Forgotten

Chapter 11

When a few hours had passed and Sorin still wasn't back, I opened the door to see if Vallin would come in, but there were no guards. I would have thought my first reaction would be to leave, but instead I closed the door. I didn't know how comforting it was to have them there until they were gone. I assumed that meant I could leave as I pleased but I wanted to be sure. 

  I was beginning to actually like it there. Since Emily was found, I was no longer in a hurry to try to get away. In a weird way I felt at home. I grabbed my blanket and curled up on the couch for a nap. 

  Sorin was in the kitchen when I opened my eyes and sat up. I placed my arm on the back of the couch, rested my head on it and quietly watched him cook. I laughed to myself that he was a walking contradiction, he was decked out in military gear yet wore a cooking apron, so big yet graceful, strong yet gentle, human yet not. 

  "Are you hungry?" he asked noticing I was awake.

  "I'm not sure. That depends on what you're cooking." I gave what he was making a cynical glance.

  "I am sure you will like this, it is very much like your steak."

  "Really?" In that case I was very interested. I went over to the stove to have a look. "It does smell good." My mouth was watering. I sat up on the counter beside him and watched. 

  "Do you always cook?" I asked.

  "When I have the time." 

  "I feel like every time I turn around it's dinner time again. It's a good thing I live alone because I hate making dinner." I admitted and he grinned. "But I can bake anything. Baking's more fun than cooking."

  He cut a piece of meat and fed it to me. "Do you like it?" He waited patiently while I made up my mind.

  "It's so good! Are you some kind of cooking genius or something?" I flirted. It was the best thing by far that I had eaten since I'd been there. In fact it may have been the best meat I'd ever had.

  "You know you're going to have to cook this for me everyday now. It's the only bearable food you have," I teased.

  He smiled at me. "There are other foods that you would like, you need to get over your issues of texture."

  "How'd you know about that?" I asked, and motioned for him to cut another piece for me. "You are exceptionally perceptive." 

  "I would not excel at my job if I were not." He smiled, feeding me another piece. 

  He explained to me the technique he used to cook the meat, which went right over my head but I pretended to understand. He kept grinning at me so I'm sure he figured me out. 

  I smiled to myself when Sorin rested his hand on my thigh. We were completely comfortable together, talking and laughing. He stepped toward me and stood between my knees at the counter and my shyness took over, tilting my head down. I smiled nervously and glanced up at him. He lifted my chin and was so close I could feel his breath on my lips. A thousand chills ran through me. He moved his hand from my thigh to the small of my back, pulling me closer to him and slipped his other hand behind my neck. I closed my eyes just as our lips met. He kissed me so gently I felt my entire body weaken, almost taking my breath away.

  "Forgive the interruption, Master Sorin." An anxious voice said from behind me. 

  Vallin, I thought to myself.

  I opened my eyes to see Sorin glaring wildly over my shoulder at him, but he didn't let go of me.

  "Get. Out." Sorin snapped at him.