More to You ✔

Chapter 7 - Penang Curry (Mitch)

"It's an awkward angle," she muttered in response to his laughter. He passed her the handle. She closed her eyes and let the utensil linger in her mouth before extracting it, leaving a trail of orange curry on her lips. Mitch focused instead on the room behind her, restraining himself from kissing her like he craved. She ran her tongue over her lips and then quirked an eyebrow while meeting his gaze.

"You're good," he said, taking a step back and reaching for the bowls on his homemade shelf. "How is it?"

"Delicious. Love the rich peanut flavour and spicy kick. Is that kaffir lime leaf in there too?"

Mitch nodded and pulled down two black stone bowls.

"For all your complaints about needing help cooking, you seem to know your way around a kitchen."

He smiled and served the curry, putting a generous portion of chicken in Maria's dish. "I have two or three things I can nail. The rest is watered down and bland."

"Trying to impress me?" Maria teased.

"Only if it's working."

"It might be." She played with the sleeves of her sweater.

He hid his growing smile. Her food was so damned tasty that he must have done something right to earn that compliment. He'd spent longer than he cared to admit searching for recipe tips and chatting with the cook who made the best Penang curry he'd tried. "Could you grab us a couple of drinks, please?" Mitch asked, carrying out both bowls of curry and another of rice. "Then we can relax on the balcony if you want."

"Sounds perfect."

The words were music to his ears. The city was on his side tonight with a handful of twinkling stars faintly glowing in the darkening sky and a slight crescent moon over the ledge of their open hallway balcony.  

Despite knowing they would never work together, he craved her approval and attention like an ice-cold draught. She emerged with a beer and a sweet cocktail drink Becca must have left in the fridge when they used to hook up. He should have pawned it off on Emma or someone else as it cheapened Maria's presence to have her picking up another woman's leftovers.

"Didn't take you for a pomtini guy."

"I'm a man of complicated desires."

Maria laughed until she snorted, then covered her mouth with her little palm. He could think of nothing but her lips. He ate his curry to distract himself while she asked about his travels. Halfway through their meal and Mitch's story about a daring adventure he, Daniel, and Shawn had taken in Indonesia, Emma and Shawn arrived.

"This explains why neither of you is answering your texts," Emma said. "Very cute. A little supper date?"

Mitch sat up straighter and set down his curry. Shawn's gaze flickered between the two of them, and he didn't smile. Mitch was trying to abide by his friend's warning about not leading Maria on, but that didn't mean he couldn't be her flirty friend who was conveniently around when she changed her mind about being ready to hook up.

"I was telling Maria about that time we climbed Mt. Rinjani. Remember that beast of a trek?"

"That was the hike to end all hikes. 4 a.m. trip to a sand summit and then another ten-hour walk after that," Shawn said.

"With a few hours in the rain," Mitch added, looking at Maria. She shifted in her seat like he hoped she would. He could scarcely forget her dancing in the downpour, free and passionate, pulling him closer until they nearly making out for the second time. From a woman who was so dead-set on relationships, it was pretty hot.