21: Soup: Dakota and Sam

It was no surprise that Sam loved video games. They had been his life for, well, forever and that wasn't likely to change any time soon, not that anyone expected it to. Not ever Dakota, who, in the beginning wasn't a fan of his obsession, but once he got her hooked on Mario, she let all quarrels surrounding video games go. Yet saving princesses and fighting ogres wasn't the only thing Sam was good at. He was actually quite an astounding cook, not that he professed this quality to the world. He got picked on enough as a kid of being a "nerd". The last thing he needed was to be called a pansy nerd, or something just as crude.

When he first started dating Dakota, he kept it a secret from her. Although she already told him she liked him as he was, he wasn't sure how she'd react to cooking. His parents liked it because he often made dinner after they got home from their factory jobs, but with Dakota, someone who wasn't used to hard labour cooking skills were something of leisure. She didn't require them for survival, not like Sam.

Of course, she did find out. He couldn't have kept her in the dark forever. One day over the summer, she popped in out of the blue while he was slaving over tiramisu. When he backed out of the fridge, he came face to face with his girlfriend. After a long explanation of why he hid his talent from her, she demanded to try his food. Sam wasn't sure what to make of the situation, but after her immediate approval of his abilities, cooking became a regular thing between them. Dakota wasn't very good by any means, but she was surprisingly easy to teach and if she was determined to get something right, she could do it. This proved true with cooking.

His "gift" also landed him a soft spot with her parents. They felt he could ground their daughter in a way they hadn't been able to because of the upbringing. Her father often clapped him on the shoulder and smiled at him in a particularly approving way. It made Sam feel like he belonged in the extravagant mansion with the blonde, overpriced family. Dakota's mother buzzed around him whenever they were in the kitchen together and often told him what a nice boy he was.

"Dakota never seems to find the good ones. I'm so glad she finally did. You really are a gem," she'd kiss both his cheeks then disappear with his latest batch of peanut butter cookies. Sam knew she'd rather he was from a wealthier family, then he'd be the golden boy, but Sam liked that they at least tried to ignore that part.

Dakota's brothers obviously liked him because of his gaming skills which often resulting in day-long tournaments that Sam more often than not won. They indulged his cooking though and took great care to hoard the chocolate chip cookies before their mother grabbed any.

The winter break was usually when he pulled out all the stops, but for the moment, Sam settled on his granny's secret soup recipe that would have Dakota's family crying tears of joy when they got a taste of the stuff. He had on his usual apron but tossed his sweater aside, for the kitchen was growing hotter by the second. Sam didn't have the best physique, but he was strong, sturdy, something solid that was soothing, or so Dakota said. His physical insecurities vanished when he was working though. He hummed a Christmas tune under his breath as he focused on adding a few spiced to the cauldron. Dakota's brothers were playing a civil war game, her parents were out shopping, and Sam hasn't seen his girlfriend in at least an hour. He had no idea where she could be, but when he got over she was still in her pyjamas, so he figured she was getting ready for dinner.

Someone cleared their throat and Sam turned around to find Dakota leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over her way too tempting breasts. Sam often had to remember restraint whenever he was around Dakota. It was much too easy to let himself slip into a roguish character that focused on the appeal of her flesh. He noticed she wore a red dress with a slit up the side that cut off at her thigh. The three-quarter length sleeves clung to her tanned arms (he always wondered how she stayed this dark with no sunlight) and her blonde hair was piled atop her head in ringlets. She looked positively gorgeous, and for a moment, Sam forgot all about the soup.

"How goes the meal?"

He almost hadn't heard her. He watched her red lips move and the words that came out made no sense. Sam pulled himself together as she came over and checked the soup. He clamped the pot lid down so she wouldn't peek. She sent him a mock glare that he returned.

"No peeking, it's a surprise!"

Dakota rolled her eyes but played along. "Alright, no peeked. But you'd better get dressed into something other than jeans and a t-shirt. My parents want to introduce you to some of their friends. You have to make a good impression."

Sam pictured his life ten years from now. Would he still be cooking like this, waiting for guests to arrive while his wife played hostess? Was there anything wrong with that? As he stared at his girlfriend, he didn't think there was. He planted a kiss on her forehead and nodded.

"I will in a minute. Just gotta add the last ingredient. Are your brothers ready?"

Dakota blinked. "No, thanks for reminding me. Boys! Mom and Dad want you in those Christmas sweaters now!" She picked up her skirt and headed to the living room, letting Sam carefully sneak a glance at her petite derriere without getting caught. Soon enough, his focus was back on the soup.

'I hope they like granny's secret recipe.'