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Sam poked at the lackluster chicken before her on the ivory plate with gold trim. She saw no reason for such decorative plates if they were only going to serve cold chicken that was dry and flavorless
"Hello there, ma'am. I reckon this seat is available?" A silver fox of a gentleman approached the table and gestured at the chair beside her.
"Oh." She sat up, suddenly aware of her surroundings. "Yes, that chair is available." She glanced at the empty table and wondered how long she had been sitting alone.
The man adjusted his bow tie and took a seat beside her while placing a cane on a different chair.
"Are you friends with the bride or the groom?" He casually asked with a tilt of his head.
She looked up at the man and the kind eyes that watched her through thick black frames. Despite the white hair and beard, there was something youthful and captivating about him.
"The uh, the bride. We've been friends since we were in middle school." Sam fiddled with the hem of her dress to avoid making eye contact with the gentleman.
He settled into his seat with a smile then pointed at her plate.
"You not hungry, miss?"
She looked at the plate once more and felt her lip begin to curl in disgust.
"I suppose I'm just going to wait for cake." She chuckled and shoved the plate across the table.
He turned his body to face her and she found herself yet again drawn in by his presence.
"A pretty lady like you shouldn't go hungry. Say, this is a bit forward, but… may I take you somewhere a little more private?"
Sam sucked in her breath and felt her cheeks heat at the sudden brazen conversation.
"I… I don't even know you." She reasoned while glancing around the room at the various guests.
He stood up with a grin and held out his hand for her.
"Well, I'm Colonel Sanders, and I want to blow your mind."
She was thankful for the firm seat beneath her because her knees would have given out at that moment.
"I'm, uh, I'm Sam." She muttered and took his hand.
"Well there miss Sam, shall we?" He lifted his elbow and she carefully slid her arm under his.
"Let's." She smiled.
Sam carefully perused the kitchen as the colonel began grabbing ingredients and various cooking utensils.
"You cook often?" She asked with her head tilted back in his direction.
"Hmm, I suppose so, but not as often as I'd like to."
Sam closed her eyes and sniffed the air with a slight groan.
"What is that? It smells like heaven."
He chuckled and held out a bowl of season coated flour.
"It's nothing, I've just been working on perfecting my secret spice blend." He began coating chicken breasts and dropping them into the bubbling fryer.
Sam hoisted herself onto the counter and sat beside him as he carefully worked.
"Well from the smell of it, I think you may have gotten the spice mixture down."
He washed his hands and patted them on his apron before moving to lightly straddle her on the counter.
"Thank you, that means a lot." He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear then sighed. "I just really want to create a fried chicken recipe that someone can claim is finger lickin' good, you know? Something that makes people want to rush to get my chicken after church service on Sundays or take with them to parties."
Sam swallowed and stared into his piercing blue-gray eyes.
"F-finger licking good, huh?" She stammered and pressed her knees together.
A timer began to buzz and he clicked his tongue before pulling away from her to remove the chicken from the fryer. He tenderly patted dry the greasy meat then transferred it onto the same ivory and gold trimmed plate from earlier.
"Come here." He soothed into her ear and eased her off the counter towards the plate of steaming chicken.
She watched him for a moment as he stared at her expectantly with a nervous smile. She picked up the chicken and bit into the crunchy piece of meat that was perfectly seasoned and crisp.
"Oh my god." She moaned with a full mouth.
His shoulders released their tension and he leaned against the counter with one elbow.
She wiped at the grease dripping down her chin and took another bite before setting the remaining chicken back on the plate.
"Colonel, don't you change a damn thing about your spice blend."
He belted out a hearty laugh then sauntered closer to her till she could feel his body heat.
"Open your mouth." He commanded.
She released a shuddering breath before obeying and found her mouth being filled with warm mashed potatoes with brown gravy.
She swallowed and nearly felt her eyes roll to the back of her head.
"P-please, I can't take anymore." She pleaded as her taste buds pranced with joy.
A wicked gleam took over his eyes and he shushed her gently before spooning creamy macaroni and cheese into her mouth. She leaned against the counter for support and licked her lips in satisfaction. The previous dull reception meal was a mere distant memory in comparison to this flavorful food.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and wrapped her fingers around a paper tub filled with piping hot chicken.
"Wait, don't go!" She exclaimed as he turned to exit the kitchen. "Will… will I ever see you again?"
He winked and tapped his cane against the tiled floor.
"Let's just say that you'll know my place when you see it."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd never to be seen again. Sam wept quietly and began making her way through the tub of chicken that reminded her of a simpler time. One day, she hoped to see the man again that took her taste buds for a ride.