Page 10 of Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters
Kyle let his partner have his silence then, though his curiosity itched to know what part of the story Vikash had fastened on for extra processing. Vikash finally stirred out of his reverie when they pulled up to the station.
“Do they still hurt?”
That’s your takeaway? Really?Though Kyle found the question oddly touching. “They ache sometimes. It’s hard to maintain a grip after a while, like if I’m using a hammer or a pen for too long. But it’s not bad. My mom still says she can’t decide whether I was brave or a dumbass.”
Vikash gave him a little shoulder bump as he came around the car. “Most brave things are stupid. If you were being smart, thinking about self-preservation, you wouldn’t have saved your partner.”
Maybe it was a snowball effect, all the observations over the course of a long, strange day, but Kyle abandoned trying to hate his partner after that statement. Maybe he was perfect and standoffish, but how could you hate someone who was so damn nice?
Chapter Three
The final coroner’s report arrived the next morning in Kyle’s email and added nothing helpful to what they already knew. He was reading it for the twentieth time when he was startled out of his morose reverie by Vikash pulling open his sticky desk drawer that only cooperated with a hard yank and a shriek of metal on metal.
“Sorry,” Vikash murmured as he began to pull out plastic containers and set them up on the desk, one after another until there were seven containers, two rectangular, sandwiched-sized, and the rounds ones about the size of the smallest cream cheese tubs.
Kyle peered around his computer screen at the plastic parade. “Um…what’re all those?”
“Did you pack lunch?”
“Well…yeah.” After the mini-lecture the day before, Kyle had figured it was less painful to bring a damn sandwich than to deal with Vikash’s disapproval again.
“Good.” Vikash replaced one of the large containers and started handing the smaller ones around to Kyle.
“Still not an answer,” Kyle muttered as he accepted the fifth container and lined them up in front of his keyboard. He eased off the first lid and took a cautious sniff.Mint? Maybe?
“Chutneys.”
It was an answer, finally, but not an explanation. Kyle closed his eyes and took three deep breaths to let his irritation sink into the floor. This was Kash communication. He needed make some mental adjustments and learn how to work with it.
His curiosity overrode irritation anyway as he removed the rest of the lids to reveal white, orange, bright red and a sort of butter-colored mystery substance. “So, chutneys. Different kinds. Why do I have all these? Should I close my eyes and shuffle them around? Is it a test or something?”
Vikash graced him with a little smile, and sure, he still looked like a smug, perfect statue, but his eyes were lit with warm amusement.
God, he’s gorgeous. If we’d met in a bar or a coffee shop, I’d probably ask him personal stuff right off. Even ask him out.Not fair he’s my partner and probably not gay anyway.
To be honest, while he hadn’t pinged on Kyle’s gaydar even a smidge, he hadn’t set off the straight radar either. Vikash didn’t ogle anyone, ever. No drooling over celebrities of any gender. No comments about hotness walking down the sidewalk. Kyle was starting to suspect that it was more than oversocialized politeness, and if the guy was Ace, he wasn’t likely to come out and say so to his new partner.
“You can close your eyes if you want to. Just try them.”
“Okay?” Kyle accepted the plastic spoon Vikash handed him and tried the green one first. Mint and basil goodness caressed his tongue. “Damn, that’s…yum. Am I being a guinea pig? Not that I mind. You can bring me stuff to try anytime if it’s all this wonderful.”
“Focus, Monroe. If you come for dinner, I have to know what you like.”
That almost sounded suggestive. Kyle shook his head to clear out all the stray, inappropriate thoughts. “Hey, I’m a flavor whore. Not much I don’t like. So long as it isn’t trying to kill me, I’m good.”
Instead of answering, Vikash waved a hand at the open containers, the simple gesture regal and amused.
“You know this is weird, right?” Kyle asked after a second spoonful of green.
One perfect black eyebrow arched as the statue smile slipped a hair. “Too weird?”
“Nah. Just enough. You’d have to try a lot harder for too weird in here.” Kyle gave him what he hoped was a charming grin before he dove into the remaining chutneys, from sweet to savory to spicy, all delicious. “I sure as hell hope you’re not asking me to pick a favorite. ’Cause I can’t. Normally, I’d say I’m not big on the raw onions in the red one, but it’s addictive.”
Vikash’s smile regained a couple of watts and he opened his larger container, releasing the heavenly scent of cheesesteak. Of all the meat things Kyle couldn’t have any longer, only that one still made him drool. He found he’d leaned forward unconsciously to get closer to the stomach-rumbling smell when a flurry of nightmare-bright feathers bumped into his face on landing.
“Gimme!” Edgar croaked.
“Oh.” Vikash paused in the act of unwrapping his sandwich, glancing between Kyle and the raven. “Should I?”
