Chapter 8 Eating The Boss's Food

Chapter 8: Kira's POV

I shake my head, my heart thumping in my chest. "No, I can't! Please, just trust me!" My voice rises in desperation. "I don't want to go."

He sighs, then sits on my bed. "What's going on?" he asks softly. "You're beginning to scare me."

I take a deep breath, fighting back the tears. I don't want to cry in front of him. "I just don't like hospitals. And please don't ask why. I don't want to talk about it."

Gavin's expression softens. "Kira, I'm not leaving you like this. If you won't go to the hospital, at least let me help you."

Help me? Why would he want to help me? And how?

"I... I don't know, sir. Aren't you busy?"

"No. Just tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you. Should I call a doctor to come check on you?" he asks, standing from the bed.

I fall backward onto the soft mattress, focusing my gaze on the white ceiling. "I'm really fine. You don't need to worry so much. I just need to rest... and maybe eat something."

"What do you want to eat?" he asks, beaming.

I shrug, furrowing my brows. I just feel like eating fish. "Anything... maybe fish? Or chicken?"

He raises an eyebrow, then nods with a small smile. "Fried rice and chicken. How does that sound?"

The thought makes me salivate, and my stomach rumbles. Gavin chuckles, causing me to glare at him.

"Sorry," he says, raising his hands while still smiling. "Let's go feed that monster down there." He turns to head toward his hotel room.

Oh, Mr. Wolfe, if only you knew that this 'monster' is your baby.

I walk slowly behind him. He opens the door and waits for me to enter. If I thought my hotel room was beautiful, I was in for a surprise. Gavin's was a gorgeous grey and black-themed apartment with numerous brown doors leading to different areas. It had a kitchen, dining section, and even a gaming section. Wow.

I sit, waiting for him to take the hotel phone and order something, but he walks straight to the kitchen and starts arranging ingredients. I blink, surprised. "Wait-you're going to cook it?"

He sends me a glance over his shoulder, eyebrow raised. "Yeah, how else would you eat it? Are you into raw rice and chicken?"

I expected him to order something or have a chef prepare it, not make it himself. "You can cook?" I ask, my face shining in amazement.

"Of course. I am the best cook I know," he says, arrogance seeping through his tone and smirk. "Want to watch?"

I nod, getting up from the chair, but I feel the room spin around me, and I hold onto the armrest for support.

Gavin hurries toward me, his hand slipping around my waist to steady me. The warmth from his body seeps through my clothes, and for a second, everything stands still. Our eyes meet, and nobody looks away.

His lips are so close to mine, so plump and beautiful. I want to taste them so badly.

But then, right on cue, my stomach growls. Loudly.

Gavin bursts out laughing, breaking the moment. I can't help but laugh too, even as I feel my face turn bright red. But there's an awkwardness in the air. Or maybe it's just me.

In the kitchen, I watch as Gavin begins gathering ingredients. He works effortlessly, as if he's been doing it for years. Well, I guess he has, because how else would he know how to cook?

He suddenly saunters toward me, removing his suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He places the jacket beside me and then unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt, exposing just enough of his toned chest to make me bite my lips. Wow. He looks so yummy.

"So... aren't you going to that big business dinner?" It's an important event.

He glances briefly at me as he measures out the rice. "Because I'm not leaving you alone when you're sick. I'm human," he says casually. Wow.

I frown. "But won't that affect your business? You don't want to upset important clients, right?"

He stops what he's doing and turns to face me fully. "Kira, I don't need their approval. If anything, they need me. They'll survive one missed dinner."

The way he says it-so confidently-sends a strange flutter through my belly. And when he winks at me, my heart skips a beat.

"Cocky, huh?" I tease, trying to cover up the way my cheeks heat up.

"Absolutely," he replies with a playful grin, turning back to the stove.

I find myself watching him a little too closely as he works. His biceps flexing against his shirt, his eyes focused on the pot as his lips form an unintentional pout. He looks cute.

But then he undoes another button on his shirt, exposing even more of his chest. My mouth speaks before my brain can register. "Why do you have to walk around with your chest on display?" I blurt out.

He freezes for a second, then turns to me, his eyes shining with amusement. "What was that?"

Oh shit, Kira. Why do you always embarrass yourself? "I mean, it's kind of... distracting." Oh heavens, shut me up.

His smirk grows wider as he walks toward me, slowly closing the distance. He places both hands on the counter, one on either side of me, leaning in so close that I can smell the faint spice of his cologne. I shiver, goosebumps forming along my skin.

"Does it bother you?" His voice is low, his mouth running along my ear. Oh my goodness, this guy wants to kill me.

"I-uh-no, not exactly. It's just, uh..."

"Miss Ellington," he whispers, his breath warm against my ear. The way he says my name makes my heart drum.

"Kira, call me Kira. I mean, if I call you Gavin, then...."

His eyes darken, and he nods. "Okay, Kira."

Gavin pulls back, chuckling softly. "Alright, let me feed you. You look like you're about to pass out."

It's not because of hunger, and he knows it. Jerk.

The food is delicious. I didn't expect Gavin to be this good at cooking, but here I am, eating like someone who was lost in a desert and had no food for a month.

"I'm impressed. You're good at cooking."

"Good," he says, leaning back in his chair, clearly satisfied with my reaction. "I like impressing you."

I glance at him, feeling that warmth in my chest again. Why is he doing this to me?

After dinner, we move to the living room, putting on some random movie. I'm not really paying attention to the screen, though. Instead, his presence close to me on the couch makes everything else disappear. The longer I sit here, the more comfortable I feel, like the tension from earlier is slowly melting away.

Before I know it, my head is resting on his shoulder, and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. His body is so comforting, and for the first time in a long while, I feel... happy.

*

The next weeks pass quickly with numerous meetings and contract signings. Gavi refused to let me carry out any stressful activity. The business trip was more like a vacation for me.

Just as we finish the final contract, I spot Gavin's eyes on me. However, he turns away as soon as I lock eyes on him. He seems fidgety and absent-minded even as we exit the elevator to go and start parking.

"Kira," he calls out suddenly, making me halt in my tracks.

I turn to face him, curious. "Yeah?"

He clears his throat. "Would you... like to go somewhere tonight? To relax? It's been a stressful week."

I blink. Is he asking me on a date?

"You mean... like a date?" I ask, half-joking but also needing to know.

"No," he says quickly, but then hesitates. "Well, not a date exactly. Just... I thought we could celebrate the contracts and get to know each other more."

My heart is pounding now. Oh my God, he's asking me out.

I try to play it cool, nodding with a smile. "Sure, that sounds great."

As I head back to my room, I can't stop the grin spreading across my face. My boss just asked me out.