RC.

Ch6 ....... G

But, the moment feels surreal. Me, an ordinary girl, in the arms of one of the most, sought after men in town.

R:"Tell me a little about your passion."

Ryan whispers in my ear. Strangely, not having to face his piercing glance, and just guessing it in my back, makes the conversation easier.

T:"You want me to talk to you about my cooking?"

He runs a hand through my hair and lets it fall back down gently onto my shoulders.

(I feel good in his arms.)

I feel so good here with him. When he speaks to me like this, I feel like I'm important. The power he has over my self-esteem is exhilarating.

R:"I want you to tell me about what gives you a buzz."

(There is one thing that gives me a buzz: YOU.)

T:"Well ... I've been passionate about gastronomy for a long time. Great chefs have always impressed me."

T:"Their search for perfection, the challenge of having to constantly renew themselves."

I smile. I can easily draw parallels between the admiration I have for him and the one I have for chefs.

T:"They aim for excellence, there's no room for error, I like the challenge."

T:"And what I like about cooking is that I'm always learning, there are always new things to discover, new things to blend... I never bore..."

I straighten up to look at him, suddenly enthralled.

T:"You know what it's like. The excitement of discovering something new, putting yourself in danger, stepping out of your comfort zone."

He smiles at me.

R:"Of course."

I am not sure I can compare the standards I set myself when I'm cooking to the one he sets for his firm. The stakes are not the same ...

But then again ... Still ...

In the end, I wonder if it's not what brings us together. This indispensable need for challenge. Both of us in our own way.

T:"I have a blog, nothing much ... Just a page where I share my recipes and latest discoveries."

T:"I have some very loyal subscribers, it's called Tayla's delights."

He leans his head to one side.

R:"Tayla's delights... The title is very inviting."

I give him a nudge.

He grabs his tablet on the coffe table and starts typing on the keypad.

A sudden rush of adrenalin shoots through me.

(Shit! I've just realised that I wrote stuff about him!!)

T:"Uh ... You're not going to look at it now, are...?"

R:"Why not...?"

(Because I posted some things regarding you...)

The existential questioning comes back to mind ... It's been so long since I posted anything on it that I'd completely forgotten!

(Divert his attention.)

T:"Because ... There's so much better to do ..."

I try diverting his attention, snuggling up to him langurously, in a desperate attempt to take the tablet from his hands.

But it's no trouble at all for him to hold it up well above my head. He looks at me laughing.

R:"You've got something to hide, cheeky monkey ..."

T:"Ryan please, don't read it ..."

Who am I kidding ...? I mean if he implored me like that, not to read something, I would get this irresistible urge to do exactly that.

(Threaten him.)

T:"If you do that ... I ... "

(I have no idea, actually ...)

He looks away from me and while holding the tablet in one hand starts reading aloud.

R:"I challenged my company's CEO, in front of his second in command, during a meeting: The reason? Well, he doesn't know what wine could fit what dish for a charity ball dinner!"

His eyes are very amused when they rest on me.

R:"It's true that you challenged me that day ... You can't imagine how much I already wanted to play with that insolent mouth of yours..."

He chuckles to himself as if he were replaying the scene in his head. That day, if I could have, I would have slipped into a mouse hole and hid.

I get up to try to snatch the tablet from his hands.

T:"Give me that !"

He laughs whilst he holds it up high, looking down at me with his air of superiority.

R:"You're really adorable skipping about like that, but you're gonna tire faster than me, my angel."

I stand in front of him, folding my arms across my chest, wearing a vexed expression on my face.

T:"All right! Go ahead! Please, yourself! After all, there's nothing on it that you don't already know!"

He turns around, not paying any attention to what I've just said and takes a few steps whilst scrolling down on the screen.

R:"He is seductive, though ..."

He looks back at me, a hand on his heart, eyes bright. I can see, he's having a lot of fun.

R:"Oh, thank you, I have one quality at least..."

I lean my head to the side and raise an eyebrow. As if he didn't know I found him sexy ...

He returns to the screen. He looks like a kid who's just been given a toy back.

He's annoying ... And ...

Irresistible.

R:"He's exactly the type of guy to bind you up with his tie and take you to seventh heaven in no time at all..."

(Uh, Oh ... I had somewhat forgotten that passage ... Note for later: review my posts better before publishing ...)

I look at him, blushing. I feel like a little girl caught red handed!

He, on the other hand, is fixing me with a carnassial smile screwed on his face. Obviously, he's not gonna let this pass.

R:"I have several ties in my dressing room, you know ..."

(Oh hell...)

T:"I ... Well ... I was just trying to be funny, you know ... it's not ..."

I try to defend myself as best as I can. But quite honestly, it's pretty pathetic and my voice sounds funny.

Suddenly, he tosses the tablet on the sofa and rushes at me.

In a flash, he's lifted me up and pressed me up against him! His eyes have darkened.

R:"What if we went upstairs ...?"