Chapter 58: Feeding him.
Thank you so much @Sarebie for the Golden Ticket.
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Rosaline allowed Xandros to lead her from the bedroom, though she still felt slightly embarrassed by how naturally her hand fit within his.
The mansion had fallen silent hours ago.
Most of the servants had already retired for the night, leaving only a few wall lanterns burning along the corridors. Their golden light spilled across polished floors and tall windows, painting long shadows against the stone walls.
The quiet felt different at night...it was more private and intimate.
She actually loved this kind of vibe and not the filled with people, she was quick to shut the thought when she realized that she was thinking about the two of them alone.
Rosaline found herself lowering her voice without realizing it.
"Where are we going?"
Xandros continued walking beside her.
"The kitchen." He answered her with a normal voice unlike how she whispered.
She blinked.
"The kitchen?"
His gaze shifted toward her briefly.
"Yes."
Rosaline frowned.
"But it’s already late."
"It is."
"The maids are probably sleeping."
"They are."
Her confusion only deepened....and his short answers weren’t helping the situation.
"Then we should just wait until morning."
Xandros looked unimpressed.
"You haven’t eaten."
"I can survive one night."
"You say that far too confidently."
Rosaline opened her mouth to argue.
Then closed it.
Because unfortunately, she had skipped meals before.
More than once.....she had learn how to survive without food during the years she spent with Lily because they had to survive themselves.
The silence was answer enough.
Xandros noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
A sigh escaped him.
The sound carried the same exasperation one might reserve for an especially troublesome child.
Rosaline narrowed her eyes.
"What was that?"
"You seem to have an unhealthy relationship with food."
"I do not."
"You forgot dinner."
"That happened once."
"Today and Maybe many other days."
Rosaline looked away.
Xandros raised an eyebrow.
The movement somehow managed to communicate his complete disbelief.
She refused to look at him.
Unfortunately, that only made him more certain he was right.
Eventually, he shook his head.
"I’ll make something for you myself."
Rosaline stopped walking.
So suddenly that Xandros took another step before noticing she was no longer beside him.
"What?"
Her eyes had widened noticeably.
"You?"
"Yes."
"You can cook?"
The question sounded so genuinely shocked that Xandros felt mildly downgraded.
"I possess many talents."
"I thought dukes had people for that."
"We do."
"Then why are you cooking?"
"Because my wife forgot to eat."
The answer arrived so naturally that Rosaline found herself momentarily speechless.
Xandros seemed entirely unaffected.
As though there was nothing unusual about preparing food in the middle of the night.
As though there was nothing strange about a duke personally cooking for someone.
Rosaline stared.
Then quickly looked away before he noticed....but he definitely noticed.
A faint smile appeared.
The sight only made her cheeks warmer.
Several minutes later, they arrived at the kitchen.
The room was enormous just like the day she came here.
Rows of shelves lined the walls.
Copper pots hung overhead.
Bundles of herbs dried from wooden beams.
Even at night, the place smelled pleasant.
Xandros released her hand and crossed the room with the confidence of someone familiar with the space.
Which surprised her again.
"You’ve done this before?"
"Nope...but it’s my house."
Rosaline watched as he rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt.
The simple action somehow felt more distracting than it should have.
Especially when he began gathering ingredients without hesitation.
"You really know where everything is."
"I live here...once again."
"That isn’t what I meant."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
The sound echoed softly through the empty kitchen.
Rosaline settled herself on one of the nearby stools.
At first she intended to help.
Then she quickly discovered that Xandros had absolutely no intention of allowing it.
Every time she reached for something, he moved it out of reach.
Every time she stood, he instructed her to sit back down.
Eventually she crossed her arms.
"You are treating me like an invalid."
"You don’t like food."
"That is becoming your answer to everything."
"It remains an excellent answer."
Rosaline huffed dramatically.
Xandros ignored her.
The next several minutes passed surprisingly peacefully.
The crackling fire beneath the stove filled the silence.
Rosaline watched him work.
His movements were efficient, precise and unhurried.
There was something strangely mesmerizing about it.
This was the same man who terrified nobles.
The same man who could silence an entire court with a single glance.
Yet here he was preparing food in the middle of the night because she had skipped dinner.
The contrast felt absurd.
And somehow...wonderfully comforting.
At one point, Xandros glanced over his shoulder.
"What are you staring at?"
Rosaline immediately looked elsewhere.
"Nothing."
"You’ve been watching me for ten minutes."
"No, I haven’t."
"Feel free."
She looked offended at how he refused to believe her.
He looked amused.
Several minutes later, the food was finally finished.
Xandros arranged everything neatly onto a serving trolley before pushing it toward the dining room.
Rosaline followed behind him.
The scent alone was enough to make her realize how hungry she actually was.
The dining room remained dark except for a handful of candles.
Their soft glow illuminated the long table.
For once, however, Xandros ignored the dozens of available seats.
Instead, he chose two chairs positioned close together.
Rosaline immediately noticed.
She pretended not to.
The moment she sat down, Xandros placed a plate in front of her.
Beef soup to be precise and the aroma coming from it was wonderful.
Yet somehow it looked far more appealing than the elaborate meals nobles usually served.
Rosaline picked up her spoon.
Before she could take a bite, another presence entered the room.
The butler.
The older man had likely sensed movement within the mansion and come to investigate.
His calm expression remained unchanged until he noticed the scene before him.
Rosaline sitting at the table.
Food spread before her.
And the Duke standing beside her.
For perhaps half a second, genuine surprise crossed the butler’s face.
Then it vanished.
He bowed.
"Your Grace."
Xandros didn’t even look up.
A small motion of his hand was enough.
The gesture clearly said:
Leave.
The butler understood immediately.
Years of service had taught him when questions were needed and not.
And when curiosity was unhealthy.
A knowing look briefly appeared in his eyes.
Then he bowed once more.
"As you wish."
Without another word, he turned and disappeared from the room.
Rosaline watched him leave.
Xandros pulled out the chair beside hers and sat down.
"He was wondering how the food came to be."
Rosaline groaned.
"By you of course."
A low laugh escaped him.
The sound settled warmly between them.
For a few moments, they simply sat together.
The quiet no longer felt awkward.
Only comfortable.
Rosaline finally lifted her spoon and took a bite.
The moment she did, Xandros looked satisfied.
Far too satisfied.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Why do you look proud?"
"You’re eating."
"I always eat."
His expression suggested otherwise.
Rosaline chose not to continue that argument.
Instead she focused on her meal.
Several bites later, she noticed something strange.
Xandros hadn’t touched his own food.
He was simply watching her.
The realization made her pause.
"Why aren’t you eating?"
"I am."
"You haven’t touched anything."
"I will."
That answer sounded suspicious.
Rosaline studied him carefully.
Then an idea occurred to her.
A terrible idea.
An idea she immediately regretted.
Yet somehow carried out anyway.
Without thinking too hard, she scooped a small amount of food onto her spoon and held it toward him.
The movement froze both of them.
Rosaline’s eyes widened first.
Then Xandros’.
Silence descended.
The realization hit.
She was trying to feed him.
Her face immediately turned red.
"Forget I did that."
Unfortunately, it was too late.
A very dangerous smile appeared on Xandros’ face.
Slow and deliberately.
His gaze never left hers.
Then, without breaking eye contact...he leaned forward and held her hands that directed the spoon to him and accepted the offered bite.
The silence afterward became unbearable.
Rosaline stared.
Xandros looked entirely pleased with himself.
Far too pleased.
The Duke chewed and swallowed calmly before resting his chin against one hand.
"That was good."
Rosaline wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole.
His smile widened.
The late-night dining room suddenly felt much smaller.
Much warmer.
And judging by the look in Xandros’ eyes...
he was enjoying every second of her embarrassment.
Rosaline turned to continue eating her food while avoiding his gaze but Xandros was having none of it.
"Ahh"
Xandros opened his mouth waiting for another spoon and Rosaline wondered why she made the mistake in the first place and then carefully scooped the soup and fed it to him.
He hummed to satisfaction at the taste of the food and Rosaline wondered why he was this delighted when she should be the one who was delighted as he was the one who cooked it.
But Xandros wasn’t even minding the taste of the food but the person who fed him.
He couldn’t wait to get a taste of her but before that he needed her to know who and what he was.
" I would like to take you somewhere tomorrow." Xandros told Rosaline who turned to look at him while nodding as she was definitely going to go with him as long as it was out of the house.
