Alice tried not to enjoy it. The food. The lavish, undeniably exquisite food.
She told herself over and over again that she shouldn't. That it was absurd. Excessive. Unnecessary. That this was Hades's money, not hers. That she was a guest. An intruder. A placeholder. That she had no right to taste and say mmm even in her head, let alone let her eyes flutter in pure, unadulterated pleasure.
And yet…
Every bite was exquisite. The shrimp practically melted on her tongue, bursts of briny sweetness. The scallops were buttery soft with a faint kick of something citrusy, perfectly seared. The glaze on the chicken was smoky, sweet, and so rich it made her eyes flutter shut for half a second. She tried not to show it. She really did. Her poker face was, admittedly, a work in progress.
Meanwhile, Suzy was in heaven, clearly making up for lost time.
