Tempted Hearts (bxb)

Chapter 5 - The Stolen Kiss

As the meal proceeded, things slowly felt less uncomfortable. I was way too distracted with my pizza to even think about Jake sitting right next to me, for the most part. Food was definitely one of my love languages, and this restaurant and I had entered an exclusive relationship.

"Max, are you even... tasting that?" Jake asked, his utterance finished with a laugh as he watched me stuff my face. Abruptly aware of my unflattering eating habits, I sat up properly and turned to face him. "Mmhm!" I offered a thumbs up.

He shook his head, returning to his meal which also smelled great. I was going to ask to have leftovers but there probably wouldn't be any. I think he was supposed to be bulking or something along those lines.

Lilly turned to me. "How's yours?" she asked, knowingly.

"Oh my God, so good. I was so ready for this," I managed to say, finally taking a breather and actually beginning to relax while eating.

"How's your pizza?" I asked, looking at the ham and pineapple while wondering if they'd finish it or not.

They both nodded, Emily with her mouthful. "Oh it's good," Lilly started. "We should definitely come back here again."

"But pizza and acrylics are proving to be a bad match," Emily admitted, desperately trying to avoid plunging her nails into the tomato sauce base.

I guess Emily wasn't exactly the Queen of Hell that Lilly often painted her as. Once you got past the annoying voice that wasn't even present at that point. It was as if she'd changed after a few days, as if someone had flipped a switch within her.

"Is everything okay for you?" A waitress arrived at our table, looking at us but focusing on me for some reason. I could only nod and smile again.

"All good thanks," Lilly grinned as the waitress nodded, leaving us to it.

After everyone had finished and the sighs of satisfaction started to drift through the air, we laid back against the sofa, full and contempt. With a belly full of food, I could've just drifted to sleep, laying my head in Jake's lap or something. But that was merely a fantasy and one that would never come to light.

"Okay, we splitting this bill four ways?" Jake asked, looking at us.

I whipped out my card, a look of relief appearing on Jake's face. "And you guys?"

Emily held up her purse, unzipping it and showing her card while Lilly reached into her bra and fished out her debit card. "Found it."

"Oh my God, you have not had that in there the whole night!" At this, my eyes squinted a little. Emily and Lilly were actually getting along. Not just getting along, but acting like best friends. My facial muscles tightened.

"Couldn't be arsed to bring my purse!" Lilly shrugged.

"Cool then, let's do it," Jake turned to look into the restaurant. "Excuse me?" he caught the attention of another waiter.

She turned around and looked him up and down. "Hi, yes, what can I do for you?"

"We'd like to pay now if that's alright?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, of course!" she hurried over to the till and grabbed the card reader, quickly coming back to us. Once she came back, she began collecting our plates, stacking them as if she'd been doing it for the last thirty years or so, yet she looked around our age.

"We'd like to split the bill into four if that's alright?"

She smiled. "Yep... Oh, before I forget, tonight is a couple's evening. Buy one get one free. Are you two..?" She directed her pen between me and Jake, cautiously asking the question in case we were both raging homophobes about to berate her and laugh in her face. I was actually about to correct her, not wanting to hear Jake's possible responses, but I was suddenly interrupted before I could even get the second syllable out.