I’ve missed it so much. In those years, in the process of avoiding him, I avoided everything related to him as much as possible. Even this sweet and sour heaven. It awakened too many memories.

A smile danced across his lips as he watched me, still not touching the food. “You’re not eating it with your hand anymore.”

Embarrassment rose from my neck to my ear. I used to hate using forks to eat them. Using my fingers, it was easy to lick the cheese and sauce. I’d do the same right now, but self-consciousness held me back.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Rosebud. It’s just me. I want you to be yourself when you’re around me,” he said, taking my fork from my hand.

When I didn’t proceed, still hesitating, he also put his fork aside and picked a prawn using his fingers. I watched him with surprise. He never used to use his hand while eating. He thought it was gross. But now…

“What? You want me to finish them all alone?” he asked when I stared at him.

Shaking my head, I happily dug in, using my fingers. Now it tasted even better.

“Since when did you start eating with your hands?” Taking a piece of pepperoni pizza, I took a bite.

Glancing up, he watched me with a strange emotion while sucking the sauce off his thumb. My eyes fell on his wicked mouth before I shifted my attention to food again.

“Since it started to help me keep my sanity.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Why don’t you taste the baklava? My chef is from Turkey, so it’s an authentic recipe. Here, take some. You’ll love it.” He put some of the dessert on my plate, clearly changing the topic.

I had so many questions preserved for him, and here he wasn’t even answering the simple ones.

“No, thanks.” I snapped, my temper suddenly flaring. I pushed the plate away. “I’m full.”

His brows furrowed. “What happened to you all of a sudden?”

“Nothing. Why don’t you eat the baklava? I’m sure you’ll love it,” I phrased his line.

He pressed his lips together. “I don’t need to eat it to know if I’ll love it. I do love it. Now, will you tell me what’s wrong?”

I wanted to ask the questions I asked Tess, but I didn’t know how to approach him with them.

Looking away, I replied, “Nothing is wrong. I’m done, so I gotta go.”

“You won’t leave without having dessert with me and answering my question.”

“Excuse me? And who are you to order me?”

He titled his head. “Your boss.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh yeah! I forgot. No one can deny the king here.”

“No one, except my queen.”