Sumptuous meal

Kyley was left speechless and just stared at the floorboard. She didn't want to keep Darren staying up and at the same time, she couldn't go against his will.

" Come on" Darren walked over and headed to the dining, urging Kyley to come along. Kyley had no choice but to follow him to the dining. However, " D-Darren..."

Kyley called out to him with her gaze still lowered, she felt strange after calling his name. It had I be since it was the first time he'd be calling him by his name.

Nonetheless, Darren has already turned around with a raised brow as if to ask if anything was the matter.

Kyley pushed the thought about calling his name for the first time aside for now and raise her gaze to look at him, " I really can eat alone upstairs and you can go back to bed. You've already been kind enough to me, and I don't want to ask too much from you or overdo it" Kyley ended up lowering her gaze as she said in a timid tone. She couldn't face him while saying such emotionally gravitating words.

Kyley said those words from the bottom of her heart, and she meant every part of it. He face contorted as she expressed the worry and concern that she felt at the depth of her soul.

She was being sincere and honest about what she felt. And although it was quite awkward for her to say it, she still didn't back down and had said it. It had to be, afterall, Kyley really appreciated Darren and his kind efforts. He didn't know her from Adam, yet he still took pity on her and helped her.

Darren felt a small shift in his chest hearing Kyley and he couldn't help but be moved. He stared at Kyley with a wry smile for a long while, " Now you do not wish to eat with me any longer?" He asked.

Kyley quickly shot her gaze up and shook her head from side to side severally. " No that's not it... Just." She muttered as she lowered her head again, clenching her fist by her side not knowing how to convey the way she felt to Darren. She wanted to dine with him, but she couldn't do so at the expense of his rest.

" Then let's go. It won't take long would it now" Darren smiled as he said. He turned around and chuckled softly as he headed towards the dining, not giving Kyley a chance to refuse.

Kyley looked up and stared at his bare back in surprise. She didn't know how to feel for a second. It wasn't after a long while that she shook her head and followed behind Darren to the dining table.

In the end, she decided to finish her meal as fast as she could so that Darren could go back to bed.

After pulling out a chair for her and settling in to start eating, Darren suddenly asked mid-course " enjoying the meal?" He looked over at Kyley who had just swallowed a spoonful.

" It's delicious" Kyley said as though stating the obvious. She wasn't lying, the meal really is a sumptuous delicacy.

The beef stroganoff has a rich and creamy flavor with tender pieces of beef, savory mushrooms, and a tangy touch from the sour cream on top. Darren had cooked it in a flavorful gravy made with onions, garlic, and beef broth, which gave the meal a delicious blend of savory and slightly tangy taste.

Since it was served over rice, the latter soaked up all the delicious flavors creating a combination of tender beef, creamy sauce, and earthy mushrooms that Kyley savored with an unending appetite for. Kyley really enjoyed the meal and didn't know why Darren asked her such an obvious question. The meal was perfect to her taste!

Darren nodded in approval, it felt quite good to be acknowledged.

Then he noticed Kyley looking at him with some sort of longing gaze. " Is there something on my face?"

Kyley hearing this jerked in surprise and quickly looked away. She shook her head and instantly began digging into her food.

She had felt bad and guilty for the tired look on Darren's face just now, and she was lost as to what to do. Although Darren had asked her, Kyley decided not to tell since she couldn't outright tell him that his face looked tired when she was the reason why it does.

However, Darren didn't back out that easily. He continued staring at her with an inquisitively creased gaze that Kyley felt constantly perturbed by. In the end, she couldn't help but give up and comfess, " I-it's nothing really. I just feel guilty for keeping you up" Kyley said in a low tone and stared down at her food. Her clear feminine voice was timid and shy. She didn't know why she suddenly started feeling this way for him, Kyley wasn't the like to not be able to talk around people,. Although she wouldn't talk much with others, she could still speak with others.

But Darren just made her so embarrassed that she didn't know how to speak to him at times. Perhaps it's because he's a stranger, or could it be his face? Or those freaking muscles that Kyley tried as much as she could to not look at!

" Hmm... Is that so?" Darren muttered in a deep tone. He looked to the side in thought for a while then looked back at Kyley afterwards. " In that case, how about we finish our food and both head to bed early then? That way, you can rest easy knowing I'm recovering the rest that you've made me lost before" Darren suggested.

Kyley looked up at him and couldn't help but nod in agreement. ' That way, he could go back to sleep and I really won't have to worry about keeping him up and tiring him out '

Kyley focused on her meal and started gobbling it up at a rate that left even Darren surprised. He had only suggested that they finish their food first and not 'FAST'. He only regretted not pointing this out to the poor lady.

It wasn't until after a while that Kyley noticed that Darren had stopped eating to watch her. Kyley raised her gaze with a confused frown at this, didn't he say to finish their food and return to bed? Why was he not eating then?

" I feel like I might be your next target after that" Darren pointed to Kyley's plate as he said. Kyley looked down at her plate and at Darren, still confused as to what he meant. It wasn't until Darren said, " Slow down a bit will you?" Then she realized that he was talking about the manner in which she ate.

Kyley shot him a raised her brows in realization but didn't let him pass on without a disapproving frown. There were better ways in which he could have said that. The truth is, Kyley had forgotten her manners just now in the process of trying to hasten up her meal.

For a man, Kyley thought that Darren had an annoying manner of speaking.

Not wanting to embarrass herself in front of him any longer, Kyley wiped her mouth and began eating with more class and grace.

When they were done with dinner, Darren rose to pack that plates and Kyley decided to help. " Your wounds?" He asked before she could do anything.

" ..." Kyley paused and didn't even try to say anything and just stepped back. That was her clue to not help. Although she really wanted to, she still knew that it'd really annoy Darren to see the efforts he put in treating her wounds go down the drain. So she decided to respect that.

She followed Darren to the kitchen however, amd stayed with him as he cleaned the dishes. Once he was done, they both walked out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs.

" And that's all about that" Darren stood at the crown of the stairs and stretched as he said almost groaning.

Kyley looked at him and nodded her head. She looked towards the floor and thought for a while before saying. " Thanks"

Darren turned to face her and looked at her for the longest while in silence. " It's nothing really. I'm glad you're fed now and your tummy is no longer rumbling." He chuckled.

Kyley smiled wryly at this and looked at Darren with a helpless face.

" Hehe. Well, it's time to go back to bed. Goodnight, Kyley" Darren greeted and left for his room.

" Goodnight" Kyley replied in a low mutter and walked towards her room as well. A sweet smile plastered on her face.

When she got to her room, she closed the door behind her and moved to her bed while lost in thought. She stared at the beam for the longest while, finally relieved that Darren could now retrieve the adequate rest that she had made him lose and recover from being tired.

' That was a sumptuous meal full of emotions' Kyley thought to herself, feeling the slight state of fleetness and light-headedness after being around Darren. Her whole body steamed in a soothing way and she couldn't help but think about the whole scenario over and over again. Smiling at some point and frowning when she recollected some.

" Hah!" Kyley heaved a deep sigh a while after and closed her eyes to sleep. She picked the other pillow and hugged it tightly as she snuggled herself to comfort, falling asleep shortly after.

...