ALPHA CYRUS

Chapter 20

CARMELA THOMPSON

I woke up when I heard some noises from outside. I looked at the wall clock, it's still 5:30 in the morning. My heartbeat quickened, suddenly remembering what I went through last night. I turned to look around me but Ashton is nowhere to be found. I decided to just take a look at what's happening.

I rose from the bed and made my way downstairs. My feet flatly kissing the marbled floor, trying my very best not to make a sound. I reached the kitchen and took a deep breath when I saw Ashton cooking.

His back is facing me. He's got no shirt but an apron is plastered on his body. I sighed in relief knowing that he's been here with me all night. I smiled to myself realizing how lucky I am to have him. He's always been there to support me in every decision I made. He's been there to protect me, from everything that's scaring me.

I watched him as he slowly flipped the pan and mutter a curse when it almost fell making me giggle at his fail attempt. He must have heard it because he turned and looked at me as if he wanted to kill me.

"Trying to be a master chef, aren't we?" I said. He just gave me a pointed look before focusing back at the breakfast he's making.

"You should have made a sound when you got here, instead of appreciating my sexy body like a total creep you know." He said arrogantly. I can tell he's smirking right now. I snorted at him and went to take a sit.

"You call that sexy? You don't even have abs." I told him and that made him look back at me.

He turned off the stove and swiftly carried the pan with him. He grabbed two plates and made his way towards me. Placing the plates down, he filled in the plate in front of me, then his plate. My mouth watered at the sight of food he made. It's not the first time he cooked for me but this is the first time he made Chicken curry.

This smells heaven and I can't help but lick my lower lip. I watched as the smoke disappear into the air. I looked up to Ashton to see him smirking at me. Proud that he was able to make me look like a hungry puppy.

"Now, you're not sexy." He said. He always teased me because he said that I don't act like a woman. I am clumsy and reckless at times and I couldn't care less.

"I don't care." I informed him and attacked the plate of chicken curry that he prepared for me.

"You didn't even wait for the rice." He said amid his laughter and I just gave him a mouthful grin. He sat across me and ate.

I can't help but moan at how delicious this dish is. Ashton is a great cook. He always cooked for me and whenever he's out to travel, he comes back with a new learned recipe. He always made sure that for every country that he visits, he gets to learn their specialty.

"I've tasted chicken curry before but this one is a bomb! Where did you learn this recipe?" I asked him with my mouth still full.

"I went to the Philippines for a few days and I have heard about how they cook this dish. They put in peanut butter and when I tried it, I just thought, it was heavenly. I asked some Filipinos and they happily shared to me their secret recipe. They are so hospitable and kind enough to teach me this dish." He said with a smile.

I nodded at him and continued eating. This isn't the first time that Ashton went to visit the Philippines, this is probably the third time. The last time he went their, he talked about how kind and how hardworking the Filipinos are. He also learned how to cook a dish called Chicken adobo and darn, it tasted so good especially with freshly cut pineapples on it.

"You love these people." I said unconsciously and he smiled.

"I do. They are awesome." He said and we went back to eating, him putting some rice on my plate and I just smiled at him as a thank you.