The Taste of Seduction

They sat on the bench in Atlas\'s garden with Meredith\'s head on his shoulder as they enjoyed the view of the vast landscape that laid out before them.

"And why is that?" Meredith asked, raising an

eyebrow.

"Because you, my friend, need to open up a

coffee shop or something."

Atlas said, his eyes shining with admiration for her.

"I can invest in your mini coffee shop if you ever make up your mind."

Meredith chuckled. "Well, if I ever get fired, I\'ll know exactly what to do."

"No, I\'m serious!" Atlas said. "You\'d be an

amazing chef! Your cooking skills are really good. For someone who eats the best food prepared by famous chefs, believe me when I praise your cooking skills.

"Please, you\'re just being nice." Meredith waved off.

"Am not!" Atlas shook his head.. "I\'m being truthful!"

"Really?" Meredith asked in a doubt. She knew her brother and Sofia loved her cooking but she didn\'t think it was this good?

"Yes, really. It has this home feeling that most restaurants lack, you know?" Atlas explained.

"Well, you\'re the only one who\'s tried my creations

and has actually praised me." Meredith said, raising her hands in surrender.

"Wait, seriously?" Atlas asked, quite stunned.

"Yeah..." Meredith nodded.

"Why, though?! You\'re such a great cook!"

"I don\'t know. Only my mom, uncle, Sofia and my brother have tasted my food and even though they always ask me to cook they have never really praised me."

"Hmmm people don\'t really praise the people close to them. Maybe that\'s why they don\'t tell you what an amazing cook you are."

A blush coated Meredith\'s cheeks at that remark.

"Thank you. I\'m glad you like my cooking! I wanted to cheer you up."

"Welcome." Atlas winked, a smirk playing on his

lips.

"And if you wanted to cheer me up, I have to admit.." Atlas began,leaning close to Meredith before whispering.

"You\'re doing quite a good job."

Atlas looked into her eyes that shone back at him. His eyes flickered to her pink lips that looked tempting while being coated with milk and he couldn\'t stop the temptation.

With a smirk, he leaned forward and licked the milk on the corners of her mouth.

Meredith\'s ears got red, "What did you do that for?"

"You had a little something there." Atlas said with an amused face.

Meredith rolled her eyes and reached out to check if there was anything on her lips.

"Better?" He smirked. Meredith pursed her lips

looking elsewhere giving him only more

satisfaction.

Then digging his own cookies in the milk he glided it over to her. Meredith didn\'t know why he did that but according to him it tasted better than way. Who would have thought the almighty Atlas Martini had such a weird way of eating cookies.

"Here, want me to feed you, baby?" He teased, Meredith didn\'t refuse his offer as she took the soaked cookies.

"Now you." She smiled ever so innocently. Digging

a cookie in a milk she watched as Atlas

opened his mouth, the glint of hunger in his eyes.

Biting her lip on purpose she slowly moved the

cookie in mid-air, then without hesitation crushed her lips on his. Atlas gasped, surprised at her action.

"Ooop." Meredith said, smirking straight after. Atlas grinned.

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her softly and she

relished the sweet taste of cookies and milk in his

mouth.

"You know, you constantly surprise me," Atlas

murmured, looking up to her and smiling.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Meredith smiled at him, " I can say the same thing about you." She said,

"When I first met you I never thought you could be this romantic and caring. Guess I\'m wrong."

"I\'m really still about the same, my love," he said

quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

"\'Just happier and in love."

Meredith stiffened. This was the first time he had admitted it himself that he was in love with her.

"Huh?" She asked, blinking in a daze.

He grinned softly. "I was never the same again since the day I nearly hit you with my car and I wouldn\'t have it any other way."

Meredith gave him a tremulous smile. "Me too Atlas. I\'m glad I met you. You\'re the perfect man I have been waiting for all my life. No one can make me as happy as you make me. No one can love me as fiercely as you do. No one will be able to withstand my storms with me. With you I feel safe and strong like I can overcome anything."

Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned down to kiss her slowly but deeply as if he wanted to imprint this moment in his memory.

Pulling back, he nuzzled her cheek with the tip of

his nose as he gathered her close.

"Meredith."

-"What?"

"I."

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes.

"Love." He said caressing her cheeks.

"You." He finally added and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

Meredith swallowed at the surge of emotions that shot

through her at Atlas\'s words-words she had been waiting forever to hear.

Her lips curled up into a smile while a tear fell down her cheeks.

Atlas rested his forehead against hers. Just as he was breathless, she too couldn\'t stop her chest from rising fast.

"Silly, why are you crying." Atlas chuckled.

He then pressed a tender kiss against hers

taking no hurry whatsoever.

Meredith moved closer into him with her hands travelling up his shirt to hang loosely around his neck as he continued.

Atlas cupped her chin as he deepened the kiss

smiling between their lips at her gasp of approval

Finally breaking apart, Atlas took a hold of her

hands in his own, bringing them to his lips in

which he planted a kiss on each.

Her cheeks reddened not in embarrassment but with the thought of having the man she loved loving her back.

Atlas loved her and she loved him.

She would never stop loving him.

Never.

END OF VOLUME 1