Where The Spirit Meets The Bone

Thirty-six: Aleksander Morozova

Thirty-six:

Aleksander Morozova

When Aleksander went into the kitchen, his chef looked at him reproachfully. "Not enough for breakfast, Morozova? You have developed an insatiable appetite since you've been married. You'll be in danger of putting on the husband fifteen with how content and happy you've been. Disgusting."

Aleksander chuckled. Barker Porter was someone that he had met back in his university days. He had spent half of his time in class, the other half working late nights at an upscale restaurant in Os Alta, the capital. He spent his evenings learning how to cook and run a kitchen until eventually, he worked his way up. One night, the chef was passed out drunk in the back and he took over. He had perfected making the meals for his study groups, which Aleksander had been part of. The manager had found out and hired him soon after. Barker had quite the next day.

He was tall, scrawny, with curly brown hair and grey eyes. Always with a bottle in his hand although he somehow managed to make the best meals that Aleksander had ever eaten. He swore and drank, which was nothing compared to the behavior some of his fellow chefs got up to. But he also had a bit of a gambling problem and owed too many people money. Most of them his former managers. Which is how he wound up working for Aleksander every once and a while.

"I'm going to cook for Alina," he said.

Barker snorted. "You? What? Cereal?"

He frowned. "Why does everyone assume that I can't cook?"

"Because, Morozova, you're a pretty boy with a fancy title and a large income. When have you ever spent any time in the kitchen?"

"Enough to know," he said, "I had Baghra for a mother."

"She cooks? I thought she just barked orders for people."

"I can cook," he assured him, "the question is, what?"

"Well, do you like her, or do you want her to leave you alone so you can have an affair with that lovely secretary of yours?"

He rolled his eyes. "She's my executive assistant, and we've never once slept together. I think she would murder me I tried."

Barker smirked. "Want to give her my number, then? I like that."

He chuckled. "I've other plans for Zoya, none of which involve her ending up with a chef that can't keep kruge in his bank account."

"Arsehole," Barker replied, taking a swig of the drink in his hand.

"Always. It's how I fuck people over. And them," he said, with a smirk, "I'm taking Alina on a picnic."

"Fucking her on every surface of the house isn't enough?"

Aleksander paused. "Heard us?"

He shrugged. "Once or twice."

"Bedroom or----"

"Kitchen," he said, "you animal."

Aleksander laughed. "Sorry."

"I had to sanitize the counter after," he said, "anyway, what's the picnic for? I thought from the rumors I heard this was a sham marriage. That you only did it to annoy the Lantsov brat."

"Partly," Aleksander admitted, "but it's different. I've never...."

"Had anyone give a shit before?" his chef offered.

Aleksander nodded. "Besides which, I intend to put an heir in her before the year is out. Before the month is out if I've anything to say about it. The Lantsov brat tried to 'rescue' her on our wedding day, and I expect as long as there isn't a child involved, he might still try."

"So," he said, "you need something to encourage the mood?"

"Yes," Aleksander said.

"There's strawberries in the fridge. Fresh. Drizzle some chocolate on there, perfect desert. Peppers, cheese, and ham for the perfect sandwich. And of course, something from your lovely selection of wines. I would suggest something red, from the year of our Saints in1920."

"Peppers?"

"Gets the blood running," he said, "also, you won't burn anything in my kitchen that way."

He snorted. "If I were any other employer, you'd be fired for that remark."

"No, you wouldn't. You'd starve."

Aleksander sighed. "Fine. Now get out of my kitchen, Porter."

Porter smiled. "As you wish, boss. Enjoy your 'cooking'."

He left, and Aleksander turned to the fridge to set about making sandwiches for what he hoped would be the romantic afternoon for him and Alina.