Page 129 of Stars At Dusk

‘It’s System-wide, that’s what,’ Kainan growled. ‘Let’s raise the threat level, put as much focus on tracking these Klastschkinaisdown and work on ending Rinnax, once and for all.’

Harlow

Harlow had taken the plunge and sent Kage a message asking him to chat about their last conversation. She was keen to see where things stood between them.

He was busy, so he’d given her a date in three days. The wait ended up being stressful and laden with anxiety.

To kill time, Harlow worked out, took long walks, swum and even cooked to avoid calling Selene again and crying on her shoulder. She’d also resisted reaching out to Kage unnecessarily, which she felt would put a more considerable burden on him when she, at the very least, needed some time to work through her fears.

On the day, she left work early, determined to create a meal for Kage and her to share. She was keen to relax her nerves, and cooking always helped her chill.

She decided on the recipes and gathered all ingredients, clearing a space in Kage’s spacious kitchen. After turning on some music, she gave in to the process of melding textures, colours, and aromas.

While she worked, the afternoon sun filled the space with natural light and warmth. Its rays filtered through the apartment’s windows, casting a golden glow over the rooms and furnishings and moving slowly across the space, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow.

She felt her heart and mind calm as time passed, feeling more ready to face her man and hash things out.

She was stirring a white sauce she planned to pour over her sautéed asparagus and beef when she looked up, and there he was.

They stared at each other for a long moment.

‘Hi,’ she finally ventured.

‘Kara,’ he said in his deliciously low voice.

He looked drawn, almost haggard. Harlow hated seeing him like this.

‘Hungry?’

‘I could eat.’

‘Come.’

‘Give me a few.’ He tossed a large bag over his shoulder into the laundry. Then, he toed off his boots and walked into the head to freshen up.

He exited, having shed his Henley, leaving just a vest moulded to his ripped chest, showing off his broad shoulders and muscled back.

Harlow felt her heart rate rev up as he approached.Damn, he was fine.

He walked over to his kitchen table and slid into a chair.

‘Nice set up,kara,’ he murmured.

‘Sante, babe,’ she said tentatively. Harlow had decided the evening warranted a beautiful table. So she’d chosen an exquisite china and silver set from Kage’s stash of beautiful kitchenware and lit some candles to create an ambience.

She served him a plate of beef and asparagus in white sauce, accompanied by baked cheese, garlic and butter vegetables, smoked trout, plus a dessert of pear tartine with cream. Harlow paired the meal with an exquisite red wine.

The dinner was quiet and intimate, permeated by the sounds of the humming city outside the terrace and the occasional clink of a fork and knife on their plates.

Kage was enjoying the meal judging by the grunts he made as he savoured the flavours and textures. Harlow smiled, buoyed by the satisfaction and enjoyment of feeding her man.

‘You could give me a run for my money,’ Kage said at one point.

‘Just following your recipes,’ she replied, gesturing to the open hand-written notebook on the kitchen counter. It was covered in his notes and ideas for dishes he’d tried and tested over the years. ‘You should open a restaurant, Kage. You’re so good at it, baby.’

He gave her a half smile. ‘Maybe one day, when I can hand my role at Skylab to someone I trust.’

He refocused his attention on his food, and they fell silent again. The quiet wasn’t awkward, but it was certainly not the boisterous, affectionate atmosphere they’d shared just a week ago. The air between them felt heavier. Laden with the unknown, with uncertainty. Harlow didn’t know whether she could bear it. Nonetheless, she steeled herself. And waited for Kage.

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