I want to do everything with you: that’s precisely the problem.
“Absolutely. Use me however you want. I’m totally at your disposal.”
Eric gives me an intense gaze, then lifts a corner of his mouth.
“That was exactly what I wanted to hear.”
I take a sip of my drink, ignoring the burning sensation of the boiling liquid on my tongue as I walk slowly beside him.
“We’ll start with vegetables.” He gestures towards a market stall where a small crowd is waiting to be served.
“What do we need?”
“Brussels sprouts, for starters. On the stem, preferably – they’re fresher that way.”
“Okay, sure.” I search for them and find them, showing him.
“You’re good, Mr. Quinn.”
“Don’t be silly!” I blush slightly and shift my gaze away.
“Red and white cabbage for coleslaw, and carrots.”
“On it.”
I search for the ingredients as I hear him chatting to one of the sellers about the quality of potatoes recently.
“Your boyfriend knows his stuff,” the woman behind the salad counter says to me.
“What’s that, sorry?”
She nods over at Eric, who’s choosing which potatoes to buy.
“Oh, well… He’s a chef.”
“You’re a lucky guy.” She winks at me. I smile politely before looking back over at Eric.
I wish I were so lucky, I think to myself, as he walks back over to me.
“Show me what you’ve got there,” he says, referring to the cabbage in my hand.
“I did my best,” I say, handing them to him. He smiles.
“I’m sure you always do your best, Mr. Quinn. In every situation.”
The sexual innuendo is obvious. It can’t be fake; I can’t have imagined it.
“Try me,” I say, suggestively. “You might be pleasantly surprised.”
Eric smiles. “Maybe I will.”
His eyes burn into me, digging so deep that I’m hoping he can read everything I can’t seem to say out loud. Not now – not so openly, with no escape route.
“Er…” A voice from behind interrupts us. “Your vegetables?”
We both laugh and Eric turns back to the man, passing him the cabbages so that we can pay for everything. He hands me a paper bag and I grab it; together, we leave the vegetable stand and head further into the market.
“What else do we need?”
