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

[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.

[anddowntothesea]

He grins at her, pressing a little more firmly against the sole of her foot.

"Well, if you do hate it, you can't tell my Ma."

[louise_abasi]

"I'm going to meet your mother?" She blurts it out, much too fast, much too loud and immediately regrets it. "Shi- no, yes, of course not. Of course I won't tell her."

[anddowntothesea]

Her reaction makes Gabe laugh. He shakes his head.

"Not right now, sweetheart," he says. "Not ever, if you're lucky. We could see each other in secret."

[louise_abasi]

"I'm supposed to be kept a secret?" What were they even talking about? She finally manages to take a bite off the pie, humming before it's barely in her mouth. "Lovely. The pie."

[anddowntothesea]

He shrugs.

"If you want to be," he says. "Your decision, not mine." He squeezes her foot. "You know me, Lou. I'll take what I can get."

[louise_abasi]

And her was all he could get? "I think we're missing parts of the movie."

[anddowntothesea]

"Point taken," he says, looking back to the TV, paying attention to her feet, but keeping his mouth closed, glancing at her occasionally.

[louise_abasi]

"Do-" Yes, it's her right foot that's the ticklish one, and she stretches it to prevent herself from kicking. "Left foot is just fine. Please."

[anddowntothesea]

He flashes a grin and lets go of her right foot, focusing on the left.

"Yes, ma'am."

[louise_abasi]

"Please feel free to stop if your hands get sore." The film's completely moving past her. How long can she keep this up, this pretense?

[anddowntothesea]

"Aren't you enjoying it?" he asks, pausing for a moment, glancing over at her with hair slipping into his eyes. "Because if you're not, I can stop."