Imagination`s Cooking . . .

I actually wrote a scenario that`s been in my head for a while. Please, don`t ask me why. The words came, and I obliged them by writing.

"If your mother comes in here, and sees you, believe me, these patties are not the only things that will be frying in that vat of oil."

She said, smiling, as he nuzzled her neck and slid his arms around her. She turned and looked at him, in awe as always, at what she had done to deserve a man like him. She slowly reached out and smoothed the stray swatch of hair that had fallen on to his forehead, lending him the mischievous look of someone who was not afraid to get their hands dirty, in the worst way possible. As she looked into his eyes, she felt her body tingling, his hands exerting subtle pressure to bring her closer to him, letting her feel his strength, and gentleness, as he bent his head lower to kiss her forehead.

"I don`t care who comes. I`ve been working all day, I`m tired, and I`ve missed you."

Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed her ear, tracing the rim with his tongue. She arched into him, knowing that any protest would be futile, as even a minute away from him seemed like a lifetime to her, lending a ring of truth to his words that she could not refute.

"I know. I`ve missed you, too."

She rested her head on his chest, feeling his arms tighten around her, hearing his heartbeat strong and sure. One of his hands came up to stroke her cheek, lightly grazing her skin, until she lifted her head and looked at him inquisitively.

"When will you finish?"

He asked, impatient as always to have her to himself. The feel of her was far too much to resist, making his breathing deepen, and his eyes darken with the passion he felt.

"I`m actually almost done."

She said, pushing at him to release her so she could complete cooking.

"If you keep up with this, there`ll be no dinner, little boy."

His voice turned husky as he bent and whispered in her ear,

"I don`t mind. I`m not hungry for food, anyways. What I have in mind is dessert."

He felt a tremor run through her body as a blush covered her face and she buried her face in his shoulder, trying to recover her equilibrium.
Turning in his arms, she picked up the spatula, and began frying, only the trembling of her hand betraying her unsteadiness.

"You must let me finish, or your mother will have my head, as you well know. She gets miffed if the work isn`t done, especially that which has been asked of me."

He kissed the nape of her neck, breathing in the scent of her, tantalizing and fresh at the same time.

"I thought you two were getting along well, now. Or am I mistaken?"

He felt her chest rise as she sighed and turned to look up at him over her shoulder.

"I suppose you could say that. It`s not as though she`s chomping on the bit whenever she sees me, but there definitely is a level of, well, distaste that still baffles me. I`ve come to expect it now, and her small kindnesses are enough to get me through the difficult moments. And she IS trying. What more could I ask of her?"

The wistfulness in her tone belied the cheeriness she was evidently trying to make him believe she felt. As he rested his head on her shoulder, he thought back to when he had first been told by his mother that she was arranging a marriage for him.


"Mother, don`t you dare do anything of the sort. You know what my opinion is about that, and even if I were inclined to listen, and agree, there is no way that I would say yes to the type of girl you are planning to choose for me."

The cold gleam in her eyes was at parallel with her nature. He couldn`t recall one moment in his childhood when he`d felt comfortable coming to her with any problem. She had always glared at him, told him to be a man, and stop complaining about his feelings or problems, passing it off as the one trait that every woman despises in a man. He still hadn`t lost faith in the business of motherhood, or the belief that not all woman were like his mother, but he did know, that any female who she approved of would have to have the same dragon-like nature she did, and surviving the rest of his life with a woman like that was not something he intended to do.

"Well, I haven`t really asked for your opinion, have I? Her parents are bringing her here, as they adhere to old Indian tradition of the girls’ family proposing. Have a care to be polite, and I daresay, it won`t kill you to pass a once over on the girl. You can say no if you like."

"If you think for a moment, that I will agree to sit here, and be ogled by the parents of a little chit, who for all purposes, has never even heard of my name, or stepped outside the house, you are dreadfully mistaken, Mother. You may talk to them, tell them I am busy, and send them away."

"I didn`t want you to sit out there under duress, but you`ve forced me, so you should know that your Uncle John arranged for this family to come see you, not me. Her background intrigued me, which is why I wanted you to meet her. There is no pressure on you to marry today. Just meet them".

His fate had been sealed. The old crone knew that he would never say no to Uncle John, the man who had brought him up like a father, and still treated him as though he were the little toddler who ran to him for protection from the monsters under the bed.

The doorbell rang, and he stiffened as he realized the family had arrived. His mother had briefed him about the mother and father, but the daughter was a mystery he was evidently going to have to figure out for himself. Higgins opened the door and ushered the family into the parlor, then came to him to announce their arrival.

"Set a tray out for them, and tell them I shall be there with the lady momentarily."

His mother arose and came to him with her usual business like walk, never imbuing herself with the slightest hint of softness or tenderness.

"Come along; let us get this over with before you snap my head off."

As they entered the parlor, he was surprised at what he saw. The parents, whom he had wrongfully assumed were going to be stiff, and without warmth, akin to what he himself had seen growing up, were sitting side by side, smiling, with their hands clasped, as if, even after all these years, the touch of those fingers still brought untold pleasures.

The father rose, and came to him. He held out his hand, and gently clasped the one he gave with the other. The twinkle in the older man`s eyes was clearly telling him that this was a man who was not afraid to have fun in life, a trait that he had not believed that parents had.

"It`s nice to finally meet you, son. I had heard of you, but one can never take opinions to heart. You must see the truth for yourself, especially in matters such as these."

He noticed that the father had immense love for his daughter, as he praised her, innumerable achievements, which included, none of the usual pursuits, but conversely, what society would deem frivolous activities. Apparently, she loved to take long walks in the woods, write, take care of stray and injured animals, horse ride, and she hated attending any London events. He was intrigued despite himself. He had never heard of a woman who didn`t like kitty parties, and he wanted to see this anomaly for himself. He wondered how to ask the father the reason for her absence without seeming too forward, but he solved the dilemma himself by saying,

"I told her that she should at least come in and say hello, but she was much more interested in the nest of kittens that seem to have made a home in your shrubbery. I wouldn`t be too strict if you had any inclination to go and see her. I`m sure the both of you can manage without parental supervision by now."

He smiled at the older man`s intuition and gratefully inclined his head for the reprieve. As he got up and made to head out, he heard a female voice, and froze in his footsteps. The husky laugh shot down like a bolt of lightning straight to his feet, and he felt rooted to the floor, all his senses hungry for more of that voice. Good Lord, if just her voice could have such an effect, he wondered what the rest of the package held. As he made for the front of the house, he paused and took off his coat and cravat, and rolled up his shirtsleeves, so as not to frighten her and put her on her guard.

She laughed and nuzzled the kitten`s soft fur as she lightly mewed and made to claw up the front of her vest. Although there was not enough power in the young darling`s paws to successfully climb, the claws were sharp enough to inadvertently pierce the skin. As she lifted the kitten to her bosom and cuddled it, she became aware of a still figure, leaning casually against the side of the house. He couldn`t have been more than 30, with broad shoulders, a well-built figure, and a chest that tapered to a lean waist, and firm legs. He was clad in black pants, and a navy blue shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up, displaying forearms with a liberal dusting of black hair. His eyes were the color of midnight, with heat and curiosity mingled, warming her down to her toes. She became aware that her breathing had deepened, the kitten cuddling closer as though sensing the turmoil the stranger was causing within her.

"Have you come to see the family, or apply for the position of the gardener?", he drawled, managing to make it seem as though she was nothing of significance, and whatever she was doing here, must be of harm.

"I apologize for upsetting anyone, which was not my intention. I saw these darlings as I was entering the house, and I begged leave from my father and the butler to see them up close. I did tell my father to make my excuses to the master of the house, but apparently that hasn`t been done. Have you been sent out here to get me?"

He laughed, a sound so rich and deep throated that she felt as though it resonated through her being. His voice was a deep baritone, almost rough in its endearingness, and flavored with a slight brogue, making her skin tingle in unusual places.

"No, I haven`t been sent to get you. I wanted to see you, as you apparently found kittens more important than people, and I was curious as to what sort of person would have such, odd but ingenious preferences."

As she looked up, she started to realize that he had been walking towards her, and now stood directly in front of her, smiling with ease. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized he was much taller than she had originally thought, close to 6`3.

"Who are you?"

"My name is _ _ _ _ _ _, and I am apparently your suitor.

She gasped and moved to step backwards. She felt her foot catch in a bramble of weeds, and before she could fully contemplate what was happening, she was hauled up with a strong arm, and caught against a rock solid chest. She looked up in to the face that was far too close to hers, and almost melted as she saw the concern there. He smoothed a hand over her hair and forehead, urgently asking her if she were ok.

"Tell me your name, love. I can`t go around saving anonymous maidens in distress."

She chuckled, and said laughingly,

"I`m sure you enjoyed that, you scoundrel. What a wonderful way to make a first impression on a lady. My name is _ _ _ _ _ _."

"I`m going to tell you something, and I don`t want you to become frightened, but I thought I should let you know now.

"Alright. What is it?"

"First of all, I`m going to marry you, and secondly, if you don`t release your death grip on your darling, she`s not going to remain your darling for long,”

He said, smiling with roguish charm and firm intent. She looked up at him with her mouth gaping as she realized he was utterly serious. She pushed against his chest as she silently demanded that he release her. He quietly looked at her and shook his head negatively as he bent his head and whispered in her ear,

“I`m going to kiss you now, and I suggest that you try your hardest to push me away, as I`m not inclined to let you run away from me that easily.”