No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)
Chapter 449

Elle gazed at him with an impassive expression. "Where's my mom?"

"She had to leave for a bit. Clara sent me to pick you up. Orin has already gone ahead with Eddie."

Anders gently coaxed Elle into the car with an arm around her shoulders.

Casually reaching into the back seat, he pulled out a small box and handed it to her. "Your favorite apple turnovers from that bakery you love. See if they taste like the real deal." Elle stared at the apple turnovers in her hand, with a faint smile flickering across her features. "Did Orin tip you off?"

The question hit Anders squarely in the chest. Indeed, it was Orin who told him that his mother's favorite dessert was apple turnovers, and her favorite dish was simply grilled fish.

When he first heard about it, he felt an immense guilt for a long time. While abroad, Elle indeed brought home a box of apple turnovers once, offering him a taste. Without a second thought, he had refused. He also told her plainly that he didn't like the taste of them.

Upon hearing his words, Elle threw the entire box of turnovers in the trash, which were never seen at home again.

She made him grilled fish once and burned her hand in the process. While he applied medicine to her burn, he told her not to bother cooking such things anymore, claiming he didn't enjoy fish.

It never occurred to him that the very things he disliked were Elle's favorites. Reflecting on this, Anders couldn't help but mentally chastise himself as a "jerk".

He reached out, gently stroking Elle's hair. His voice was husky. "From now on, I'll like anything that you like." After saying that, he plucked an apple turnover from the box and held it to Elle's lips. "Go on, give it a taste. They're still warm. Won't be as good once they cool off," he said gently.

Elle took the turnover and bit into it. The sweet flavor of cooked apple filled her palate, while the flaky, soft texture brought a subtle smile to her normally cool face.

It made Anders' heart skip a beat. He couldn't resist leaning in and taking a bite of the turnover from Elle's hand. His tongue inadvertently grazed her fingers. Then he nodded in satisfaction. "Definitely not bad. Crispy and flaky. What do you think?"

Elle was taken aback by his bold move, staring at her fingers that Anders had just licked. Her cheeks flushed involuntarily.

She knew Anders was doing this on purpose, but in her memory, Anders was always the epitome of a gentleman, never one to flirt so openly. In the past, faced with her advances, he would blush for a long time.

Elle tried to keep her composure, looking at him with a neutral expression. "Anders, you don't have to do this. If you don't like it, you don't have to force yourself."

Anders gently wiped a crumb from the corner of Elle's mouth, looking at her tenderly. "I know what I like once I've tasted it. But you, you like it so much. Why didn't you let me know?"

His words had a double meaning. On the surface, he was talking about the apple turnovers, but what he was really addressing was the nature of their relationship.

When they first got together, Elle never showed how much she liked him, and when he suggested they break up, she didn't cry or make a scene like other girls might. Instead, she packed her bags and left with poise.

He had thought that Elle was only with him out of loneliness after moving abroad. He never knew she truly liked him.

When Elle remained silent, and her eyes cast down, Anders seized the moment. He pulled her into his embrace. His Adam's apple moved tantalizingly in her line of sight. "Elle, give me a chance. Let's start over, okay?"

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