Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.39.

Chris POV

  "Laura and Spence are down for game day tomorrow," I tell Opal as I set my cell phone back down on the coffee table before sitting next to her on the couch.

   " Game day? Why not game night?"

     I rest my hand on her thigh that sits closest to me. "Because I have a special date planned for you tomorrow evening." 

    "A date? I thought you couldn't go out," she asks for clarification, turning her body towards me, moving one leg under her.

   I meet the brown eyes that seem to consume my daily thoughts. "Yes, a date. I can't and we aren't going out."

   "So..." Opal attempts to get me to continue her sentence with my own thoughts. I look back at her, slowly shaking my head. 

   "Leave it to me."

   She lets out a huff before rolling her eyes at me due to my lack of willingness to let her in on my little secret. I give a slight chuckle before tapping my hand on her knee. "So, soup?"

   We both get up at the same time, making our way into the kitchen. Opal hops up onto the counter across from the stove, giving me space to work my magic. "Potato soup okay?"

   "Sounds delicious, and also happens to be my favorite next to broccoli and cheddar," she reveals as she swings her legs back and forth a bit. 

   I grab the celery, carrots, onions and cheese out of the fridge before closing it with a kick of my foot. "Grab me the cutting board out of the dish drain?"

   She passes it over to me. "Oh, and the knife with the green handle too." I watch as she carefully pulls it out of the drain before giving it to me. 

   "Anything else?"

   "Actually, yes," I say as I set the knife down on the cutting board. Opal watches me, waiting to hear what I may ask for next. Turning towards her, I move a bit closer. "And a kiss." 

   "Giving up that easily?" she jokes.

   "Nope. I'm just asking for a kiss. If you grant it, then you lose." 

   "Look at Officer Evans, discovering loopholes in his own plan." For a moment she's gazing back at me, making me wonder if she's considering it. I take another step closer to her, standing between her legs now. After placing both of my hands on her covered thighs I tilt my head up just a bit, offering up a pucker and wait. Opal taps one finger against her chin while chewing the corner of her mouth. Suddenly she places a kiss on her palm and pushes it against my lips, causing me to grab my chest in a boisterous laugh. "Nice try, Evans."

   Once I'm able to stop laughing I move back towards the counter where all of the ingredients sit. I toss the celery over to Opal to rinse it off since she's right by the sink. "So," she starts, "is cooking for girls your thing?"

   "My thing?"

   "You know, wine and dine them, just in your own apartment." She hands the washed celery back over to me.

   "I wouldn't call it 'my thing.' Have I cooked for a girlfriend before? Yes. Have I ever given any of them food poisoning? Not that I know of," I jokingly knock on the wood countertop.

   "I better not be the first." There's a lull in conversation as I start to chop the celery. I hear Opal hop off of the counter behind me, just before she moves next to me, looking over my shoulder. "Why are you chopping it so small and thin?"

   "So it cooks down to hardly anything. I'm not a big celery fan, but it's my grandmother's recipe so I include it just like she did." I continue to slice it thin before tossing it into a pot.