Page 63 of Daddy, Sir

“You joining me?”

Her question and that smirk told me she knew exactly why I was standing there with my tongue hanging halfway to the floor. Instead of answering, I lifted the top off the teapot to check its readiness.

“Still like tea with your Thai?”

“Oh, yes, very much. Thanks!”

I poured the hot liquid into a ceramic cup. “Though it makes me shudder to ask, do you still insist on lemon or sugar?”

“Both, please,” she said as she began spooning a pile of sticky rice onto my plate, then serving herself before moving to the spoon in the red-curry and chicken dish. “ Have you become a vegan, gluten-free, lactose intolerant, or anything I should be aware of?”

“Oh, I’m sure there are many things you should be aware of, but if we’re just talking foodwise, I’m as carnivorous as they come but still prefer my tea how it’s meant to be drunk—which is pure.” At the crinkling of her nose, I added, “You might want to give it a try.”

“I’m good, thanks. I suppose you still take your coffee black?”

“Of course.”

“That’s just tragic. You miss all those delicious flavor combinations.” She gave a little shake of her head and continued to place food on our plates as I slid into the chair opposite her.

I watched as she brought the teacup up to her mouth but didn’t sip. Instead, she inhaled deeply, the lids of her eyes closing. I was struck by the length of her lashes as they curled against her cheek. No mascara covered the copper color or weighed down what looked to be as soft as the gossamer wings of a butterfly. She didn’t wear a trace of makeup on her face.Strands of hair peeked out from the edges of the towel. If memory served me correctly, the last time I’d seen her, her hair had been just slightly past her shoulders. Now, the coppery curls were brushing against the seat of the chair.

“What? I’d ask if I had spinach in my teeth, but seeing as I have yet to eat anything, that seems unnecessary.”

Realizing I’d been staring, I didn’t bother to pretend otherwise. “I’ve just never seen anyone besides you who prefers to inhale their tea rather than drink it.”

“Oh, believe me, I’m a huge fan of swallowing.”

“Good to know,” I said without missing a beat.

Her eyes widened and her Irish heritage surged forth to stain her cheeks a bright red letting me know she’d been unaware of the double entendre. For some reason, I was glad to discover she wasn’t quite as brazen as I’d first thought. Not wishing to embarrass her, I mimicked her earlier moves, ladling some Tom Yum soup into a bowl, reaching across the table to set it in front of her.

“Careful, it’s hot.”

She nodded and I was treated to watching her fill her spoon and seeing her lips purse to blow gently across the broth. It wasn’t until her eyes closed again and she gave a soft sigh of appreciation that I realized her blushing wasn’t the only thing different. I waited until she opened her eyes to use her fork to push a bite of rice and red curry onto the spoon on her plate before speaking.

“This is nice,” I said.

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

“It is, but I’m not talking about the food.” My words drew her eyes to mine. “Well, not directly anyway. I mean when I think of having dinner with the Flanagans, I am far more accustomed to participating in what’s more of a snatch and grab complete with a few bruises from elbows cock…”

Holy fuck!

Fiona was visibly shaking with laughter. Thank god she’d had the sense to set her utensils down before she choked on a piece of shrimp.

In an attempt to salvage any smidgen of dignity, I said, “Fork! I swear to you I meant to sayforkblocking.”

“I could ask if you think that makes us even, but what I’m going to ask instead is if you know what’s the best way to eat an elephant?”

Anyone else might have thought the woman was as nutty as a fruitcake, but I didn’t know her as only a woman. I knew her as a kid who’d had to be as smart as Einstein, as quick as an Olympic track star, and as clever as Sigmund Freud in order to be seen, much less have her opinion matter. So, if she wanted to ask a question, I’d try to answer it.

“With oversized silverware?”

She shook her head, then reached up to remove the towel when it began to slip sideways. Dropping it to the floor at her feet, I felt an instant rush of jealousy as she ran her fingers through the still damp curls. It took all I had inside me not to reach across the table, grab her and drag her into my lap soIcould comb the tangles out myself.

“Okay, then how do you eat an elephant?” I asked instead.

“One bite at a time, of course.”

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