Page 131 of Paradox
"Of course."
With everything that had been in my arms on the counter beside the chopping board, Eden leans over me and plants his hands on the wood; trapping me in the most enticing prison.
“Could you please get me some butter?”
He runs his nose along the crook of my neck until he’s whispering in my ear. “What else do you need?”
“U–um,” I stutter, and grab onto the pancake mix with both hands to stop from melting. “A bowl. Your bread pan. A spoon. A knife.” The sound of him breathing is like a jet engine in my ear. “S…some hot water. A… Um…”
“Is there anything else?”
“Probably, but I can’t think of them right now.”
“You’re so cute.”
“No I’m not.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing right now is cute.”
“I’m just excited.”
“About cooking?”
“Yes… It’s… very exciting.”
“So is Gran Turismo.”
“I can’t eat Gran Turismo.”
“You can eat me while I play Gran Turismo.”
Well, I walked right into that one.“I’d rather eat you while you watch lesbian porn, and you know how I feel about that.”
“So two guys are okay, but two girls…?”
I know he’s stirring me again just as much as he knows I’m gonna take the bait. “You know I don’t give a crap about whatyou watch on your own. But when I’m there, I should be able to enjoy it, too.”
“You enjoyed it the first time round. You were more than happy to just look at me, then,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
I know he said he didn't want me to act like a brat, but that was five minutes ago. And everything he's doing now is telling me to forget everything he said. So I duck out from under his arm and march to the other side of the kitchen. “You know what?” I ask, snatching at the bread pan. “I’m not giving you any of this when it’s done. So fuck you if it tastes delicious.”
“You’re too much,” Eden chuckles, scooping me up in his arms again—and my happy, wide smile is instantly back on my face.
“Put me down.”
“You’re cute, Jin."
"No I'm not."
"You are. And this is a hill I’m willing to die on.”
“You sure I can’t have just one bite?”
I close the book I’m reading, place it in my lap, and glance at the last piece of my second batch of pancake bars that’s sitting on the arm of the sofa.
It does look good. And it tastes great, too.
I didn’t even use chocolate in this one. Just heaps of brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
