The Hungry Cook

"Ummm," she slightly leans towards me and whispers, "that feels really good, Greg."

"Cath,…" I whisper as I inch closer . I close my eyes, taking a deep breath smelling the sweet fragrance that is emitting from her. I continue to massage her neck. I want this. I lean closer.

She slowly put her hand on top of my knee. Oh ,God.

No! Not like this. I cant do this.

"Uh, Cath," I take my hand off. Wish I didn't have to. Think of something else than having sex with her!

Catherine looks at me, "Greg, I thought you..."

I clearly see she wants to.

God, please not like this.

I suddenly stand up. Looking at her. Geez, she's beautiful. Only a fool would say 'no' to Catherine Willows. I know I'm the first.

"Have you had dinner yet? I haven't. I'm hungry. How about you?" The words came out fast. I needed to cool off.

"Greg, what?" she utters with a bewildered look.

"I'm hungry, how about you?" I head off to the kitchen and open her fridge.

Puzzled, she stands up and follows me to the kitchen.

"What the hell, Greg?" Confusion and anger are written over her face.

I stuttered, "I, I umm, I'm uh, I'm hungry, Cath." I dig my hands deep in my pocket, my head bent. She sees my uneasiness.

Her looks soften. Puts both hand covering her face. "I'm sorry ,Greg. I'm sorry. I feel so embarrassed."

I move toward her, slowly taking her hands off her face and smile, "hey, you don't have to be embarrassed, I'm just hungry."

She smiles back, "I know. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. It wasn't my intention. It's just that it's …"

I lift her chin up with my fingers and look into those beautiful blue eyes that can melt a man's heart witha stare, "Shhh. It's not your fault. I wanted to, really. But I wanna do it right, Cath. I really wanna do it right with you. I don't just want to be just some guy in your life, I want to be the guy in your life."

She looks at me in wonder, "why me, Greg? Why of all the people you've met and know, why me?"

I take her hand and put it over my chest, letting her feel my heart beat, "can you tell your heart to stop whom you're falling for? I tried, Cath, but it didn't work. I tried avoiding you, but I was pulled closer to you. I tried blocking you from my mind, but you fill my thoughts. I try not to look at you but every time I close my eyes visions of you fill me."

She closes her eyes, her hand still feeling the beat of my heart.

"I know there are a lot of reasons why we can be together, and a lot of reasons why you think we shouldn't. I think.."

She raises her hand from my chest and puts her finger on top of my lips.

"Greg, there are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't fall for me, a lot of reasons. You're one of my best friends, I don't want you getting hurt. I don't want to hurt you. I would not intend to but every relationship I've been in I've hurt someone or end up getting hurt. Either I leave them or they leave me. It never lasts."

"I would never leave or hurt you, Cath. Never."

"I've heard those promises before, Greg. Sometimes I make them sometimes they do. It always ends the same."

I see the sad look in her eyes. Broken promises, unwanted hurt. How can I fill the void that she feels?

"I am not them, Catherine. Don't compare me to them." Have her previous lovers say the same words to her before?

"Greg, I.." she starts to say.

"Cath," I interrupt her, "I'm not them. I would never hurt you. In fact I would protect you. Take care of you. Watch over you and Lindsey. I want to be part of.."

"Greg," she interrupting me, "don't make promises to me. I can take the hurt but don't bring Lindsey in it."

"Cath, I only mean…I start to say.

She raises her voice in a firm way, "I know what you mean. I do. Just don't, Greg."

"I will never hurt you, Cath." I say again.

"Don't, Greg." She back away from me.

"Cath, I.." I take a step closer.

"Stop it, Greg. Just stop it." she raises her hand towards me.

"Okay, Cath. But I wont stop what I'm feeling. I don't want to stop." I say looking intently at her.

She looks back at me, tired. "Greg, I just..."

"Catherine, listen to me."

"Greg.."

"No, Cath, listen to me."

"Don't, Greg. I don't want to hear.."

"CATHERINE!"

She looks at me, "What?" she shouts back.

I smile, "I don't want to argue but.."

"But what, Greg?" she says frustratingly.

"But I'm still hungry." I grin at Catherine.

She tosses her hands up in the air in defeat. "Aughh! You win, Greg."

"Cath," I'm still grinning at her as I take a few steps closer till I'm inches away from her, "I'm not giving up on the probability of us but I don't want to argue tonight. Plus I'm hungry."

She leans her head on my chest, I can smell the sweet fragrance of her shampoo, "Alright, Greg. We'll take care of your stomach."

I laughed, "Catherine, if you knew how long I was outside.."

"What? How long were you outside?" questions Catherine.

"Uh, two hours parked near your house and uhh..about two hours driving around," I confess sheepishly and added, "so I'm really hungry, Cath."

She laughs and I laugh with her. This is good. I want us to be relaxed with each other. I like this. We argue like an old couple. I really can see us together.

"Soooo, you wanna eat out, Cath?" It could be a date for us if she wants.

"How about ordering in?" she suggested.

I walk to her fridge and open it, "I'm tired of pizza and Chinese. What do you got in here?"

She walks to the fridge, stands next to me and peers in, "let's see. Leftovers from last night, leftovers from the other night, leftovers brought from my mom's, this one here is from my sister's….."

I turn to her and smile, "Cath, don't you cook?"

"Hey, who has the time? I get home from work, drop Lindsay off and I sleep. Wake up and pick her up, order or eat out then back to work." she reasoned.

"Okay, I don't want to argue. But have no fear, my little lady, Greg the cook is here." I opened her freezer and looked what I could use.

"You cook, Greg? I've never heard you say you cook. Are you sure it's edible?" she teases.

"Woman, tease if you want. it's a little known fact that the Sanders men are great chefs." I pick out a chunk of what looks like ground beef.

"How long has this been in?" Holding the meat to her.

"Uhh, check the date, there should be one," she says pointing at the meat.

I turned it over, "Wow. You put dates too. Never knew you do that. Do you do that on all your groceries? What else do you date? Toilet paper, mascara, tomatoes, potatoes, toothpaste, green beans.."

"Greg! I put dates so I know how long ago I bought them. I don't do groceries and cook that often. I toss it out if its been in there for awhile."

"Alright, alright. Lets see…" I look at the vegetables in the chiller and pick out a potato, green pepper, carrot and onion. I smile at the thought that she puts her onions in the fridge.

"Okay, Cath, help me peel and chop." I handed her the potato and green pepper.

"Are you sure, Greg? You're not going to burn water, right?" She tries to look serious but I see the smile creeping in.

"Be quiet and chop." I commanded, "the chef needs absolute concentration. So,ummm, where's the oil?"

Catherine laughs as she takes the vegetables from me, "to the left, O mighty chef."

I defrosted the beef in the microwave. I take out a frying pan and add oil. Chopped the onions and tossed it in and added the beef.

I take out a box of instant rice and microwaved it.

I look up at Catherine and see her sitting on a bar stool observing and smiling at me.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked .

"You." she says.

"What about me?" I asked curiously.

"You look good in the kitchen. You know you're way around. Plus you look kinda sexy holding that spatula thing."

"Ahhh, am I turning you on with this spatula thing? it's a turner, you know," I lower the heat on the stove and face Catherine again, "we don't have to use this turner or the spatula thing as you call it just here in the kitchen, you know. It can have many uses," I say mischievously.

"Greg, the kinky cook. I would have never guessed." she says playfully.

"Chef. I like Greg the kinky chef better. Adds a little class." I smile as I go back to my cooking.

She burst out laughing, "Ahh, Greg, you are priceless as always."

I add the other ingredients and some spices. Catherine sits quietly, watching me. What is she thinking? I smile to myself. I do hope I'm making a good impression.

"So," she finally says, "what do you call what you're cooking?"

"Lilheren Tee, something my father taught me." I take a spoon and scoop a little meat off the pan , "taste if its okay."

She puts the spoon in her mouth, "ummm, oh, god, that's good!"

"I'm not a god, but thank you for the title. I knew sooner of later you'd recognize my chiseled look. We Sanders men are known for our strong features, almost roman like, you know." I turn my head sideways in a fashion manner.

"Awww, Greg!" she laughs, "cut it out. This is good! What did you say it was? Lilheren Tee?"

"Little here and there, my Dad would always throw stuff in when he cooked."

Catherine continues to grin, "you, Greg Sanders, are a work of art. Are we gonna eat or chat?"

I smile. Me and Catherine are going to have dinner together.

I'll think of this as our first date.

-----oOo-----

I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd dabble again a little. I seldom (rarely actually) cook. So I don't know what Greg made. If it amounts to something edible, tell me.
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