Chapter 878 - Saturday at Jaspers apartment (3) (1/2)
~ Chicago, Jasper's penthouse ~
Ellie stared at the bowl in front of her. ”Are these… instant noodles?”
Jasper waved his arms defensively. ”Hey, don't blame me. You are the one who insisted that I cook.”
”You call this cooking? Add water and boil for three minutes?” Ellie tried not to laugh. Seriously, men can be impossible to understand. She was not expecting a luxurious seven course meal, but instant noodles?
”It's three and a half minutes.” Jasper said matter-of-factly. ”And I added eggs.”
On a second look, Ellie can see pieces of scrambled egg mixed in with noodles.
She laughed. ”I've had worse.”
Under Jasper's watchful eye, she rolled noodles on her fork and stuffed them in her mouth.
'Did I say I had worse? Why the heck is this so salty? How can he mess up instant noodles?' , Ellie cried on the inside while contemplating if she should swallow or spit it out.
”How is it?” Jasper eagerly asked while observing her expression.
”It's inedible.”, Ellie mumbled.
”What?”, he didn't understand.
Ellie looked into Jasper's expectant expression and forced herself to swallow.
”It's incredible.”, she 'corrected' herself.
Jasper can see that something is off.
”Did I forget to add salt again?”, he spoke to himself and placed a forkful of noodles in his mouth. A second later he spat it back in the bowl.
”I'm sorry. Please, don't force yourself anymore.” Jasper held Ellie's hand with fork in it.
He took both of their bowls and dumped them in the sink.
”How about that delivery?”
Ellie nodded in agreement. ”Can I get some water first?”
”I can't believe that you actually swallowed.” Jasper mused while watching Ellie gulp water. ”You must like me very much if you are ready to make such a sacrifice in order not to hurt my feelings.”
Ellie turned away from him. She knows that he is trying to get her to talk about her feelings for him, but she is not ready.
They were back on the sofa, chatting while waiting for delivery to arrive.
”Why do you like to tease me?”, Ellie asked Jasper.
Jasper paused. ”Which part of today was teasing? Me trying to find out more about your day? Or about your thoughts? Or how you feel about me? Or…?”
”Stop that!”, Ellie interrupted him. ”It's not about what you are saying. It's how you are saying it.”
”How am I saying it?”
”Like this! Look at yourself! Why are you always so… smiling?”
Jasper leaned close to her and spoke in a low voice while inching toward her slowly: ”Ellie, you make me smile. Being next to you makes me happy… See? The closer I am the bigger my smile gets…”
The doorbell sounded, and Jasper glanced at the door. ”That must be food. I told the doorman to let the delivery guy straight up.”
Ellie was already on her feet. ”Let me get it.” She found him to be too close. Her heart was pounding like crazy and she welcomed this food delivery as a good excuse to increase the distance between them.