Thread: It was just one... (Bevatoria and skittish_butterfly)

All the way across the crowded living room, past a couple having a heated disagreement in a hallway, back to Grant's kitchen itself. He couldn't have just brought out the plate for her to try one out in the other room, where she could quickly escape back to the lab and its vending machine? He really must have meant it, about the fresh part. And his bringing her back to the kitchen, where anything silly his cookies might do wouldn't be seen by the others at the party, lowered Elizabeth's guard ever so slightly. If he was still upset with her about not going out with him, or wanted to take her down a notch in the eyes of the rest of the department out of simple jealousy, he would want to do it in front of everyone. Then there was the fact too that it looked like that Israeli woman, Yolanda or Ya-something, something starting with a Y, had already tried them. She was drunk, but she seemed sensible enough to know if her mouth was on fire or a cookie went poof in her face or something. The woman just stumbled past as Grant took the plate away protectively and mumbled something in her strong accent through a full mouth of cookies, sounded like air grade or tear freight but her face seemed to show they were actually good. Elizabeth looked down at the plate as Grant offered it to her. They did look good. Smelled better than her mom's had too. Better than anything in the vending machine for sure. Thanks Grant. She looked at his eyes as she let her fingers hover over one, watching for any sign it mattered to him which one she took, any slight shift of the plate trying to guide her choice. Nothing. And she was hungry. And they smelled great, even better actually the more she thought about it. She picked up one from the far edge of the plate near him, the one he would have least expected her to pick -- which of course would be the very one he'd expect a smart girl who didn't trust him to pick. She set it down and picked one right in the middle, the one an idiot would pick. He didn't seem to care at all, and she decided not to waste the time trying to get him to try one and watching to make sure it didn't affect him. After all, the drunk Israeli already ate one and even liked it. Probably cured hangovers. Elizabeth nodded as she brought the cookie to her mouth. It smelled even better. Just a small nibble for a first bite, in case she somehow stumbled on a bad one despite her precautions. As it crunched in her teeth, just a little from the edge, the aroma of the nuts and the sweetness and the chocolate, something hard to pin down, went straight into her nose. This was like a gourmet cookie. She chewed that little bit, her tongue absolutely delighted with the taste, no jalapeno or popping sensations. Just a jolt of pure flavor. Elizabeth could feel how wide her eyes went in surprise as she looked at Grant, the idea that he made such a delicious cookie still baffling her. But she took another bite right away, her body's hunger and something about the cookie telling her to eat the whole thing. Now. Elizabeth was scarcely aware of her surroundings, her senses narrowed down to the flavors swirling around on her tongue, the warmth spreading through her hungry body as if the cookie was the best thing she could possibly have eaten. She closed her eyes briefly while chewing the second bite, the moist little explosions of chocolate or crackles of nut making her actually smile like she was in some TV advertisement. At least she thought it was the second bite. But when she opened her eyes and looked at Grant, she realized the cookie was gone and she was licking her finger. She felt a little foolish. Uh, that was really good, Grant, thank you. She thought about reaching for another cookie or two to take back to the lab with her, eager to get started on her next big round of tests, but wanting another cookie too.