HEAT in New Orleans || Marcel Gerard

Chapter 10: Tasting You Tonight

Chapter Ten

The kids were seated at the small dining table with their aunt Cami, having ice cream sandwiches for dessert while I was taking our dinner plates to the sink. My sister didn't have a dishwasher so I figured I could watch the dishes by hand as a favor to her. She has been rattled for weeks now. It was the least I could do. Cook her a nice meal, give her some nice family time, and clean up for her. I didn't just mean the dishes. Her place was scattered with open books, pictures tossed, and papers discarded everywhere.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket. I shook my wet hand to grab it to see who had texted. Except then it buzzed again. It was ringing. I was getting a call. I smiled at the caller ID, Marcel. "Thought you forgot I existed," I said as I picked up the phone.

"I had a hard day," he sighed. "I want to see you. Right now."

I chuckled, looking into the dining room. No one, noticed I was on the phone. Still, I thought it was best to keep my voice down. The faucet was still running, which helped me go unnoticed. "I'm at my sister's. We just had dinner. The kids are messily eating ice cream. So right now isn't exactly possible," I told him.

"When are you leaving? Can I meet you back at your place?"

I bit my bottom lip, wanting to ask him about Rebekah. See if he talked to her, broke off whatever they had going on. Because I would love for him to come over and for us to pick up wherever we left off last night. Talking about his past or making out and his promises to pleasure me.

However, I was afraid that he didn't do so. He said he had a hard day. I could assume he didn't have time to talk to her. Or he chose not to because of whatever he had going on during the day. I took a deep breath and chose to bite my tongue on the subject. Figured, it would start a slight argument. And despite how much I selfishly was concerned with our budding romance, there was more I needed from him. Like answers for my sister.

"Uh, I'll be home in maybe thirty minutes. Kids are pretty beat already so getting them to sleep shouldn't take too long. So give me an hour?" I suggested.

"Sure, I'll see you then."

***

Marcel had perfect timing. Both kids were out like a light. I had just left Zach's room when he was knocking on the door. Icing on the cake was the gentleman was standing on my doorstep with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. "Pinot," I smiled, grabbing the bottle out of his hands.

"Don't care about the flowers?" He chuckled.

"They're lovely," I said, taking them next. I gasped then, "You got them?!" The bouquet consisted of all the flowers I told him I liked: Roses, peonies, and sunflowers. As well as cute little tiny purple flowers thrown in the mix but I loved it. Roses were a darker pink to the blush peonies, and the purple contradicted the bright purple.

"Yes, I did," he grinned.

I smiled back, nodding towards the inside of the house. I then led the way to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. "Oh, my God. I really do love them," I assured him, putting the wine to the side. "Want to grab a couple of glasses? While I take care of my beautiful bouquet."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," he said, nodding and moving to grab wine glasses. It wasn't hard, I had shelves not cabinets hiding my dishes. "How are the renovations coming along?"

"Well, contractor is short staffed. And the cost of the kitchen alone is going to put the rest of the house on a back burner. Not to mention it won't be for another couple of months," I sighed. "Anyways, how was your day?" I asked.

"I was stuck with Klaus," he said, filling our glasses. "Which was eventful."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Is it okay if I talk about it? About this?"