Roughly thirty minutes later, the sweet aroma of risotto cloaked the kitchen atmosphere.

It was hot but it smelled nice. Elsie scooped one more spoon of risotto into her mouth and nodded in satisfaction.

She took two plates from the cabinets and filled them with risotto.

According to the meal manual, Mr. Vanthross liked having his food in two small bowlish plates.

She didn't care to know why. The man was strange enough and she was no longer going to question his actions.

Elsie turned to drop the second plate on the counter and jumped back when she spotted Mr. Vanthross already sitting at the counter.

He was still in his suit from work but his tie was loose now, giving him a more sexy and playful look. His hands were folded across his chest.

Elsie's heart jumped at the dreamy sight. She shook her head, stopping the dirty imaginations that were about to play in her head.

"Christ.” She muttered to herself, balancing the plate properly. Luca smiled to himself as he watched her step closer to the counter, uncertain. He watched her every movement, making her even more self-conscious. Elsie dropped the plate and turned back to the cooker.

She covered the pot, pressed her palms on the table, and breathed in, deeply. Elsie was pondering how she was going to ask Mr. Vanthross if she could pack the remaining food for herself and Darla.

She didn't know how to broach the issue. Luca continued to watch her, thinking he'd unnerved her to the extent she had forgotten to give him a spoon to eat his dinner. Her back was turned to him for another minute.

Luca thought she'd lost it inside her head. He cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. Elsie flinched when she heard him. She turned back, finding Luca staring at her like he expected one more dish of risotto.

Elsie's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She looked back at the pot and looked at Luca again.

"You want more food, sir?” Elsie asked. Luca looked up to the kitchen ceiling and sighed.

"God, she's slow,” he exasperated.

"Bring me utensils, Ms. Cruise,” Luca ordered.

Elsie's eyes widened in embarrassment when she looked down at the table and saw no utensils there. She scrambled to the cabinets for utensils and grabbed a fork and spoon. She bowed her head she kept them alongside one of the plates, to the left of Mr. Vanthross. Why have you been out of it today? She asked herself.

God, I hope he doesn't deny me my request. Darla's got to eat something, she thought.

"Sorry about that, sir,” she apologized, her head still bowed. Luca grunted, finding her timidity aggravating.

"Lift your head when you talk to someone, especially if that person is your boss,” he waited for Elsie to lift her head before he continued.

"And stop calling me sir, this is not the army. Mr. Vanthross is just fine.” Elsie nodded at his instructions.

"As you wish,” she agreed. Luca unfolded his arms and grabbed a spoon. He dug it into a plate, scooped a morsel of risotto, and put it into his mouth.

When the cool metal of the spoon touched his tongue, the risotto hit the top of his mouth and slid down to his tongue, Luca bit back a groan of pleasure.

He didn't want Elsie to get satisfaction from finding out her food pleased him. He took the spoon out of his mouth, chewed slowly trying to relish the sweetness, and swallowed. Elsie watched him, anticipating his reaction to the food. Mr. Vanthross remained impassive.

Elsie watched him scoop more spoons, waiting for his reaction but nothing came.

A few minutes passed before she decided to ask him.

"How is the risotto, Mr. Vanthross?” Luca didn't look up at her, he simply nodded his head and continued eating. Elsie took it as a positive answer.

It gave her the courage she needed to ask him about taking the remaining food.

"Can I ask you for something?” Elsie pushed. Luca was lost in the taste of the food, he didn't hear her.

"Mr. Vanthross?” She called. “Hmm?” Luca replied with a mouthful of risotto.

"I want to pack some risotto for myself and my roommate. I cooked just enough for us. I'm sure there will be some leftover when I've packed the amount I need.”

Because the food was still messing with his head, Luca didn't comprehend her request. He thought it was fine and approved.

"Sure, do what you need.” Elsie grinned with joy and thanked him.

"Thank you so much!” She walked to a cupboard she'd seen empty plastic containers in and grabbed two.

She opened the pot and put in the amount that she calculated would be enough for her and Darla. The quantity of risotto was enough for three or four more plates if Mr. Vanthross wanted more.

She glanced back at him, finding him already eating the second plate. He certainly enjoyed it, even though he didn't want to tell her.

Elsie didn't mind, as long as he liked it, she'd done a good job. Elsie put the two plastic containers of risotto in her bag and packed the remaining into Luca's fridge.

She washed the pot and then waited for him to finish his final plate so she’d wash the plates and spoon he'd used.

Luca finished and looked up to find her staring at him. Elsie hurriedly grabbed the plates and spoon, washed them, and put them in the dryer. She grabbed her bag and turned to Luca.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to do for you?”

She asked Luca. God, I hope he wouldn't tell me to tuck him into bed, Elsie prayed.

"No, you're free." For now, Luca said in his head.

"You can leave.” Elsie thought he was going to offer her a ride or call a cab for her. So much for chivalry, she sighed.

Thank goodness her home was close. What was she going to do if it wasn't?

"Goodnight, Mr. Vanthross.” Elsie walked out of the kitchen, crossed the living room, and walked out of Luca's house.

"Here I was, thinking he was thoughtful.” Elsie shook her head and walked down to the gate. It automatically opened, letting her pass through.

The half-moon guided her as she walked down the lonely street. Other houses that screamed wealth and opulence like Luca's also illuminated her path with their landscape and flood lights.

Elsie wondered if families lived in those houses or if they were bachelors or spinsters like Mr. Vanthross.

When she got to the end of the neighborhood, she turned to the road that led to her neighborhood.

Inside, Luca was still sitting at the kitchen counter, unable to move. The risotto he'd just eaten vividly reminded him of the one his grandma used to prepare when he was a kid.

He'd eaten risotto from other restaurants and personal chefs, even from his former secretary, Clare, but none of it tasted like the one Elsie had cooked for him tonight.

Nothing tasted like his grandma's until Elsie's.

Luca didn't want to visit memories of his past but he wanted to know how his new secretary had cooked something he used to eat as a kid. He got up from his chair, absent-minded, and found his way to his bedroom.

When Elsie had given him his file that afternoon, he merely skipped through it without reading it. The first thing he was going to do when he got to work tomorrow was read the file.

Maybe he'd find something about her that will give her a clue. Luca took off his suit, had his bath, and changed into casual wear.

He went to his home office that was across his bedroom, sat down, and began working on things he didn't finish in the office.

Halfway through working, he remembered he'd given his new secretary back her file. Luca closed his eyes briefly and muttered a curse.

"Calvin should have a copy.” He reassured himself and went back to work.

"Wow, that culinary class paid off big time,”Darla said but it sounded like she was gasping for her as she attempted to swallow the risotto she'd eaten.

Elsie smiled in appreciation. She wished she'd heard some type of compliment from Mr. Vanthross. Elsie and Darla were sitting on the floor with their legs crossed, digging into the risotto she’d cooked and brought home.

They'd both had their baths and changed into their pajamas.

"So...what was he like?” Darla asked. She gulped another spoon of the sweet meal.

"Well,” Elsie swallowed her own morsel of risotto, "first off, he's like really handsome. Everyone in that company is good-looking, even the receptionist.”

Elsie scooped a spoon, chewed, and swallowed.

"I work directly for the CEO but I wish I worked for the President, he's laid-back and also handsome.” Elsie sighed, sincerely wishing she was Mr. Calvin Hunt's secretary.

"Okay, that doesn't explain what he's like and how did you even end up cooking this delicious food at his home?” Darla demanded.

"Oh, that? Didn't I read out the terms and conditions of the job to you when I applied? Turns out it's really serious. Consider me a secretary who is a caretaker on the side. I basically look after him in and out of work. So, I drive him, cook for him, and run errands, whether at work or not. Things like that,” she informed Darla.

"I hope I don't get to do his laundry or anything. I can't conclude on what he's like but I'd say from what I saw today, he's a prick. He's way too straightforward and cold. He didn't even compliment me when I cooked this, can you imagine?”Elsie whined.

Darla gasped. “But it's so good! How could he be silent?”

"I knoww.” Elsie bemoaned.

"Man, he really is a prick but you're going to be paid 50,000 dollars in one month. Hang in there, babe.” Darla patted Elsie's knee in compassion. Elsie smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, the job is worth the money.” She sighed, finished her food, and dumped the container in the trash. Their room had no space for a kitchen which prevented Elsie and Darla from cooking.

Darla's friends from work liked to describe the room as a dorm room but Elsie told them the landlord liked to call it an apartment.

Whenever she said that Darla and her friends would laugh. Deep inside, Elsie also agreed with them. She looked around the small space and sighed. She was going to look for a better place on the weekend.

Elsie was going to keep it from Darla so she'd surprise her at the last minute when she paid rent for the new place.

She climbed into the bed and covered herself. Before she drifted off to sleep and dreamed about a certain CEO, she heard Darla dumping her own container in the trash.

In her dream, a certain CEO smiled at her when she presented him with food. Then the handsome man told her, “Cook for me every day, sweetheart.” Elsie giggled in her sleep.

Darla eyed her with suspicion before joining her in bed. Darla also wished she could giggle like her best friend but nobody had been able to achieve that since the carpenter she dated went abroad. Elsie giggled some more and Darla smiled to herself. At least Elsie was happy, that mattered.