The Chance

Chapter 9

I was trying to ignore the green eyes that is following my every move. The thought of my boss being here in my house and that I will cook him dinner never occured in my mind.

Let's just hope that he will not fire me if I serve him something he cannot stomach, not that I am planning to. I know I said that I am not a good cook, but I can make a very decent Tuna Pesto, so I am not worried of the out come.

After a few minutes the water is now boiling and so I put some oil, the pasta and some salt. While on the other pan I was sautéing the minced onion, garlic and canned tuna. I already have premade pesto sauce in the fridge. If it isn't obvious I really love eating pesto pasta.

"You live here alone?"He ask out of the blue.

"Yes." I've been living in this apartment for 5 years now. "I had a room mate before but she moved in with her boyfriend after they got married." I remembered Tish's wedding it was one of the most beautiful wedding I witnessed.

"How about you?" He asked

"what about me?" I replied back while I stirred the pesto sauce after pouring it in the pan.

"Do you have a boy friend?" He asked after a few seconds of silence.

I stop stirring, and checked the pasta. "No, I don't have one." I turned around to face him and assess what is running in his mind, but then again since he usually wears a plain expression it's a bit hard to decipher.

"How about you? Don't you have a girlfriend?" I decided to venture. Well, he's in my roof asking me questions, don't I have the right to do the same?.

He didn't answer for a while, just looking at me in the eye. "Its okay if you don't want to tell me." I shrugged and turned my back on him, its not my business anyway, but why do I have this nagging feeling in me.

I took the pot of boiled pasta from the stove and got the strainer to drain the water and transferred it in a bowl, whilst I let the sauce simmer seasoned with a little bit of salt and plenty of pepper.

"I still don't have one." He finally said after a while.

I was a bit shocked by his confession, composing my self I tried to look unconcerned with and set the bowl near the sauce and moved to the drawer where I keep my plates and utensils.

"Still?.." I asked him when I approached the table to place the plates and forks on the table.

"Still..never had one." He shrugged like it is no big deal.

This got me stop what ever I am doing. "Never? As in you never had a serious one or never been in any type of relationship?"

"Never been in a serious one or in any type." He said.

"Wow..." I said out loud.

"You seem surprised?" He asked. Putting his right elbow on the table, his right hand under his chin as his left hand is picking on the fork in front of him his eyes on the table.

"Well I just thought that.. You know with your good looks and all, you'll probably have a line of women waiting for you to pay them attention."

He laughed at my explanation putting both hands on the table and fixing his green eyes straight to mine. "You think I am good looking?" whilst he has his beautiful smile on his face.

Someone help me, I feel a thousand of butterflies attacking my stomach. Oh shucks.. Me and my mouth couldn't help but embarrass me. I moved to turn the fire off and transfer the pesto sauce to the pasta, while I feel my face heat up.

"Is that all you heard from what I said." I tried to divert the spotlight to him.

"Is that what you really think about me? Good looking?" He teased. I can hear the smile in his voice as I tried to avoid facing him by walking to the fridge to get the parmesan cheese and put it on top of the pasta.

When I was done I brought the pasta to the table, sitting opposite of him.

Deciding to tell the truth, "well I guess so, I mean you have a lot of girls falling at your feet in and out of the office, I am sure you are aware of it." I tried to explain to him. "I even know a lot of women who has crush on you." I said to prove a point.

"are you one of them?" He looked at me directly in the eye, with one of his eyebrow raised probing.

What the heck?! does he really expect me to answer that? "Why don't you just answer it Leah. It's a simple question of yes or no."  Not now brain!

I gulp. "Whatever" I rolled my eyes on him "Eat." I said as I push the pasta in front of him. I stood again to get some water from the fridge.

I hear him lightly laugh at my discomfort. I pulled out a cold water from the fridge, pour myself glass and took a swig. I return to the table with the pitcher and a glass for him.

"mmmm....this is really good." he said as he took another bite of my cooking.

I feel a small blush coming to my cheeks. "thanks."

He stopped chewing when he noticed me not eating. "Why aren't you eating?" he then put down his fork and moved to put some pasta on my plate.

I smiled at his gesture.

"Thanks, I can't really believe that you never had a girlfriend before." I stated. As he resumed eating.

"Well believe it." He simply replied.

"Boyfriends?" I asked jokingly.

He just gave me an empty stare for a second and continued eating.

I can clearly see my alter ego raising an eyebrow at me both hands on her hips.

Haha!What? I need to ask for the sake of those girls who are still pining for him! I said to her.

' For your sake you mean, right?' Now its my alter ego's turn to laugh.

Gosh I can never have the last say, can I?

I shook my head because of my weirdness,"what about your body guards shouldn't we invite them to have dinner also?" I asked him as I remember the other two who helped me earlier.

"Don't worry about them, I already instructed them to eat. I never really like them following me around." he says after drinking water.

"Why?'

"Well, one, I can take care of my self, two, I know that they are reporting to somebody what I am doing. I don't want people spying on me." he said.

"Who is spying on you?"

"You really have lots of questions about me tonight don't you?" Smirking at me.

The nerve of this guy. "I was just trying to keep the conversation going. And if you think that I am interested in you, kindly remove those thoughts on your mind. You got it wrong." lie.

He just laughed at my response.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, you just really cute when your getting worked up." then he stifle a chuckle.

"I am not!" I defended.

"Oh sure you are honey."

Honey. My jaw slightly dropped. I feel the butterflies return, but this time I think they are moths.

...

A/N: What do you think this chapter? So far this is one of my favorite scene.. its nice to see Ethan's other side.

What about Leah's 'Alter Ego'? From now on I'm going to call her conscience or her the other part of the brain that is more logical 'Alter Ego', because..honestly? I don't know what else to call it. Haha and 'alter ego' sounds cool right? :D

Anyway... comment something... see you next update!