No Strings Attached

Elle gazed at him with an impassive expression. "Where's my mom?"

"She had to leave for a bit. Clara sent me to pick you up. Orin has already gone ahead with Eddie."

Anders gently coaxed Elle into the car with an arm around her shoulders.

Casually reaching into the back seat, he pulled out a small box and handed it to her. "Your favorite apple turnovers from that bakery you love. See if they taste like the real deal." Elle stared at the apple turnovers in her hand, with a faint smile flickering across her features. "Did Orin tip you off?"

The question hit Anders squarely in the chest. Indeed, it was Orin who told him that his mother's favorite dessert was apple turnovers, and her favorite dish was simply grilled fish.

an immense guilt for a long time. While abroad, Elle indeed brought home a box of apple turnovers once, offering him a taste. Without a second thought, he had refused.

words, Elle threw the entire box of turnovers in the

her hand in the process. While he applied medicine to her burn, he told her not to bother cooking such things anymore, claiming he didn't

favorites. Reflecting on this,

it to Elle's lips. "Go on, give it a taste. They're still warm. Won't be

of cooked apple filled her palate, while the flaky, soft texture brought a subtle smile to her normally cool

of the turnover from Elle's hand. His tongue inadvertently grazed her fingers. Then he

her fingers

but in her memory, Anders was always the epitome of a gentleman, never one to flirt so openly. In the past, faced with her advances, he would blush for a long

a neutral expression. "Anders, you don't have to do this. If you don't like