Page 25 of A Reaper's Devotion
This time, he was not going to take no for an answer—she was going to be his date, and they were going out to have fun.He promised her mother he would treat her like a queen, and he also wanted to be the one to show her a good time.
Minutes later, Willow came to the table with two plates in hand.She put one in front of him, and she had seated him at the head of the small table.She sat next to him, offering him a cute little smile.
“My mother’s lasagna,” she said.
There was a large slice of the most perfect-looking lasagna, complete with steam rising up.A small salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a few crumbles of cheese were on the side.It looked delicious and the scents were heavenly.A balanced combination of onion, tomato, garlic, and herbs.
He picked up his fork, slid it through the lasagna, and took a bite.Just as he predicted, it was delicious.His mouth watered for a slice.It couldn’t have been longer than ten minutes as he finished his slice, and his plate was empty.
Willow wasn’t even close to finishing.“You want another slice?”
“Yeah, please.”
She got to her feet and wandered back into the kitchen.She hadn’t taken his plate with her, but she returned, using oven gloves to carry the pot to the table.There was a grill on the table, and she put the pot on top to protect the table from the heat.
He watched as she cut him another large piece.It looked like she had made a 9x13-inch lasagna.The slices were large.From that one pot, she’d cut the slices into six, so they were more than generous, but he was a hungry man.
While Willow finished her slice, he demolished two in total, as well as his salad.She had also promised cake.She served the carrot cake immediately after, and she even included a dollop of whipped cream, which tasted so damn good.
By the time he was finished, he was full but not overly stuffed.
“Willow, babe, you are an incredible cook.”He sat back rubbing his stomach.
“You’re sweet, but I was just following my mother’s recipes.She was an amazing cook.”
She made her way into the kitchen, and he picked up his beer and her water.From what he could tell, she didn’t drink a lot.
“Do you want to talk about it?”he asked.
“No,” she said, looking up at him.
She offered him a smile.
“I know you’re worried that I’m going to cry, and no, I’m not going to cry.I have cried a lot of tears already, and they will come.Of that I have no doubt.”She blew out a breath, and then glanced down at the dishes.“I want to get these done.”
Cyrus took a swig of beer.“Not a chance.”
“I don’t want them to get crusty.”
“In my parents’ house, my mom does all the food, but my dad had all of us doing the dishes.You cooked a damn good meal.”There was a small stool for her to sit at the counter, which he insisted she use.
Rolling up his sleeves, he was no stranger to the dishes.His mom cooked wonderful food as well, and he didn’t mind having to do the dishes so she could rest.Willow didn’t have a dishwasher.He loaded up the sink with some dish soap, hot water, and got to work.There were not a lot of dishes.No saucepans where the sauce had been made.She must have done all of them.
It didn’t take Cyrus long to have the dishes cleaned up and the sink wiped down.As he cleaned, Willow asked him about work, and they just talked about their day-to-day lives.Lost Creek.The Reapers.It was nothing, and yet everything.
Once he finished, he grabbed his beer, finished that too, and put the empty can into recycling.
“So, you do the dishes, and you do them well.You recycle.You come to a women’s aid when she needs you.You’re a Reaper, and you know your way around electricity, gas, and plumbing.You’re always there when everyone needs you.How are you not married?”Willow asked.
“You make me sound like an angel,” he said.
“You’re a keeper, Cyrus, and I’ve got to wonder how you’re not married.You’re not married, are you?”
“No, I’m not married.I guess you could say I’ve been waiting for the right woman.”He looked at Willow, and then closed the distance.
Willow ran her hands up his chest, as he cupped her face, sinking one of his hands into her hair, then he pulled her in close and kissed her.The woman he’d been looking for had been busy the last ten years.Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her hard.
He’d dated other women.Tried to fall in love.It had taken him a short time to realize there was only one woman in town that made his heart race.One woman he looked forward to seeing, who he wanted to talk to and know everything about her day, even if it meant being around her mother.
