Bitten Hearts

Chapter 9

"Can you start a pot of rice? I'm going to start preparing chicken if that's fine with you?" Raven asks. Jake nods and goes over to the pot in the kitchen, filling it with water before setting it on top of the stove to start cooking.

"Yeah, that sounds great." He says as he watches the pot start cooking and begins to come to a boil. "Do you need anything else from me to help with the chicken?" He asks as he looks over at her.

"Hmm, can you grab me a stick of butter in the fridge please?" She looks up at him over her shoulder. "Sure." Jake says as he goes over to the fridge to dig through for a stick of butter. He finds one after a minute or so of looking. Jake walks back over to her and hands her the stick of butter.

"Here you go." He says, handing it over to her. "Can I watch you cook? I'm honestly curious to see how it's made." He says with a smile."Sure" Raven smiles up at him then turns back her focus to cooking the chicken. 

Jake walks up behind Raven and watches her over her shoulder as she starts prepping the ingredients for the chicken. He observes her skillfully cutting the chicken and adding it to the pan, the oil and butter melting and cooking the chicken and making it nice and juicy throughout the process. The entire kitchen fills with the smell of frying chicken and spices, the aroma making Jake's stomach rumble.

"That smells amazing." He says. "Is there anything else I can do to help?" He asks as he looks up at her.

"Stand there and look pretty." She jokes. Jake laughs as he continues watching her cook the chicken, his eyes widening as he smells more and more of the aroma that's filling the air.

"I can definitely do that." Jake says jokingly, taking a step forward so that he is standing directly behind her. "Can't wait to eat this when it's done." He says, smiling at her. Raven tilts her head back to look up at him and smiles softly.

They look at each other for a moment, the two of them standing mere inches apart. It's obvious that there is a mutual interest between the two, and even though nothing has been said, their glances at each other say it all. Raven turns back to the chicken she is cooking in the pan, the smell of the food wafting through the air as it cooks. Jake smiles at her, leaning against her just slightly as his stomach growls in anticipation of the food.

"It should be done in about five minutes." she says, flipping over the chicken in the pan to the other side. Jake's eyes widen and he leans in closer to the pan, looking at the chicken as it cooks.

"Smells amazing." He comments, his breath touching the back of her neck. She can feel the heat of his breath on her neck and she smiles as she continues cooking. "Can I have some when it's done?" He asks playfully.

"No you can not..." Raven teases, chuckling under her breath.

"Oh come on!" Jake protests playfully. "I'll starve if you don't give me some chicken. You wouldn't let me starve... would you?" He asks, smiling innocently up at her. He looks very determined to get a piece of the chicken, as his stomach growls even louder! 

"Hmmm. I don't know I just might." She teases a soft grin gracing her face.

"If you don't let me have some I might get hungry enough to eat you instead. I don't know how you'll taste but I bet you taste pretty good." He teases her, smiling playfully. "Come on, you have to give me a piece of that chicken... I'm starving!" Jake pleads, laughing softly as they both wait for the chicken to finish cooking.

"I'll be nice and give you some." She teases, smiling playfully up at him. 

"Thank goodness." Jake sighs. "I think I might've actually starved to death otherwise." He chuckles. "What would you have done with my corpse? Would you have kept it up on the wall to remind yourself of what happens when you starve him to death?" He looks up and smiles at Raven playfully, obviously joking about the entire scenario. He looks back down at the chicken in the pan and watches anxiously for it to finish cooking.