Page 24 of Manny for the Alien
“God, you smell good,” I told him, shutting my eyes and leaning back into his warmth. “As always.”
He chuckled.
“And whatever culinary masterpiece you’ve cooked up smells incredible,” he said, releasing me to peak.
I slapped his hand away from the lid and pointed to his seat at the table.
“It’s a surprise, go sit down.”
Chuckling, he followed my order and sat down patiently while I made sure it looked like it had been cooked properly.
“Why are you so nervous?” he asked. “I’m sure it will be amazing.”
I swallowed, not answering until I brought the food to the table to place it between us.
“Do you remember the first time we ever spoke?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, smiling warmly. “You looked so nervous and so beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”
I blushed, remembering the way I’d stared when he’d opened the front door. I hadn’t noticed him looking at me the same way, but I didn’t doubt it now. Hyacinth had left no room for doubt in my mind. He adored me the same way that I adored him.
“Not that time,” I finally said. “On Alien Mates, when we were first texting.”
His eyes widened.
“Yes,” he said slowly.
“Well, I said I’d cook you your favorite meal, but it was something I had never heard of before.”
He frowned.
“You didn’t find a papilionoidean recipe somehow, did you? Surely they don’t even have the ingredients here.”
“Not exactly,” I said, shaking my head. “But I found something that sounded similar.”
Finally, I lifted the lid, exposing the meal for our at home date night.
“It’s something called Lo Mai Gai,” I said. “It’s a Chinese recipe. Rice and mushrooms and chestnuts wrapped in a lotus leaf... Of course, it might taste nothing like yourpapilionoideandish.”
His species name was still a mouthful, but I’d been practicing saying it and now could manage without embarrassing myself.
He shook his head and reached for one, looking like he had no words. I took one as well and waited for him to unwrap the rice and take the first bite.
When he did, his eyes drifted shut in appreciation.
Relief filled me. I’d wanted this to be special but to my shock, when he opened his eyes, tears glistened over the pale blue.
“Hyacinth...”
He shook his head, swallowing another bite before speaking.
“You know,” he finally said. “I had no idea how many memories could be stored in a familiar taste.”
Emotion overwhelmed me too, on his behalf. I wanted so badly to make him as happy as he and his beautiful family had made me.
“I know you miss your home and I just—I wanted this to be special for you.”
“I can tell,” he whispered. “It’s amazing.”
