Love’n’Lust

They got to the hospital but were told that Mrs. Johnson had already been permitted by the doctor to leave.

Nathan knew this before now but needed a good reason earlier to spend time with Belle.

“I guess I will just call her to congratulate her,” Belle said to herself, disappointed that she couldn’t see her do that in person, and also apologize.

“What did you want to talk about?” She decided to ask Nathan when they got back to his car. She felt like it had lingered too long.

“Oh, that… we should go somewhere, maybe a restaurant, are you hungry?” He asked her, expecting a yes and he got it.

“Yeah, I am.” Belle nodded, she had nothing to lose having some food with him.

Nathan had never been happier since he started having feelings for her. He quickly started the car and drove them to a nice restaurant.

They were both ushered to a table by the window so they went and took their seats. They were given a menu card to pick a dish from.

“I will have this,” Belle showed the waiter what she wanted while Nathan was still deciding what he wanted;

“I will have what she’s having.” He smiled, returning the card to the waiter.

“I’ll be back in some minutes.” The waiter smiled politely and left. They were then alone.

“So…?” Belle trailed off to indicate to Nathan that he could tell her what he had been wanting to.

“I think we should wait till the food arrives,” he smiled a little nervously.

“What if it takes forever, most of these restaurants are quite annoying, you know.” She scoffed.

“Not this place, I wouldn’t take you to just anywhere.” He smiled again and it became silent between them again.

“You look so beautiful today,” he thought he should praise her.

“And I look so horrible on other days?” She countered his compliment.

“No.” He was quick to say.”That was supposed to be a compliment. You always look beautiful, you are beauty itself.” He had to admit as he stared at her pretty face.

“Thank you, I’ll try not to be rude next time.” She smiled genuinely for the first time around him.

“Here comes our food,” he said making her turn her neck to see the waiter approaching them with a tray in hand, holding their dishes.

“Well, that was quick.” She laughed softly when the waiter place a dish in front of her.

“Like I said, I won’t take you to just anywhere, this place is nice,” Nathan told her.

“Enjoy your meal,” The waiter smiled before leaving.

“Spaghetti,” Nathan muttered as he looked at the dish in front of him.

“What? Don’t you enjoy spaghetti?” Belle asked when she looked up to see him staring at the dish.

“I do. It’s my favorite meal actually, it’s just that I don’t like to eat it when it’s made by anyone else apart from myself.”

“It’s your favorite meal huh, funny surprise.” Belle laughed. “Wait till you eat one I make.” She boasted.

“You can probably make every other meal better than I can but surely not spaghetti.” He smiled while he spoke. Belle didn’t notice how good his smile looked on him till now.

“What are you saying? I loveee spaghetti, and after my grandma’s, my spaghetti is the best. No arguments.”

“Maybe I could taste your spaghetti sometime,” she heard him reply to her.

“What happened to ‘I don’t like to eat spaghetti when it’s made by anyone else’?” Belle reminded him of what he just told her.

“You are not anyone else, I would eat anything made by you.” He said honestly.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Belle had no words after that. She picked up her fork and decided to try the spaghetti.

“Mmmm. It’s good, try it.” She urged him.

He also picked up the fork and had some of the spaghetti. Belle stopped eating to get his remark about the food.

“Not bad.” She heard him.

“Not bad?”

“I’ve had better. You know what? I’ll tell you, mine tastes better.” He bragged and saw her smile as she shook her head.

“This is actually good, you just don’t wanna admit it because you’ve built such a high standard for your taste in spaghetti.” She told him.

“Maybe,” he confessed.”Tell me, what’s your taste in men? And what standard does one have to attain to ask you to…”

“Are you asking for a friend?” She decided to play around a little; she knew he liked her.

“Uhm, maybe?”

“It’s either a yes or a no, Mr Nathan.” She told him and took a sip from the glass of water in front of her.

“I’m not asking for a friend.” He paused and took in a silent deep breath.”Do you have a boyfriend?” He asked.

“…” Belle wanted to say no immediately but then her thoughts went to Ben, but he wasn’t her boyfriend, he was just a man she was sexing with. She sighed.

“You do, don’t you?” Nathan thought he should accept his fate when she didn’t give an immediate answer.

“It’s complicated,” he heard her say before forking some spaghetti into her mouth. He watched her chew it slowly and thought she was pretty in everything she did.

“How complicated?” He wanted to know if he had a chance.

“Not very, but trust me, it is complicated.” She sighed and took another sip of water after chewing.

“It’s either a yes or a no, Ms Miller.” Belle heard him and looked up from her meal.”Do you have a boyfriend?” He asked but watched Belle purse her lips and just look back at him.

“Let me rephrase that question, are you in a relationship?” He really wanted an answer but Belle wasn’t saying anything.

“… It’s…” She wanted to repeat to him that it was complicated but changed her mind. She sighed loudly.”No, no I’m not in a relationship.”

He smiled, happy.

“I have a chance then?” He risked his short-lived happiness with a question.

“No.” She told him plainly and saw his smile fade.”I’m sorry,” she added.”I’m not just looking forward to getting into a relationship.”

“Oh.” A word managed to escape his lips.