CHAPTER487
For goodness sakes, stop obsessing, Arry!
“Eat, Sophie, for the love of God or I will literally spoon feed you.” Arrick looks at his watch and pushes my bowl back at me in agitation after I eased it further out again; getting up now he has finished and gives me that Carrero glare. He is trying to exert a little command and failing. I shake my head at him and meet a sigh of resignation.
“Okay, so we have all that agreed on … Anything else?” I pout, pulling over the bowl and take a spoonful anyway, because now his sighing has me feeling shitty when all he wants is to take care of me and his irritation is becoming evident. I am pleasantly surprised that it actually tastes good and start to dig in while he takes his bowl to the sink and rinses it. He looks up, sees me chewing and smiles impulsively. Happy that he thinks he has some sway over me when really, I didn’t think I could handle any more of his womanly whining.
“You tell me. Is there anything you want to talk about or set in stone?” He asks pointedly. I have to admit it’s odd to see him standing washing dishes at five a.m. while dressed in gym clothes and looking weirdly … domestic. And that brings a certain 1950s aspiring housewife to mind.
I ponder telling him to cut Natasha off once and for all, but hold my tongue, knowing that it is selfish and pathetically insecure, and he already explained to me why he won’t. He won’t be impressed if I say screw her father’s cancer and kick her to the sidewalk. The little brat voice in my head says I should demand it with bells on and yet Miss. Mature. who’s trying to be a better person, tells me to keep it to myself if I want this relationship to go anywhere.
“I want to go out on proper dates.” I blurt out instead, not sure which part of my brain formulated that one when looking for an alternative to burning Natasha in hellfire. I guess I want to experience that with him.
“Tell me where and we will. Or do you want me just to surprise you?” Arrick doesn’t even blink at my request, mind on planning our life I guess, and it’s strangely reassuring to see him back like this. Back to the guy who would drop a trip on me, jump at an idea and plan everything I said on a whim. He stopped being this guy when he was with her, like she sapped all the spontaneity out of him and forced him into the quiet lane of life.
“The aquarium, and the zoo … I miss skiing with you, and maybe we could do that rock climbing thing again in the sports place you used to go to.” I lift my spoon and watch the contents pour back down into the bowl, mesmerized by the way it sploshes in the milk before trying another spoonful and again being surprised that it still tastes edible. I’m hungry enough to eat it now and decide I may not die if I allow him to feed me one healthy breakfast. My parents make me eat this kind of crap from time to time so might as well face it.
“So, you want me to take you everywhere we used to go and do the things we did before I moved out here?” He laughs, eyeing the mess I am making and says nothing. I wonder if that little OCD part of his brain is thinking about putting a bib on me and maybe feeding me himself next time.
“U-huh, except you know … you could throw in a lot of romance too. Maybe a candlelit picnic at the zoo or matching ski suits with ‘I love Sophie forever’ written on your hat!” I shrug and stuff a huge mouthful in this time, crunching noisily even though some of it has gone soggy.
Still tastes edible!
“You don’t want much do you, baby?” He chuckles, tossing the dishcloth he is using to the side and rolls his sleeves back down. It’s oddly sexy seeing him being a house husband. “Sure, we could do all that and more.” He comes back to stand at his chair casually and watches me continue eating, ungracefully. I wonder if eating like an untrained ape is sexy to him at all and judging by the frown on his face right now, I guess not.
“I want Cheetos, Pepsi and a corn dog for dinner when I come home from school tonight.” I add, knowing fine well that after enduring this for my start to the day, I deserve a decent meal later.
“You can have pizza and a milkshake.” Arrick adopts his no-nonsense fatherly tone. I have heard this a million times in the past and know I have zero energy for it. I can always argue the point later.
“Fine, but I want a chocolate sundae for dessert.” I add, suddenly picturing ice-cream in my mind’s eye. Preferably a very big mountain with a million toppings.
“Okay, for tonight, but you will be eating better if you’re staying here and there’s no arguing about it.” He pushes his chair in, moves his mat from the table and tosses it on the counter behind him.
“We’ll see.” I raise an eyebrow at him wickedly and he only sighs heavily. Still watching me eat as though he has never witnessed feeding time at the zoo, and I wonder if he wants to video it. Maybe it’s the fact he has never seen me put something moderately healthy in my mouth on purpose and is making sure it’s not an illusion.
“I know that look, Sophs, I’m not going to fold so easily anymore. I already know what you’re like to handle and this is not how it’s going to stay!” He challenges me, eye to eye.
“You know what you’re letting yourself in for then, therefore don’t expect any drastic changes to my eating habits.” I shrug stubbornly and pout a little in his direction. Waving my spoon his way and splashing watery yoghurt all over the place.
There’s a long silence for a moment as we stare each other out with lowered brows, a non-serious face-off before he sighs again. I can almost smell his defeat in the air and feel strangely smug.
“You’re going to make life hell for me, aren’t you?” He seems resigned to the fact and he has just realized how bad a life with me as a girlfriend might be. I wonder if he has had his first bout of second thoughts.
“Maybe. You chose this life, cowboy, so you better man up. You did say you would do anything for me!” I smirk and smile wider when he only sighs and shakes his head in defeat."
