Bars of What?

"Have some," He says, holding the bar of squared chocolate out to me as he swallows the missing corner.

"Nah, thanks," I wave it away casually as we walk side-by-side down Madison on our way back to the hotel from dinner. Accompanying the gesture by saying 'have some' is purely indicative of his assumption that I won't accept. Unless encouraged by accompanying words, perhaps he figures, his gesture will be met with refusal. He knows this, but asks anyway probably just in case I've magically changed my mind. I wish I could.

"C'mooonnnn," He taunts playfully, pushing the candy towards my lips with a laugh.

"Really, I'm fine." I say distractedly with minimal annoyance. We'd eaten not more than an hour ago. I wasn't hungry at all. I put an arm around him in a peace-keeping gesture. Today had been a beautiful, but tiring day.

"Taylor, it's chocolate," He responds with a little pout. He hugs me briefly and follows it with a suggestive whisper, "...an aphrodisiac?"

I grin helplessly with the implication of his words and the little shiver his voice spreads over my skin, but again I refuse.

He's insistent, and bites a tiny square into two halves, holding one out to me.

It's not that I don't like chocolate. I do. The thick, viscous, bitter taste of dark chocolate is recalled on my tongue from years past as I write this. But I don't buy it, and I definitely don't eat it, and as I do nothing to accept his offer of a mangled, half-square of chocolate that's touched his teeth, he grumbles something halfway playful sounding, halfway serious.

"You just can't, can you."

I say something--anything--to try to assuage the situation...but he's right. I can't touch it.

"Doesn't Dove make soap?" I ask trying to sound amused but come off as sullen in the hopes of a subject change.

To that he says nothing, and puts the chocolate into his mouth returning his gaze ahead as we approach our hotel.

Upstairs, it's like it never happened. He's forgiven me, though he would hardly consider it that. That's probably how we can exist together like we have for so long. He's understanding and supportive in ways a lot of people wouldn't be. Whether he does it because it comes naturally or because he loves me, I can't tell. Either way, for this reason--among all the others--I love him.