{"id":667,"date":"2011-10-25T06:00:30","date_gmt":"2011-10-24T19:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=667"},"modified":"2013-09-27T17:22:17","modified_gmt":"2013-09-28T00:22:17","slug":"difficult-decisions-and-succulent-squid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=667","title":{"rendered":"Season 4: Epsiode 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Willow stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest, a frown creasing her ordinarily cheerful face. Here she was again, knee deep in clothes strewn across the floor, not a thing to wear, her stomach a bundle of nerves, and potentially running late for another date with Robert Fortescue. She had reluctantly put on her only matching set of expensive lingerie again, thinking that it deserved another innings after the last rather short lived one.<\/p>\n

Why do I do this to myself<\/em>, she thought, sifting through dress after dress, trying to find the perfect one. She wanted her outfit to say \u2018I\u2019m gorgeous and glamorous and always dress like this, so don\u2019t think that this outfit is for you. But it might be. So impress me.\u2019<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a big ask, was it?<\/p>\n

As seemed to be her permanent countenance where this man was involved, she was irrationally cranky with Robert Fortescue. This time, it was residual annoyance from their last date. Why couldn\u2019t he have just told her, straight off the bat, that the amazonian goddess who owned the bar where they had gone was a relative? Willow had become progressively jealous as the night wore on, getting very drunk and finally accusing Robert of flirting with another woman. He had laughed, telling that \u2018the other woman\u2019 was his cousin. He had bundled Willow into a cab and sent her off, as though she were a silly child incapable of looking after herself. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.<\/p>\n

Furious, she pulled open her dresser drawers and fished out her most plain underwear. She took off the lace set and replaced it with something Bridget Jones would have been proud of. She looked in the mirror and put her hands on her hips.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake that<\/em> Robert Fortescue,\u201d she said triumphantly to her dowdy reflection.<\/p>\n

Her pleasure was only short lived. Take what<\/em>, she thought. Some blue cotton knickers and a bra in a totally different hue? Yeah, that\u2019d show him. No, what she needed to do was wear the good stuff, but not let him see it. Or, let him see it, but not let him near it. She grinned. Yep, that was the best plan. Definitely. Picking up the lacy number, she slipped it on once more.<\/p>\n

Eventually, she was ready to go. Willow gave herself one last glance in the hall mirror as she headed towards the front door. Her hair was perfect, her makeup subtle, her dress flattering, and she knew that if a certain someone somehow managed to get past the outer layers they would be in for a very<\/em> pleasant surprise. Until I cover it up again<\/em>, she thought, and leave him wanting and sick with desir<\/em>e.<\/p>\n

She paused.<\/p>\n

Deja vu.<\/p>\n

Hadn\u2019t she been down this road before? Given prior experiences, her evening would end, not with him trying to passionately embrace her but rather, in a heated argument with her leaving, furious with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh fuck this,\u201d she said turning around, slamming the front door and storming back to her room. She pulled the dress roughly over her head and ripped off the underwear.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re nothing but a cantankerous, self-righteous man,\u201d she said between clenched teeth. She pulled her stockings off, \u201cand you don\u2019t deserve the good stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Four minutes and thirty-three seconds later she was back at the front door dressed casually in jeans and a long sleeved top. Underneath, her underwear was practical and droll. And<\/em> it didn\u2019t match. She smirked as she closed the door and wandered into the street to find a cab.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome,\u201d Robert Fortescue said, as he opened the door to his apartment.<\/p>\n

Willow stepped inside cautiously. \u201cIs\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

He pre-empted her. \u201cSamuel is staying at a friend\u2019s place tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow breathed a sigh of relief. She didn\u2019t particularly want to see one of her old students just as she was about to go on a date with his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I get you something to drink,\u201d he said, slipping her coat off her shoulders. \u201cChampagne?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t we be late for our dinner reservation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh that,\u201d said Robert. \u201cI cancelled it. I thought we could eat here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow looked at him skeptically. \u201cWhat, get takeaway or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEr, not exactly. I thought I would cook.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow almost burst out laughing. She knew first hand that Robert knew nothing about cooking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still owe you a homemade meal,\u201d he continued, leading her into the kitchen. On the bench, the MoVida cookbook was lying open and bowls of pre-prepared ingredients were lined up neatly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to make something from that?\u201d said Willow, pointing to the cookbook.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve adapted a few of the recipes,\u201d said Robert slyly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdapted?\u201d said Willow incredulously. The recipes, as they were, required a certain amount of base knowledge. But adapting them\u2026? For someone with Robert\u2019s skill in the kitchen – or lack thereof – that could be a very dangerous thing. Particularly for those people who had to eat said creations. Namely, in this case, Willow.<\/p>\n

He handed her a glass of champagne (real, of course). \u201cMake yourself at home. I\u2019ll do some squid for starters so we\u2019ve got something to nibble on while the rest cooks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow groaned inwardly. There was nothing – literally nothing<\/em> – worse than badly cooked squid. She sipped the glass of champagne and perused his book collection on the other side of the room, too terrified to watch as he undoubtedly butchered something that should have been a delicacy.<\/p>\n

But when he served the seafood to her and she reluctantly bit into the flesh, she was amazed to find that it wasn\u2019t rubbery at all. In fact, it was\u2026 perfect. The soft, delicate pieces of squid were coated in a rich sauce that tasted of sherry and saffron and had small flecks of \u2013 were they macadamias? \u2013 clinging to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is amazing,\u201d she said, with more surprise than she had intended. \u201cHow did you get it so\u2026 succulent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let you in on a little secret,\u201d Robert chuckled. \u201cI might<\/em> have had a couple of cooking lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith who?\u201d said Willow. They must have been good if they taught him to cook like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cA buddy of mine. Frank.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow nodded and put another piece of squid in her mouth. \u201cHang on a second,\u201d she said suddenly, looking at the MoVida cookbook. \u201cNot that <\/em>Frank?\u201d Frank Camorra was regarded as one of the top chefs in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d said Robert casually. \u201cHe owed me a favour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow did her best to try and not look too impressed. She didn\u2019t want it to go to Robert\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

The rest of the evening was a culinary awakening as Robert produced a number of small and exquisite dishes, each one more wonderful and surprising than the last. When they had sopped up the last drop of sauce with light and tangy sourdough bread (\u201cnot homemade,\u201d he had apologised) Willow sat back in her chair, a contented smile on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad you liked it,\u201d said Robert, his relief palpable. \u201cI was terrified of cooking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got friends who are famous chefs and you\u2019re terrified of cooking for me?\u201d she said incredulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank thought it was hilarious that I wanted to learn to cook,\u201d Robert said with a laugh. \u201cBut I told him that I needed to impress someone who was not easily impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow felt all warm and gooey inside. \u201cYou\u2026 you took cooking lessons to impress me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert nodded and looked down at his plate, embarrassed.<\/p>\n

The anger she felt – which had been slowly evaporating all evening anyway – was suddenly completely gone. She stood up and walked to the other side of the table where Robert was sitting and gently put her hands on either side of his face. She leant down and kissed him softly on the lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d she said, smiling into his face.<\/p>\n

He put his hands on back and pulled her down, until she was sitting on top of him, her legs wrapped around either side of his body.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy pleasure,\u201d he said softly, pulling her closer and returning the kiss, slow at first but quickly intensifying until they were each clutching at the others body.\u00a0 He slid his hands underneath her top and carefully ran them over her breasts. Willow groaned and lifted her arms so he could pull her shirt off.<\/p>\n

\u201cDammit,\u201d she murmured as his strong hands explored her torso.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d he said, stopping and looking at her with a concerned expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have put on nicer underwear,\u201d said Willow apologetically.<\/p>\n

Fortescue ran his gaze over her body. It was so intense she could almost feel its heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he said. \u201cNo, you don\u2019t need any fancy wrapping. You\u2019re perfect exactly as you are.\u201d He kissed her again on the neck, murmuring into her ear, \u201cbut if it makes you more comfortable, we can just take it off?\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow uttered a throaty laugh and allowed him to unclasp her oldest and most sensible bra.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Willow stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest, a frown creasing her ordinarily cheerful face. Here she was again, knee deep in clothes strewn across the floor, not a thing to wear, her stomach a bundle of nerves, and potentially running late for another date with Robert Fortescue. She had reluctantly put […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes"},"categories":[200],"tags":[35,56,105,179],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=667"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1261,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667\/revisions\/1261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}