She cleared her mind of those thoughts. Not today. They would spend the day together and not worry about the future.
“I won’t be long.” She started past him, but he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her arms entwined around his neck as she pressed her body closer.
They were both panting when he ended the kiss. For a moment, they held each other. She knew if she didn’t take her shower, it might be a while before she got that chance, and besides being hungry, she wanted to know everything about Kristor.
“I’ll join you in a few minutes.” She hurried inside the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He mumbled something about needing a cold shower. She grinned.
When she joined him in the kitchen, he was bending over looking at something on one of the lower shelves in the pantry. She stopped, staring at his nicely formed ass that was only covered by a bit of towel.
Now who needed the cold shower?
“Find anything?” she asked.
He jumped, bumping his head on the shelf above the one he was looking at. When he turned, she saw the smear of chocolate at the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, I see you found my stash of chocolate bars.”
He held up a half empty bag. It had been full! So maybe their relationship wouldn’t work. He’d eaten most of her chocolate, and you just didn’t mess with a lady’s chocolate. She cocked an eyebrow and planted her hands on her hips.
He held up the bag. “I’ll share.”
Okay, maybe it would work out. She sauntered over and grabbed the bag from him. “Of course, you will. It’s my chocolate.”
He leaned forward until their lips touched. The kiss was light. He tasted of chocolate. Chocolate and Kristor—a heady combination.
“I have ice cream in the freezer,” she said as she put a little distance between them.
“I don’t know this food.”
“Oh, it’s a major food group. Milk. Eggs.” When he still looked confused, she continued. “Trust me.” She tossed the chocolate on the table and grabbed the gallon of strawberry-shortcake ice cream out of the freezer. Rather than getting bowls, she just got two spoons. It would save on dishes.
“And orange drink?” he asked.
It was a good thing she’d bought more. The guy had a serious addiction. Hmm, apparently they didn’t have any of this on New Symtaria. Maybe she could get him hooked on junk food and he’d stay. It was an idea.
“Did you see the moon pies?” she casually asked. A good addictive food. She was so evil.
He stopped in the process of removing the lid from the ice cream and stared at her. “You have pies from the moon?”
“No, they’re just called that.” Her forehead puckered. “Do you?”
“Of course not. It’s a barren wasteland filled with craters. No one lives there.”
“We sent men to the moon.” She went to the pantry and grabbed the moon pies.
“Were they being punished?”
“No, they were explorers.”
“Then you should have sent them someplace better.” He dipped one of the spoons into the ice cream and brought it to his mouth. He closed his eyes and moaned, a look of pure rapture on his face. “This is good.”
“Better than what you have on your planet?”
“No, but it will do for now.”
So much for getting him hooked on junk food. Apparently, they had their own on New Symtaria.
She set the moon pies on the table and poured them each a glass of orange soda. It wasn’t the sophisticated meal she had imagined, but this would probably be a lot more fun.
She joined him at the table and, after setting the drinks down, grabbed a spoon. The ice cream was good.
He took a drink, then reached for a chocolate bar. She had a sudden light-bulb moment of inspiration. “Do you know what else you can do with chocolate?”
He paused in tearing off the wrapper. “What?”
“Don’t eat it yet.” She stood and went back to the pantry. She glanced over her shoulder when she heard just the slightest sound of ripping paper. “Don’t eat it,” she warned, then grabbed a bag of marshmallows and a box of graham crackers.
“You have a lot of good food,” he said, eyeing the new treats.
“Too much. This is why I have to run every day.” She ripped open the bag of marshmallows and brought out two. Then one cracker each, and broke them both in half. “Okay, give me the Hershey bar.”
He looked at the bar, then back at her.
“Trust me, you’ll love this.”
He reluctantly handed her the bar of chocolate. She broke it in half and placed one half on the cracker, topped it with a big white marshmallow, and smashed a cracker on top of it. Then she repeated everything.
He reached for one.
“Not yet. We have to put them in the microwave first.”
He flinched.
“What?” she asked.
“Rogar said microwaves are dangerous.”
“Well, they’re not.”
“He said they make pretty lights on the inside, then begin to smoke and burn.”
And she wondered what exactly he’d put in the microwave. “But then, I know what I’m doing.”
He didn’t look assured.
“What? Do you think women aren’t capable of doing anything?” She hoped he didn’t come from a planet of cavemen. If he did, she was more than ready to set him straight!
“Women are equals. They have been rulers, and contribute as much as men.” He grimaced. “Their powers are much greater than men’s, which can cause discord at times.”
“Greater powers, huh?”
He nodded, not looking very happy.
She put the s’mores on a saucer and carried them to the microwave. He followed. “Why does it bother you so much that women can be superior? I mean, why can’t women have greater powers?”
“Because they are more emotional than men. They sometimes act before they think.”
She had a feeling he’d caught the brunt of more than one woman’s anger. She didn’t care too much for the thought of his being with other women.
“Any woman in particular on New Symtaria?”
“A witch.”
“Witch?”
“It does not matter.”
And she had a feeling it didn’t. At least, not to him. She was glad he didn’t have someone waiting for his return. Not that she could do anything about it if he did. Now she really needed chocolate.
She turned the microwave on and watched through the glass as the conglomeration began to melt. After a few seconds, she took them out, and carried them back to the table. Rather than follow, he opened the door of the microwave, waved his hand inside, then shut the door.
“I think you’re right. It does not look dangerous.”
“Try this. Be careful, though. They’re probably still hot.”
He tentatively took a bite, then closed his eyes in rapt delight. He didn’t say anything until he finished eating all of it. “More.”
She waved her arm over the table. “They’re almost as much fun to make. Go ahead.”
“I don’t cook.”
She arched an eyebrow. “If you want another one you will.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“I know.”
He reached for a cracker, then unwrapped another chocolate bar and placed half on top. Next came the marshmallow, but when he put the cracker on top and smashed it down, the cracker broke into small pieces.
“It didn’t work,” he said.
“It’ll still taste just as good.”
He carried it over to the microwave and did exactly as she had done, then carried it back to the table and sat down. He seemed quite proud of himself.
“You conquered the microwave,” she said.
“Of course, I’m a warrior.” He grinned. He took a bite and chewed. “How did you learn to make these?”
“My mom. We used to go camping a lot. Dad loves to fish. At least twice a year we would go to the mountains and pitch a tent. At night, Daddy would build a fire and we’d roast hot dogs, and then after supper, marshmallows.”
“You love your family very much.”
“Don’t you love yours?”
“Yes. There are many, but we are very close. We have celebrations throughout the year.”