Page 33 of Cruel King
Eleanor sets a mug of coffee in front of me and points toward the sugar and cream containers. “Everything you need is right here. I’m happy to see you two have resolved your differences. Like I said to you yesterday, you two have a lot in common.”
Matthias and I look up at her smiling at us and then turn to face one another. I can see by his expression he isn’t sure if she knows what we’ve been doing to pass the time on our snow day yesterday. I don’t either. Something tells me she suspects we’ve been doing more than watching TV, though.
When she walks away, I cover my mouth to stop my snickering at his grinning at me. Under the table, he taps my knee with his foot, which makes me want to giggle even more. We’re like two kids, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier than at this moment.
“Jonesy found some gas in the shed, so he told me he plans on getting the snowblower going this morning. He was waiting until everyone woke up,” Eleanor says over near the stove. “I think once I get these pancakes done that I’ll let him know he can start anytime now.”
Looking across the table at Matthias, I ask, “Are you planning on going out to help him again? I bet blowing snow is easier than shoveling it.”
The look in his eyes as they get big at my mention of blowing snow makes me blush. I didn’t mean anything sexual by that. It would technically be called blowing snow since it’s a snowblower, wouldn’t it?
I glance over at Eleanor, who doesn’t seem to think anything of how I phrased that, so at least she doesn’t think I’m some perv. Matthias, though, can’t stop himself from chuckling at my slip up.
“I’m not sure if I’m going to help him. He might only have enough gas for one blower. I think I have other things to do anyway. Not that blowing doesn’t sound great.”
Now it’s my turn for my eyes to get big. I feel them practically bulge out of their sockets at how obvious he’s being with Eleanor just feet away. When I look over at her, though, I don’t see any reaction. Thank God she’s more interested in the breakfast she’s making than listening to us.
“Okay, here are some pancakes to warm you up on this cold December morning,” she says as she sets a pile down on my plate and then moves around the table to give the remaining pancakes on the plate to Matthias.
“I’m going to tell Jonesy he can start now. I’ll be right back.”
I watch as she slips on her coat and walks out the back door before I turn to face Matthias, who is already feasting on his breakfast. I kick his leg under the table to get his attention, and when he looks over at me, he seems genuinely confused.
“What’s that for?”
“The blowing talk! What are you thinking? I can’t believe she didn’t say a thing to that.”
He takes a forkful of pancakes into his mouth and chews for a few seconds before washing it all down with coffee. “What is she going to say? ‘Gee, Matthias. Are you trying to tell Ava that you’d love to see her down on her knees with your dick in her mouth going to town?’ Something tells me Eleanor isn’t the type to think that.”
My cheeks heat up so they must be bright red at his graphic description of me blowing him. “You are bad, you know that? I’m just going to eat my breakfast and try to act normal over here.”
Matthias cuts up another chunk of pancakes and stabs his fork into them. “I can’t help that I have an active imagination,” he says with a smile that’s as guilty as sin.
I imagine this charming thing he has going on has made any number of women do exactly what he wants, including being down on their knees giving him whatever his heart desires. I wish I wasn’t jealous, but just thinking about those women makes me wonder.
“Are you angry at me?” he asks after a minute or so of my not saying anything.
Shaking my head, I continue to eat. “No.”
“Trust me. She has no idea what I was talking about.”
“It’s not that,” I say as I stand up to take my plate over to the sink.
I really don’t want to tell him exactly what it was that made me turn so silent, so I busy myself at the sink for a few seconds. Thankfully, Eleanor returns from her talk with the groundskeeper so I don’t have to explain my sudden change in mood.
“All done already? Do you want another helping? I can whip them up in no time,” she says sweetly.
As I turn to face her, I see Matthias watching me. I give her a smile and answer, “No, I’m stuffed. I think I’m going to go back up to my room. Any news when everyone is coming back?”
She gently pats me on the shoulder and nods. “Not until tomorrow morning at the earliest. It seems the roads between here and the city are clogged with stranded cars making them impassable. It sounds like a lot of people didn’t believe the weatherman when he said this storm was going to be big. You don’t have to worry, though. Your father and Mr. King, along with the boys, are all at the Ritz, so they’re safe and warm like you two here. I’m thinking of making a ham for dinner tonight. You like ham, don’t you Ava?”
I don’t have a chance to answer her question before she turns to look over at Matthias still sitting at the table. “I know you like ham. It’s been one of your favorites ever since you were a little boy.”
“Thanks, Eleanor,” I say as I hurry toward the hallway to leave. “Ham sounds great.”
“Take your clothes,” she says, calling after me. “I left them in the laundry room. They’re all clean and ready to wear.”
I look back at her, avoiding his intense gaze that’s practically burning a hole through me. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”