, as she watched him eating. It was like he was savoring every possible moment that even a tiny amount of the cake remained on his tongue, deconstructing its flavors. She could’ve watched him all day.
Definitely jealous of that cake right now.
Eventually he seemed to snap out of it, opening his eyes.
“Was it good?” Poppy asked, though the answer was pretty darn obvious.
Max paused for a moment, before eventually saying, “‘Good’ doesn’t begin to cover it.”
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to fit it all in,” Poppy lied. “If you’d like to share it and help keep the leftovers from going to waste, you’re more than welcome.”
Max raised an eyebrow. “Really? I know they do takeout here – you could just get a box.”
“I don’t want to carry a box around with me,” said Poppy. Which, while technically true, wasn’t her main motivation here. It was just that the only thing she wanted more than eating the whole piece of cake herself, was eating it with Max and seeing his enjoyment.
He looked at her a moment longer, before seeming to come to some sort of conclusion. “I’ll help you eat anything you can’t finish, but you should have as much as you like.”
“Deal.”
Poppy got started on the cake, trying to make it last and get as much enjoyment out of it as possible, while Max took the occasional sliver from the edge, obviously trying not to eat too much of it.
She watched, holding back a giggle, as his glasses fogged up as he took a sip of his hot coffee. It clearly irritated him, but she couldn’t help but find it enchanting.
You’ve got it bad, girl, she thought with a sigh.
They spent the next few minutes in comfortable silence, the murmur of the bakery’s patrons, the clank of cutlery against plates, and the tumbling snow outside the window lulling Poppy into a contented, almost dream-like state.
I wonder how often I could make an excuse to come here for a vacation,she wondered.Can I justify the cost of an airfare and accommodation just to eat cheesecake?
