Let me take care of you

As we settled into the meal, the soft clinking of forks against plates filled the cozy silence.

Carmen had lit a few candles, their warm glow adding to the quiet intimacy of the evening. Her attention to detail never ceased to amaze me, even when it came to something as simple as a weeknight dinner. 

"This is perfect," I said after a bite, letting the rich flavors linger. 

Carmen looked up from her plate, her expression soft but with that mischievous glint I knew so well. "You make it sound like I just solved world hunger or something." 

"Well, to be fair," I teased, twirling another forkful of pasta, "you might as well have, considering how hungry I was. You know how brutal today was." 

Her eyes narrowed playfully. "Oh, yes, because football is clearly a life-or-death scenario."