Chapter 4 - night off

"This is great!" Zoe said, taking another swig from the bottle she held. "What made you buy it again?"

"Just something new to try," Nick called from the kitchen. He was making an old family recipe, sour cream goulash. It was a layered casserole with pasta mixed with cream cheese and sour cream, layered with cheddar cheese, then hamburger meat, more pasta mix, and more cheddar. It was mouth-wateringly delicious and reminded him of his childhood. Yet, it was a dieter's nightmare.

Which meant today it was his fantasy.

He had cooked this for Zoe before, but she would only take a small scoop, favoring a salad as the main focus of her meal. He knew she loved it though, she'd run her fork along her plate to get every last lick of sauce when she was done, but never asked for seconds. Nick hoped that beer was doing its job, making Zoe more willing to humor her appetite.

He took the casserole from the oven and let it cool on the stove a moment as he brought the plates and silverware over to the table where Zoe sat. He noted that she was already enjoying her second beer and could tell by the twinkle in her eye the last one had made it to her head. She grinned at him as he sat down the plates.

"Come sit, I need someone to help me with these beers." She rubbed his arm making puppy eyes and Nick couldn't help but give her a peck on the lips.

"Let me grab the food then I'll be ready. Need a refill?"

"No but yes anyway," Zoe winked. Nick grabbed her empty bottle and hustled back to the kitchen. He reached in the fridge and pulled out a bud light. He wanted to make sure the high calorie, high alcohol was all for his beautiful wife, but that didn't mean he didn't get to have some fun too. He poured the bud into Zoe's old bottle so she wouldn't notice he was drinking something different.

"Smells amazing!" Zoe said as Nick brought in the casserole.

"To another week working with the most wonderful girl I know," Nick smiled and Zoe brought forth her third bottle to toast the meal.

Then she dug in.

Just like college, the alcohol made her ravenous. Nick watched in delight as Zoe took a large spoonful of casserole, more than triple the small amount she normally took. He was glad he got her started drinking before he started cooking, she was just drunk enough to eat but hadn't had too much beer to make her feel full.

He spooned himself a small amount and ate slowly.

"This is fantastic, hun!" Zoe said after a large mouthful. "I forgot how amazing it was."

"Glad you are enjoying it," Nick said with a grin as she washed the mouthful down with some more beer.

Soon, Zoe had finished her first plate and Nick was quick to refill it. Zoe laughed and joked in her intoxicated state, all the while pushing more food into her mouth. Nick happily refilled her plate when it emptied and watched excitedly as her stomach filled out, slowly but surely stretching, her shirt's wrinkles thinning until they were smooth over a firm belly.

He was amazed. The beer was filling, but she had already put away half the casserole herself. All he had to do was talk and laugh with the person he loved most in the world while sneaking more and more food on to her plate and she would keep eating. It was like she was having so much fun she didn't even notice. She didn't stop until the casserole was gone.

"WOW, I'm full!" She said after the last bite, leaning back on her chair.

"No room for dessert, huh?" Nick said jokingly, plenty happy with all that he had gotten away with.

"Dessert..." Zoe said, an idea forming in her head as Nick took away their dishes.

He returned with another open beer. Zoe grabbed it, too a drink and with a devilish grin said "Let's go raid the day afters!"

The day afters was what she and Nick called the treats from the day before. They were still delicious but not as fresh as everything else in the store. They were sold at a quarter of the price and tossed at the end of the day... except on Monday night when that chore was left for later.

Zoe mock crept down the stairs to the shop as if she was going to get caught. She stumbled slightly, her drunken state making her movements too big to actually be sneaky. But she was enjoying the sense of naughtiness. She knew bakers shouldn't be eating all their own wares, so it was fun to tip toe around the shop as if she was up to no good.

Nick couldn't help but play along. He was surprised that Zoe was so eager to keep eating, she had downed most the casserole herself after he had only eaten one plateful. He had expected her to be tired and want to roll into bed or goof off on the couch after such a big meal paired with such a heavy beer, but here she was following her appetite.

And he loved her even more for it.

Zoe made her way into the shop, over to the day after display, then she paused, drinking in the site of so many delicious goodies.

Nick smiled as she absentmindedly rubbed her already bloated stomach. He crept up behind her and kissed her on the neck.

"What looks good, love?"

"EVERYTHING looks good because you make it look so beautiful," Zoe giggled. "And everything will taste good because I am a masterful baker"

"So.... What are you going to get?" Nick asked, nibbling on her neck some more.

"Let's just grab a box and bring it up! It's getting thrown out tomorrow anyway..." Zoe said, breaking away from Nick and beginning to grab treats.

Once the box was full, Zoe again snuck/stumbled her way up the stairs, giggling on the way.

Nick looked after her, not believing what she was doing. His trim, one-bite Zoe laughing up the stairs with a boxful of baked goods just for herself.

Could he love this woman anymore?