Chapter 7: Playful Banter

Blaine set the spoon down and smirked, his mischievous eyes meeting hers. "Not bad," he admitted, though his tone carried a teasing edge. "But I think you just wanted an excuse to feed me like I'm a child."

Chloe's cheeks turned crimson, and she straightened defensively. "Excuse me? You were the one doubting my cooking! I was just trying to prove you wrong."

"Mm-hmm," Blaine hummed, clearly unconvinced, his grin widening. "You're not bad at this, Chloe. A little bossy, but I'll admit you've got some talent in the kitchen."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I'll take that as a compliment. And for the record, you're welcome." Turning back to the kitchen, she began tidying up the counter, the flush on her cheeks refusing to fade.

Blaine leaned back in his chair, watching her with an amused expression. The morning sunlight filtered through the window, highlighting the faint pink in her face and the determined way she avoided looking at him. There was something about the way Chloe carried herself—half stubborn, half endearing—that he couldn't quite figure out. 

"So," he drawled, breaking the silence. "What's on the agenda today? Another sleepwalking adventure? Maybe this time you'll actually make it to my bed instead of the floor."

Chloe froze, the sponge in her hand hovering mid-swipe. Her head whipped around, eyes wide with a mix of embarrassment and outrage. "I was not sleepwalking! I—" she stopped, realizing she had no convincing explanation for her late-night escapade. "I…was checking on you. You know, just in case!"

Blaine raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with mock seriousness. "Checking on me? At two in the morning? And here I thought you were trying to steal my blanket."

"Ugh, you're impossible!" Chloe stomped her foot in frustration, her face now as red as a tomato. "Why am I even trying to explain myself to you?"

"Because you like me," Blaine said, his voice light but his gaze unwavering. The playful grin softened into something more genuine, catching her off guard.

Chloe blinked, her breath hitching for a moment before she quickly turned away, busily scrubbing an already clean countertop. "You're delusional," she muttered, though her voice wavered ever so slightly.

Blaine chuckled, leaning back in his chair again. "If you say so, Chloe. But just so you know, I appreciate the effort. Breakfast, the garlic soup, even the sneaky middle-of-the-night check-ins—it's all pretty sweet, really."

She didn't respond immediately, her back still turned to him. But a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Blaine stood, stretching lazily before moving toward the door. "Thanks for breakfast. I'll see you later." His tone was casual, but as he left the room, Chloe couldn't shake the feeling that there was more weight to his words than he let on.

Left alone in the quiet kitchen, Chloe sank into a chair, her heart pounding against her ribs. What was it about Blaine that got under her skin so easily? One moment, he was teasing her relentlessly, and the next, he was saying things that made her stomach flip in ways she couldn't quite explain.

She glanced at the empty bowl of soup he'd left behind, a faint warmth spreading through her chest. Maybe, just maybe, she didn't mind Blaine Jackson being part of her life as much as she let on.