Chapter 32
Zachary picked up his cutleries and sighed. “We really missed out. I haven’t had a proper meal since joining the Air Force Special Operations Team. It’s all nutritious meals in the cafeteria. They are indeed nutritious, but they lack flavor.”
Natalie glanced at him with sympathy, picked up a prawn for herself, and popped it into her mouth. The tangy, spicy flavor spread in her mouth, and she squinted her eyes in delight, feeling nostalgic for that taste.
Next, she grabbed a crab claw, delicately balancing it between her fingers as she began to crack open the shell. While most people would be mindful of dining etiquette and avoid messy foods, Natalie had no reservations.
The seafood platter was best enjoyed cold right after being taken from the fridge, and she wasn’t dining with elders or clients today. So, she wasn’t worried about making a good impression. Most importantly, she was craving crab meat.
She didn’t enjoy marinated chicken or pork chop, which could be eaten in one bite. Instead, she preferred foods that required effort to enjoy, like crab. Natalie held the crab claw, trying to avoid the injured area on her hand from yesterday. After some struggle, she cracked open a tiny part of the shell but was still far from reaching the meat.
Unable to help herself, she sighed lightly, only to have the crab claw taken from her hand the next moment.
“I’ll do it” Jasper’s voice was cool and indifferent, his face devoid of expression.
Taking the crab claw from her, his long, slightly calloused fingers deftly cracked it with a few quick moves, extracting the meat from inside in one perfectly intact piece.
Natalie watched in awe, thinking how incredible it was. To remove crab meat so flawlessly without any tools–was this a talent?
She gazed at Jasper, starry–eyed, as he finished one crab claw and moved on to the next, efficiently processing all the claws in the lunch box and placing the meat into her bow
“Mr. Locke, you’re my hero!” she said, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
He remained unfazed, his expression calm. He stood up and said, “I’m going to wash my hands.”
Because she also had some sauce on her hands, Natalie stood up and followed him.
Standing side by side at the sink, she applied soap to her hands and rubbed them carefully, sneaking glances at Jasper as she did.
He rolled his sleeves to his elbows, revealing strong, muscular arins with pronounced veins and sinewy definition, exuding a sense of power. It was easy to imagine that his physique beneath the uniform was just as impressive.
She found herself entranced. Only when he had finished washing his hands and drying them did her thoughts return to cracking crab shells.
Unable to help herself, she grabbed his hand and turned it over, examining it closely. She gently rubbed her fingertip across his palm, thinking of how she had struggled to crack off the little pieces of the shell while he had done it so effortlessly,
The shells were so tough, yet he hadn’t even pricked himself. Piqued by curiosity, she looked up at him with a bright face.
Jasper lowered his head slightly, his dark eyes capturing Natalie’s fair, delicate face. Although she had a charming appearance, her innocent, sweet gaze captivated him.
She looked up at him with sparkling eyes and slightly parted lips. Her soft, fair fingers explored his palm as if studying a precious treasure, making her seem like an enchanting angel.
A wave of heat surged within him, and he felt an almost imperceptible swallow, his jaw tightening slightly.
A second later, he quickly pulled his hand away, leaving behind a terse, “Let’s go back and eat,” before hurriedly walking out.
