Volkov

Chapter 17

The smell of Caribbean food filled the air as I opened the containers. The rich, savory scent of jerk chicken, rice, and peas mingled with the mouthwatering aromas of goat curry and fish curry. My stomach growled in anticipation. I had always loved the comfort food from my heritage, and tonight, I wanted to share that with him. Maxim, the man who had somehow wormed his way into my life in ways I hadn't expected.

I spread out the spread on the coffee table—rice, roti, jerk chicken, and curries all carefully arranged, and smiled at the simple yet vibrant meal before me. This wasn't some fancy dinner I usually prepared when I wanted to impress someone. No, this was me, Raven Tremble, enjoying a bit of normalcy. It wasn't about perfection, or impressing anyone—it was about comfort and sharing something that meant something to me.

Maxim had been through so much with his work lately, and it was starting to wear on him. Despite the tough exterior he put up, I could tell there was more underneath, and tonight, I hoped to create a space where he could just be... him. No suits. No business. Just a little peace.

I adjusted my shirt, a simple black tank top with a pair of sweatpants, then walked back to the kitchen to grab the wine I had bought earlier—a nice bottle of red. Something to complement the food, and maybe... ease the tension that had been building between us.

The doorbell rang just as I was putting the bottle in the fridge. My heart skipped a beat. I had been thinking about him all day, and now, he was here.

I rushed to the door and opened it, finding Maxim standing there in his usual pristine attire. Even though I knew it wasn't necessary, he still managed to look like he'd stepped out of a business meeting, his black suit tailored to perfection. But his eyes softened when he saw me. The look in them made my heart flutter despite myself.

"Hey," I said, smiling at him and stepping aside to let him in.

He didn't say anything at first, just gave me a small nod as he entered, his eyes scanning the room briefly before landing back on me. There was something in the way he looked at me, something between intensity and curiosity.

"Dinner's ready," I said, trying to sound casual as I led him to the living room where I had spread everything out on the coffee table.

His eyebrows raised when he saw the food. "This is..." He trailed off, clearly impressed but unsure what to say.

"Caribbean food," I said with a grin. "Jerk chicken, goat curry, fish curry, rice, peas... and roti."

I watched his expression soften as he took it all in. He didn't seem to expect this kind of meal, not the luxury of a five-star restaurant he usually frequented, but the comfort of a home-cooked meal, one that had been carefully chosen, prepared, and meant to be shared.

"Sounds delicious," he finally said, his tone warm but still guarded.

"I hope you're hungry," I replied, sitting down cross-legged on the floor. I gestured for him to do the same. "It's a mess but trust me, you'll love it."

Maxim hesitated for a moment before kneeling down and mirroring my position. The silence between us was comfortable for once, neither of us speaking as we began to serve ourselves. But I couldn't hold back my excitement. This was my favorite cuisine, my comfort food, and I was so eager to see how he would react.

"Wait," I said suddenly, my eyes lighting up. "I have an idea! Let me feed you a bit of everything!"

Maxim raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "You're going to feed me?"

"Yes!" I said eagerly, my hands already scooping up a piece of jerk chicken and dipping it into the sauce. "I want you to try everything! You have to try it all to understand it, trust me."