Page 30 of The Heat of Us

ALEKS

“That many, huh?”

“Yep.”

I tried to picture it. “All at once?”

“Yes! Of course.” Hazel seemed quite put out that I was questioning her. “Is there another way I should be doing it?”

“No, no, I guess not,” I quickly reassured her. “It does seem a tad excessive, though,” I added after a beat.

“It is not excessive.”

“How does it all fit?”

“I’ll make it fit.”

Hazel held up the papadum she had managed to load up with every single chutney and raita we had been served. Then she opened her mouth so wide I was convinced she was part pelican and shoved the whole thing inside.

It was…something.

“I-pftold yoom,” she said triumphantly. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she made a noise that gave me a funny feeling in my gut as she chewed. “So good.”

She immediately got to work loading up another one and held it out to me. I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint her so I let her messily squash the whole thing in my mouth.

“Good, right?”

My mouth was an explosion of flavour.

Destructive.

Searing.

Shockwave-producing.

I managed a feeble thumbs-up in response.

Hazel’s laugh was bright and silvery. “Ok, ok. Just me then.”

I was still learning new things about Hazel despite all the times we’d crossed paths in that gleaming lobby over the last few months. A serial over-orderer and was not aware she hummed a little tune after each sip of her drink.

She was also an avid gym rat, but went in the early morning which was why I had never seen her. I respected the discipline needed to carve her naturally softer omega physique into toned muscle. Building endurance and strength so she would look good when the cameras were—

Do not fucking go there, Aleks.

“Is nursing your first degree?” Another chutney-laden monstrosity found its way into Hazel’s mouth.

“Yeah.” It was a fair question. Not many people were still studying their first at 25.

“I never got a degree so you’re one-up on me.” Hazel shrugged, with no trace of judgement for my slower start to life.

My head tilted. “Why didn’t you get one?”

“Reasons.” Her smile tightened. “Why has it taken you this long?”

“Reasons.”

To my surprise she laughed, pointing between us. “Look at us. Clenched up tighter than a butthole in church.”

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