Full Exclusive Rights (bxb)

22. Now, Suck In

   We stay like this, pressed to each other, ignoring the world around us until we hear Lucky's amused voice.

   "Really, guys! Snuggling in the middle of the street. You're creating a real traffic jam."

   "Shut up!" Em growls.

   "Ok, but if we don't eat soon, you'll have to carry my unconscious body to the car," Lucky whines.

   We reluctantly pull away. Em immediately takes my hand and intertwines our fingers.

   "I promised you seafood," he beams and drags me to the restaurant under the fishing nets that we saw before. The others follow us. 

   Jamie overdramatically sighs in relief, lifting up the impressive bunch of shopping bags. "Thanks God this is over or else my right arm would've become much longer than the left one."

   I look at him apologetically but he winks at me with a wide grin.

   We sit on the simple benches on both sides of the wooden table. It's covered with large paper placemats, printed in all kinds of fish and sea creatures. 

   A waiter comes, beaming from ear to ear. He puts two big jags of white and red wine, a bottle of water, five high stemmed wine glasses and the same number of highball ones in the middle of the table and dissapears without uttering a word.

   A pretty girl immediately approaches and starts fussing around. She brings two wicker bread baskets, lined with white linen in sunflower prints. One of them is full of sliced, sourdough bread and plain pitas. The other contains white and brown bread rolls and bagels. A pile of cutlery and an impressive bunch of linen napkins is placed in the middle of the table and she disappears as well. 

   Lucky pours the wine in the glasses according to our preferences while Emma is distributing the rest.

   "This is the way they serve here," Em explains. "I like it because you feel at home, without unnecessary posing. But if you don't like wine, we can order something else."

   "No, its fine. I love white wine," I assure him.

   An elderly woman with amiable motherly look in a long, green cooking apron approaches us. She starts speaking hurriedly in the local language, gesturing and making facial expressions as if tasting something delicious. Em is nodding in agreement with a bright smile.

   Suddenly, the woman notices me and exclaims loudly, covering her mouth with her hand. She scurries towards me and pinches my cheek hard, cooing something at me. I'm downright startled, but try to smile politely. 

   Emma starts giggling, "She thinks you're adorable and asks what your name is and where you're from."

   "My name is Sunny," I answer. "I'm from Japan." 

   I'm not sure she understands English but Emma translates.

   The lady says excitedly something that makes Lucky burst into laughter. The others are giggling as well. She pinches my cheek again, pets my head and goes back to the kitchen, waving goodbye.

   What did just happen? What does everyone have with my cheeks lately?

   Lucky's laughing even harder, slapping on the table while Em is looking proudly at me.

   "What? What did she say?" I squeal.

   "She said that you're as pretty as a doll and she didn't know that Japanese men are so cute since you're the first one she meets in person," Emma finally answers. "The men in the samurai movies she watched were always angry, and you look like a sweet angel."

  I immediately blush severely, wondering if it would be too rude to shove my head under the table. Emma pats my hand soothingly.

   "There's more," she beams. "The nice lady said that she will personally cook everything for us and we're not paying."

   Half an hour later the table is cluttered with all sorts of dishes. 

   There are deep fried cat fish cutlets, grilled prawns, calamari rings and an enormous tray with a whole big flat fish, baked in the oven with zucchini and garlic. Emma tells me it's a Black Sea turbot. Everything is in huge quantities. 

   What impresses me most is a tall, black, ceramic cooking pot which turns out to be full of blue mussels with the shells, steamed in white wine and butter broth. This is the first thing I want to try. Em is carefully plating some for me while the others pounce on the food like savages. It's passing ten p.m. and we're all starving.

   I take out the meat of a mussel with my fork and put it in my mouth. Em looks at me disapprovingly, shaking his head.

   "No, kitty. You don't eat them like this. You just miss the best taste this way," he says. "Let me show you."

   He takes half shell and detaches the meat but leaves it in. Then scoops some broth with the shell, using it as a spoon and slurps the whole content with a blissful expression on his face. 

   I'm ashamed to admit that the whole process evokes in me thoughts that have nothing to do with food.

   He prepares another portion, brings it to my mouth and, looking at me defiantly, says "Now, suck in!"

   I hear Emma heavily choking on her wine.

   We're finally in the jeep, tired, terribly stuffed with food and sleepy. It's almost midnight. 

   Lucky is whining that next time he won't be driving and it's not fair. Emma obligingly offers to sit in the front to talk to him, so he won't fall asleep. 

   I end up tucked between Jamie and Em on the back seat. 

   When the jeep is already moving, Em gently pulls me on his chest and comfortably hugs me with my face buried in his shoulder. We're driving in the cool night air and the monotonous hum of the engine along with the warmth of Em's body make me drowsy. 

   I close my eyes. Just before I doze off, I feel someone abruptly shaking my shoulder. I open my eyes and see Emma's worried face between the two front seats.

   "Sunny, don't fall asleep!" she whisper-yells with a horrified expression.

   I jump startled. Oh, my God! That was close.

   Jamie is sleeping next to me, but Em is looking at me questioningly. 

   I only shake my head, "I'm sorry, I can't answer."

   "It's ok, my lovely. We won't sleep then," he smiles softly, pulling me back into him.

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A/N

Hello everyone who reached the end of Chapter 22.

Thank you for reading! ❤

Now we have a mystery 🤔

Why do you think Sunny shouldn't fall asleep?

Share your thoughts, ask questions and criticize if you think it's necessary.

See you in the next chapter.

Don't forget to vote, if you liked the story.

Love: Anny