We tried pizza together for the first time, and he loved the Margherita style the most. I introduced him to lobster and linguini, ice cream and Italian meatballs, steak tartare and spring rolls, and he had me taste a variety of local dishes. Some were similar to things he’d once eaten, while others were new creations.
Tasting every dish with Amon was an exhilarating experience. It felt decadent, adventurous, and, in a way, intimate. But above all else, it was fun. I realized then that I’d never actually feasted before in my life. Amon’s passion for food and for giving himself over to the simple pleasures of taste and textures was a big departure for me. I found myself wishing I’d done it sooner.
By the time we were finished, I groaned, having never in my life eaten so much. It was just after midnight, and I wasn’t sure if I should try to go back to sleep or watch a movie. I’d started to gather our dishes and place them back on the cart, when Amon gently wrapped his hand around my wrist.
Sliding his hand up my arm to my face, he pressed his palm against my cheek and said, “Hakenew, Lily.”
“That means ‘thank you,’ right?”
“It means a bit more than a simple thank-you. It is a term implying a deep sense of gratitude for another person. It is an expression of thankfulness for the enduring warmth and comfort one feels when in the presence of someone special. I do not thank you, Lily. I am thankful for you.”
“Oh.”
He continued “I have feasted many times, but I have never enjoyed it as much as this. My heart is lightened by being with you.”
Blushing, I murmured, “I enjoyed it, too.” Amon’s green eyes studied my face and then dropped to my lips as he came a step closer. I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead, he pressed his forehead against mine. Our noses touched, but unfortunately his extremely kissable lips were nowhere near mine.
Drawing back, I sensed his regret as he took a few steps away from me. “Please rest a bit longer, Lily. I will return soon.”
With that, he was out the door and gone.
What did I do? I wondered. Maybe he wasn’t attracted to me in the same way I was to him. Maybe he just needed me and when he was done, he’d have no problem setting me aside.
Feeling insecure, an emotion I despised, and about a boy, a situation I’d never allowed myself to be in before, I berated myself for acting like a lovesick teen with an unrequited crush, reminded myself that I was above such things, and then headed to the bathroom to see if I had something stuck in my teeth. My teeth were fine, which left me vacillating between wondering why Amon wasn’t attracted to me and telling myself that I was too confident in my own skin to care.
Picking up my hairbrush, I noticed that my hair was different. On each side of my face, there were two streaks that were no longer the same color as the rest of my hair. I inspected the strands. It looked like I’d gotten chunky blond highlights. Starting at the roots, I trailed my fingers down the highlighted locks and then gasped when I realized that Amon had touched my hair in the exact place where the highlights were.
The fact that my new highlights were most likely due to Amon’s sun-god touch actually made me like them. My hair was now unique, very different from the Lilliana who lived in a penthouse suite in New York City.
This was a Lily with an adventurous streak, literally. This was a Lily who snuck out of the house. This was a Lily who ate things that tasted good instead of things that were good for her. I squared my shoulders and came to a realization. This was a Lily who deferred college for a year or two and traveled. And this was the kind of Lily who just might look like she deserved a hot Egyptian sun god for a boyfriend. I wet my hair again, applied some product, and scrunched it while I blew it out. With a curling iron, I twisted sections of my hair into loose curls, creating a bohemian style that reflected my mood. I was working on my makeup when I heard the room door open.
“Amon?” I called out.