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"Are you hungry, Mason?"
"Sure, let's eat..."
Nicholas rises with a nod. "Of course."
Mason leans back so she can watch him rise... noticing as always the amazing gracefulness he moves with.
Walking back to the kitchen, Nicholas picks up a large silver tray of food, with two dinner plates on it, and silverware. He returns and carefully, meticulously, begins to set out two places, on the blanket, laying the tray to one side.
Mason catches herself thinking that what with his dedication to perfection at task, and that astonishing dexterousness, he would probably be an incredible lover. She quickly tries to redirect her thoughts, to somewhere else... anywhere else.
Nibbling on his lip, Nick frowns, wondering if he's forgotten anything, and goes back for a second tray, setting it beside the first. He smiles, glancing up. "Dinner is served, Madam."
Mason giggles. "Yes, very informal of you." She looks at him with a smile. "What is everything?" Her eyes wander over all the various dishes on the trays.
He smiles a bit wider. "Informality will never supercede ambience. Ahh, oh. Well, this dish is Chinese.. and this is French. This is Spanish, and this is the same dish, but made by the most remarkable Itialian chief... There is lobser and shrinp, if you prefer... This is Thai... and I believe.. this one is supposed to be Aztec, but I tend to question the source a bit." He grins as he lifts a silver cover... "Oh yes, and this is fast food" ...and displays a couple of burgers, with fries neatly placed on the side. He is serving her in a very formal manner indeed, standing and bending over to uncover each dish.
"Oooh.. they all sound good..." Mason takes a little bit of each of three or four things, giggling at the burger and fries... French, Italian, Thai, shrimp. She takes a french fry and sets it on her plate next to the shrimp. "Which is your favorite, Nick?"
He thinks. "I like this best. The gentleman who makes it has a way with flavors, though I do not know what it is called. Ginger and nutmeg... chicken... wine... cloves, too, I believe." Nick takes a spoonful and leans over, holding it for Mason to taste, if she likes.
Mason holds her plate up. "Okay, put that on here too."
He smiles, setting it on her plate. "Shall I serve you? Or do you prefer to serve yourself?"
"I think I have all I can eat... will you sit down here with me?"
"Yes, thank you." He sits down just opposite, watching Mason for a moment, then reaches over to retrieve his glass and the bottle.
Mason takes a bite of the recommended chicken dish. "Mmmmmmm... wow you're right, this one is very good."
"Mr. Chow thought you might like it; I am pleased he was corrrect. I pester him incessently to cook up another batch. The flavor changes somewhat in transport, however. Still plesant; a tad more pungent for marination, I suspect..."
Mason smiles, then reaches over and
touches his cheek..... her smile widening, she looks very pleased at the
way it feels. "Thank you Nick."
Nick turns his face into the touch,
smiling. "You are quite welcome, Mason. It is my pleasure."
Mason takes another bite... this time something Italian... "This one's very good too"
He nods. "Yes, quite good. Mr. Dorien is a friend of the family. He cooked this for me as a child."
"Ooh.. are these all your favorite dishes from your favorite chefs then?"
"Yes." Nick had begun serving himself as Mason began to eat, and pauses with a ladle halfway to his plate.
Mason gets a playful look on her face. "Hey Nick... would you do something for me?"
"Quite probably. What do you wish?" He sets the ladle down, giving Mason his undivided attention.
"Just... put your plate down... close your eyes... open your mouth. Easy?"
Nicholas glances at her curiously, but closes his eyes, laying his plate at his feet. He folds his legs in front of him, getting cromfortable, and opens his mouth.
Mason picks up a piece of something off his plate, something she thinks is probably a vegetable with sauce on it, that drips a bit down her fingers. She puts it into his mouth, letting her fingertips touch his tongue and lips; her expression more revealing now as she knows he can't see it, of her desire.
Mason says very quietly, almost whispering,
her mouth near his ear, "Keep your eyes closed.. tell me bout that one..."
She very lightly strokes the side
of his neck with her fingertips as he chews and swallows.
He thinks about the flavor as he eats, a blank look on his face for a moment, then he smiles. "Oh, yes. Mr. Andrews... he makes the most wonderful Cajun dishes. I met him some years ago on a business trip for Mr. Thorne.... not a large establishment... but .. cozy. Yes. It tastes of saltwater and chilies."
"Yum. Okay... you can open your eyes... thank you." Mason looks kinda shy now, and starts eating as an excuse not to talk. She eats the french fry, then the shrimp, leaving the shrimp tail on her plate.
Nicholas opens his eyes and grins brightly at Mason. "Thank you. You have a very light touch."
Mason smiles back and keeps eating. She takes a very small bite of Thai food then another, then a sip of champagne to wash away the sting of spices. As the bubbly taste/feeling of the champagne fills her mouth and flows down to her stomach, she pauses and watches Nick eat a few bites.
He reaches over and picks up a couple of strawberries. "May I see your glass for a moment? The flavor is very nice, if you put a strawberry in it."
"Sure." Mason hands him her glass.
Nick slips one strawberry in her glass and leans a bit further toward her holding the second berry, as if he wishes to feed it to her. "Hold this between your teeth as you drink."
Mason takes it in her teeth awkwardly and tries to sip the champagne around it, but it drips down her cheek and off her chin. She giggles as she drops the berry into the glass. "Oops..."
Nick smiles wider, picking up a napkin and cleans the drips off her chin.
Mason laughs. "I'll need to practice that one."
Nicholas grins. "Yes. Took me some to perfect as well."
"What else do I need to practice to have dinner with you?" Mason tilts her head giving him that playful look again.
"Why, nothing... You seem remarkably adept, Mason."
"What? With this strawberry proving too much for my skill level? Defeated by a piece of fruit less than a couple inches... I ask you."
Nick laughs. "I would never have been able to navigate the dish you fed me to your mouth. Your lap, perhaps, but not your mouth."
"Would you have been annoyed if I'd dropped it in your lap?"
"Not at all. It would have given me an opportunity to change out of these clothes, for one. Constance says I am handsome in more formal attire. I took her advice... Not precisely uncomfortable. Just stiff."
Mason nods. "She's right... you are." She fleetingly considers suggesting he take them off if it would be more comfortable.. but can't quite bring herself to do it. With this thought, she gets tongue tied again, and to cover her silence uses her spoon to fish one of the strawberries out of her champagne. She starts to eat it in very small bites.
Nick flushes slightly, musing that Constance was correct in many things, including how breathtaking Mason is, and smiles. "Would you mind if I at least removed the jacket?" When Mason shakes her head, he removes the jacket and lays it neatly to one side, unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt, sighing softly. "Much better."
"Nick? Would you have left it on if I wanted you to?"
"Of course. It is a small task, and a minor discomfort for your comfort. I would not have minded." He smiles.
Mason nods, wondering how uncomfortable he would let her make him before he stopped her. Suddenly she looks a little bit annoyed with herself and pushes her plate away. "I think I'm full... it was all very very good."
Nicholas hesitates, studying her for a moment, as if reading her thoughts. "I would not have agreed to anything I was unwilling to do, Mason." he speaks this very slowly, very carefully, maintaining eye contact. "I do not forget my promises."
"I know. Don't worry about
it... it wasnt a fair thing of me to ask." She hesitates, and her
tone changes. "I'm not used to this, Nick."