At Her Mercy

Chapter 10: Chef Mendes

Shawn salsa danced towards the stove top humming along to the music. Taking hold of the skillet handle he tossed the golden pancake into the air. Shawn continued to move his hips to the beat watching the pancake flip before it landed on his ceramic plate.

"Well isn't this a sight." Mercy chuckled leaning against the wall.

Shawn smiled motioning for her to take a seat at the island. Mer walked over and sat down on the bar stool. She smiled in thanks as he set down a plate of hot eggs, pancakes, and a side of fresh fruit before her. Shawn poured the both of them a glass of orange juice then sat in the seat beside her.

As he cut into his pancake he noticed Mer wasn't eating yet. Instead she was looking back and forth between the well prepared dish and him. Shawn licked his lips before raising the fork to his mouth.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

Mer turned the plate before her around looking at it from every angle. Shawn could tell she wasn't just looking at her breakfast; she was analyzing it. Mercy looked over at Shawn's plate to see the same items pilled on it except his pancakes had a chunk cut out of it. She used the edge of her fork to cut into her flapjacks and take a bite.

Immediately, Mer started to pant, fanning her open mouth while chewing simultaneously. She hurriedly swallowed the food and looked to Shawn who had an amused smile on his face as he took a swig of his orange juice.

"Why didn't you tell me it was hot?" She exclaimed pushing his shoulder.

"You just saw me take it off the stove. You should've known to blow or wait a second." He laughed.

"Okay, yeah whatever. Since when did you know how to cook?" She questioned digging into her plate, "Last I remember you're the same boy who burns toast and rice."

"Everyone burns bread once in their life."

"Yeah but only you managed to burn it every single morning before school. Now you're making cheesy eggs and using salt." She pointed out waving her fork around with eggs on it.

Shawn leaned over to her and closed his lips on her fork. He leaned back as she tried pulled the fork from his mouth but his teeth were clenched. She tugged more and wiggled it from left to right.

"Shawn, stop it. Give me my fork back!" She whined causing him to smile.

Mercy wrestled with the fork stuck between his teeth for another 3 minutes until Shawn released.

"Don't eat my food!"

"Don't trash talk my cooking." Shawn said back in a mocking tone.

Mercy huffed and continued to indulge in her breakfast while murmuring insults under her breath. Shawn chuckled shaking his head as he finished his drink then got up to clean the kitchen.

Mercy watched Shawn return the ingredients he used to prepare the food to their rightful place then use a damp kitchen towel to clean the counter tops. Mer studied the way the muscles in his back flexed with his every move.

Shawn was humming focused on his cleaning as she watched him while finishing her meal. Mercy began to think about how much Shawn had grown since she last saw him. She's been here in Los Angeles with him for a little while now and never fully took in his appearance.

Mercy's eyes scanned Shawn's body. She noticed he's been letting his hair grow out recently and it actually suits him. She started to grow appreciation for his daily workouts as noticed the improvement in his physique. Shawn's arms were more toned, like his back, and the veins in them were prominent, his torso and abdomen were lean and cut, and his abs were firm and detailed.