Dinner at home - locked to Lou

[anddowntothesea]

It's one of his most closely guarded secrets - the fact that he can actually cook. He bakes, too. His Ma was determined that she wasn't going to raise any sons who were a burden on wives. As it turned out, wives had been purely theoretical, but Gabriel Monroe is a man that can look after himself.

When the doorbell rings, he opens the door in jeans and plaid rolled up to his elbows. He smiles.

"I was halfway expecting you to cancel."

Comments

[louise_abasi]

"You have beautiful hair", she says like an apology, stacking the plates. "If I can say so."

[anddowntothesea]

"You can say whatever you like to me," he says, flashing her a cheek grin as he drains the sink and dries his hands. "Any time you like."

[louise_abasi]

"No, that's-" That wasn't true, Louise knows they're still working their way through a minefield. "Can I have the towel for a second as well?"

[anddowntothesea]

"Of course," he says, presenting her the towel with a flourish. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable I'll bring desert."

[louise_abasi]

"Pie. I hope it will disappoint." What did she just say? "Eh, Abasi brunch is this Sunday. We discuss pie. Our patisserier would be disappointed if I would have to tell him I had a better pie somewhere else. You should come."

Louise was unraveling around the edges.

[anddowntothesea]

"I'd love to," says Gabe, ignoring the flutter in his stomach as he accepts the invitation. He moves to the pantry and cuts two slices of pie, adds a scoop of ice-cream to each plate and grabs two spoons.

He carries them into the sitting room. "For you."

[louise_abasi]

"It's going to be smaller than usual. My parents and brothers won't be present. They always leave for the holiday weekend." She follows him, accepts a plate before sitting down. "Probably more hangover food and drinks as well. Which movie where we planning on seeing again?"

[anddowntothesea]

"I was going to let you pick," he says, returning to a previous theme. "Hang on." Instead of going for a DVD, he boots up the TV and Netflix and then offers her the remote. "Knock yourself out."

[louise_abasi]

"Netflix?" It's not that funny, but laughter still escapes her. What's next, getting a fleece plaid out and gossip about other students?
"But a movie, right? No series."

[anddowntothesea]

"Series seems like a pretty big commitment," says Gabe, more than aware of the game that they're playing here. He rolls one shoulder in a shrug, settling back against the sofa, taking a bite of his pie. "But whatever you want."

[louise_abasi]

"And we don't want those." She was doing well, come on. "Can I put my feet on the couch? A movie it will be. Something innocent."

[anddowntothesea]

"You can put your feet up on the couch," he says, settling back. "You can put your feet up on me if you want."

[louise_abasi]

"I'll take my heels off, first." She keeps her eyes on the screen, zapping past a lot of films that are mostly unfamiliar to her. "Comedy?"

[anddowntothesea]

"Comedy sounds good," he says, and he ought to be looking at the screen, he really ought to be, but she's so distracting, so beautiful in profile that he can't help himself.

[louise_abasi]

"I - was your pie hot? I almost forgot about your pie." She decides on something that has an ensemble set in the nineties, not that interested any more. Her heels drop her from her feet before she sits back.

[anddowntothesea]

"Not hot, no," he says, watching her settle. He finishes his dessert and sets down the plate, fully intending to take it out shortly. "C'mon," he says, holding out one hand. "I give a mean foot-rub. I learned from the best."

[louise_abasi]

"Why?" Suddenly she wonders if her feet smell, are sweaty. "Because of my heels? You think my feet are hurting because of my heels? That's cu- I'm going to start the movie."

[anddowntothesea]

"Because I thought it might be nice," he says,still holding out his hand. "No ulterior motive other than that."

[louise_abasi]

"Do you ..offer foot rubs to everyone that shares a couch with you?" She moves to the side to create the necessary space. "Or only to those that compliment your cooking?"

[anddowntothesea]

"I do not," he says, tugging the band out of his hair and ruffling his hand through his hair. "Count yourself very lucky, sweetheart."

[louise_abasi]

His hair really was a thing of beauty. She puts her left foot in his lap while at the same time pressing play and reaching for her plate. "Enjoy."

[anddowntothesea]

He wraps one hand around her foot, starting to massage the sole with his thumb as he settles back to watch the movie.

"Comfortable?"

[louise_abasi]

Louise hopes that this isn't the moment that she turns out to be ticklish. "Very. Your pie smells great."

[anddowntothesea]

"Let's hope it tastes good, too," he says, holding her foot gently with one hand as he massages with the other. "Maybe I'm just immune to my own pie."

[louise_abasi]

"Oh, there aren't many kinds of food that can smell great and taste horrible. Usually it's the other way around." Good God, she's glad she put on her fancy tights.