Baby It's COVID Outside

Chapter 3 - Susie

There was something about watching a man cook with such confidence, and rather impressive biceps, that did something to a girl's ovaries, I mused as I watched Henry at work.

I finally understood why people enjoyed watching those chefs at work.

"This is the way my mother taught me." Henry said quietly as he poured oil with a dramatic flourish in a large pan and flipped the heat on.

I tilted my head, surprised at the way he offered that titbit without prompting. "Is your mum a good cook?" I asked tentatively.

After his odd reaction to catching me looking at the photos I was half afraid to push too hard in case he shut off again.

Right now, with his sleeves rolled up and a garlic crush in his hands, he looked more relaxed than I had ever seen him. Even the constant frown that usually creased his forehead had smoothed out. It was clear he enjoyed cooking and I couldn't help but wonder if that trait was passed down from someone special to him.

There was still a stiffness to him that said he wasn't totally comfortable around me. A fact that was oddly endearing. Did I make him as nervous as he made me?

"Oh yes, she's amazing." A faint smile played at the corner of Henry's mouth and I smiled too.

Henry seemed to notice the direction of my thoughts and he straightened up looking serious as he threw parsley in with the garlic in his pan. "Can you grab the pasta from that cupboard... please?" He pointed to the one just to the left of my head.

"Yes chef."

I couldn't help letting my smile turn into a full on Cheshire cat grin at the way he said 'please'.

I turned and opened the cupboard he had indicated to reveal neatly labelled jars containing different rice and pastas, all lined up on shelves. My eyebrows shot up, impressed by the level of organisation, not that I would have expected anything less from him at this point.

He would have a fit if he saw the state of my cupboards at home and the haphazard stacks of jars, tins and packets. Not to mention the repurposed fruit bowl which I had filled with chocolate bars instead!

Standing on my tiptoes I reached up to retrieve the pasta and handed him the jar of penne, my favourite. He gave a nod of approval, although I wasn't sure what for, and poured some into another pan of boiling water before reaching over me to place the tub back in the cupboard.

My back pressed to the counter to give him room, and I gazed up at him for what felt like the longest moment before he looked down and our eyes connected. He was so close I could feel the heat of his body, not quite against my own, but near enough. His breath ruffled the top of my hair and I didn't dare move or speak to break the tension.

The oil in the pan made a sharp spitting noise that had us both flinching, and the spell was broken, Henry immediately snapped back to focus on the cooking as though the moment had never happened.

"Are you ok chopping the tomatoes?" He asked, pointed to the chopping board and knife with the spoon he held.

"Of course." I replied, taking a steadying breath and picking up the knife to do as he asked.

He's my boss, I tried to remind my starry eyed brain, which was already planning which set of underwear it thought he might like.

Tomato seeds spurted across the pristine white worktops as I cut one a little too enthusiastically and I glanced sideways in time to see Henry's look of horror before it quickly disappeared. He really wouldn't be impressed if we were cooking at my house. I didn't even own a chopping board so my poor worktops took quite the battering!