43. Clarissa

I adjustthe ring light and twist my phone on the stand. Tyson surprised me with a tripod and new microphones. I was on the struggle bus for my first six episodes before I halfway sounded decent. I’ve been making content for the last few months now, reviewing food, restaurants, hidden gems, and things like that. Until Tyson suggested it, I never thought about it as an option.

So far, it’s cool. People like me for some reason and want to watch me enjoy my food. I’m up to twenty thousand followers across all platforms, and it still shocks me. Like y’all really want to watch me, a stranger, enjoy food you can’t taste? I think it would annoy me or make me hungry, but they like it. I do appreciate the love, even though I don’t quite understand it.

“Babe, have you seen my blue shirt that I like?” Tyson yells from his bedroom. He set me up a recording station in his house. After I left to shoot videos all the time—in his words—he made sure I had space at his house so I could sleep over more.

“Uh, you think I know which shirt that is?”

He walks out of his room shirtless, and I smile.

“It’s the one I like, so yeah, you should know.”

I shake my head and fluff my curls.

“Back of the closet.”

“See, why you act like you didn’t know?” He laughs, and I jog back.

“What are you about to shoot?”

I take a seat and check my angles.

“I’m doing a live taste test for Lu’s Bistro. I got a couple of things to try.”

Tyson comes running out with a smile on his face. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing him smile. Those eyes can be intense at times, but the way his smile melts my insides? I love it.

“Bet, let me do one.”

I’m already shaking my head no.

“Nope. No, can’t do it.”

I made the worst mistake early on, having him assist me with a food review. My comments blew up, and I was ecstatic, but imagine my surprise when the questions were all asking who is that fine ass man talking? And where is he from? Does he have a brother? Somebody even asked if we could share him. I had to turn my comments off on that video because no, ma’am. I don’t play those games.

“What? I’m great on camera, but that smells so good. I want to eat with my baby.” He says it in a low puppy dog whine, and I smile. Tyson is dressed in jeans and a button-up polo. His hair has grown out some, but it’s still tapered along the sides and back, and his beard is cut close to his face. As I stare at him, I can’t fault the girlies for going ham in my comments.

“Tyson, you don’t seem aware of a very important fact.”

“What’s that?”

“That you’re fine as hell, for one. Listen, I can barely manage that intense stare and that smile, but then you add the accent. I still don’t understand how you managed a North Carolina-British mix,” I say with a shrug. It’s not on every word, but if he talks enough, there’s a blend from all his travels, and it does something to me.

He walks closer and pulls me to him by my belt loops.

“Please? I just want to eat. I’ll be quiet.”

My heart is doing a dance in my chest, and I smile.

“Please turn down your charm. And no extra talking.”

He lifts his hands in prayer. “Absolutely. I can do that.”

I lift on my tiptoes and kiss his lips. After a few seconds, he pats my butt, and we separate.

“Okay, so I’ll introduce you, but just nod or talk in short replies. Yes, no, that kind of thing.”

He gives me a thumbs up, and I grab a second chair. My camera is set up on a desk, so there’s plenty of room.

I still get jitters when I have to go live. It’s one thing to have opinions and talk to your friends, but it is very different having a camera in your face while you do it. I try to be truthful without harsh criticisms.

“Okay, you ready?” I ask, taking my seat.

“Yep.”

He takes a seat next to me, and I shake my hands.

“You nervous?”

“I know it’s weird I get jittery right before. Plus, this is live. What if I mess up? I can’t edit it.”

He takes my hand and kisses my palm before speaking. “Just keep going. Don’t dwell on it.”

I release a breath and shake my hands.

“Okay.”

He smiles that smile, and I tilt my head. He leans down and kisses my lips. While the kiss before was quick, this is slow and relaxed. He takes his time exploring my mouth.

“Okay, okay. We can talk about that later.”

He laughs and sits back in his chair.

I open the app and go through the process of starting my live. “Hey, guys,” I say, smiling. “Hey, Rose. Becky, Tims, Gloria.” I always name the first few people that join the live. As more viewers join, I can’t keep up with the names. It scrolls so fast, so I smile at the camera and wait a few minutes.

“Okay, let’s get started. For anyone new, this is Issa Tastes the World. I created this place because, one, I had time,” I say with a smile. “And two, I love all things cuisine.”

Tyson snickers next to me, and I buck my eyes. A slight show to say hey, we’re live, don’t embarrass me. He clears his throat and nods. I smile and turn back to the camera.

“I have a special guest today. This is Tyson, and he’s going to help with the tasting. Say hi.”

He waves and gives the camera that full, beautiful grin, and I clear my throat. He turns to me, and I lift my brows. I see the moment he gets my message, and when he turns back to the camera, he switches to a close-lipped smile.

“Okay, today we’re testing Lu’s Bistro. I’ve never had these dishes before, so we’ll see how it turns out.” I shimmy in my seat because it smells amazing.

“I wish y’all could smell this. Oh my gosh, it smells so good.”

“It does, and I’m hungry as hell, but if this shit is nasty, you will know,” Tyson says. He’s looking at the camera with those fucking eyes, and I clear my throat, but he doesn’t see me. I smile and then turn back to the camera.

“Uh, yeah, well, I think it’ll be good. There aren’t too many times food smells delicious and the taste doesn’t match.”

Tyson claps his hands with a smile.

“Okay, anyway, I got a few chef-recommended dishes. The first dish is Swiss chard and mixed greens, maple honey glazed salmon, and macaroni and cheese.”

I inhale, and my mouth is salivating to taste it. I hand Tyson a fork and take one for myself. When I open the container, the aroma rises and spreads, and I melt in my seat. My head goes back, and I close my eyes. It smells so good.

“Alright, now. Don’t forget where you are.” Tyson winks, and his excitement is tangible. The camera loves him too. I glance at the feedback screen, and he’s intense light, if that makes sense, like concentrated joy. Normally, I would nudge him or get his attention to reel it back, but the aroma is too great. I hold the container to the camera, shifting it so they can see. Comments are popping up, moving too fast to read.

“The moment of truth,” I say, smiling at Tyson. He turns to me and winks again.

I could have sworn I told him to tamp down his charm. Meanwhile, he’s already winked at me twice and given the camera that panty-dropper smile.

I dip my fork into the greens, and Tyson follows me. We look at each other and pause before we take a bite. The flavors are subtle at first, and then a spice kicks in.

“Okay,” he says with a slow nod.

“Not bad,” I add.

I dip my fork back in, taking more greens.

“It’s good,” we say in unison.

Next, we each take a piece of salmon and stuff them in our mouths. The food is really good. I love it when this happens. Discovering legitimate hidden food gems is my greatest pastime. Since Tyson also enjoys food like me, there is a genuine love there.

So when he dips his fork to get a combination of salmon, greens, and mac and cheese with his attention on me, I don’t back away. And when he smiles and feeds me, I melt in my seat. My eyes close. The combination is magical.

“Right? Maybe I’m hungry, but this shit is delicious,” he says, taking his own bite.

I cover my mouth and laugh. He leans into my space and kisses my cheek. For a moment, I forget this is live, and I bask in his orbit. I relax my shoulders and smile up at him.

I snap back to the camera and clear my throat when I remember we have an audience. “Okay, let’s see if there are any questions before we move on.”

@Cutie1980: Girl, does he have a brother?

@FoodGal88: Y’all are so cute.

@Marktims: OMG, that looks good.

@BeeLoves689: Where is he from? That accent is crazy.

I twist to look at Tyson, and he’s smiling from ear to ear.

“Thank you. Thank you. I use a beard butter, and that keeps it soft and shiny.”

I’m ready to ask why he’s answering questions about his beard instead of the food, but I see a barrage of comments about it.

“Oh, y’all heard that, huh? I’m originally from North Carolina, where I was born and raised. But I was in London, among other places, for years, so my accent is a mix depending on the word or when I’m relaxed.”

“Maybe we should answer the food-related questions.”

“I mean, I would, but look at the comments. Sorry, Jessica34, no brothers.”

He laughs, but not just any laugh. It’s that deep vibrato, thick and smooth like honey. For a second, I think I have the same reaction the people watching probably do.

“Alright, let’s try the next dish,” he says, pointing to the box on the side with a smile. When I don’t respond, he stands up and grabs the box. He takes one of my hands and guides me to open the container, moving me so it displays to the camera. Like a mannequin, he guides me to showcase the food, but I’m still stuck on him, forgetting to turn his charisma down.

“My baby is tired, but it’s cool. I guess I’m in charge.” He laughs. “Okay, this next dish is grilled Brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze.”

Tyson lifts his fork while smiling at the camera, and he has totally forgotten my previous direction. If possible, he’s now oozing charisma and charm, all teeth and intense eyes.

He pierces a sprout on his fork and dips it into the sauce before he brings it to my lips.

I keep them closed, but he presses it into my mouth, and I start laughing. He can be goofy sometimes, and I didn’t expect him to force-feed me, so I laugh and laugh.

Before long, he’s laughing and making me eat. The food is delicious. Brussel sprouts have the tendency to be bitter if cooked too long, but this is a perfect balance. It’s savory but not bitter.

“See, good, right? Y’all see this. Why she act like I don’t know my food?”

He leans into my space and grips my neck. The moment takes me back to London, where we just existed—where he fed me at the restaurant and we kissed all afternoon.

I snap out of it but bury my head in Tyson’s neck.

“Oh my gosh,” I whisper.

“It’s cool, we kissed. It’s fine.”

I pick my head up, and the comments are out of control. The number of people in my live is growing, and I blink.

Tyson looks over to me and smiles. “I forgot to turn off my charisma,” he says with a shrug.

I narrow my eyes, and he starts to speak. “Okay, guys, I think that’s it for today’s episode. Check out my baby’s other videos. Of course, hit that like button. Damn, I sound goofy as fuck saying that shit. Hit that like button,” he mimics in an annoying voice.

“Tyson,” I say with a laugh.

“My bad. Alright, y’all, bye. How do you turn this off?” he asks, pushing buttons on my phone. I nudge him out of the way and end the live.

When I turn to him, he’s looking at me with a grim expression. His eyebrows are high, and his head is slightly tilted.

“Okay, so not the best.”

“Boy, I didn’t even get to plug the location or give my final thoughts.”

He pulls me toward him by my hand and presses our foreheads together. “I just wanted to eat with my baby. Are you really mad at me?”

My shoulders relax, and I release a breath. The truth is he has a way of smoothing down my ruffled feathers. I want to be mad about it not going as planned, but as I stare into those dark, intense eyes, my insides melt, and I don’t care about anything else.

I smile, and he returns it.

“That’s my girl. My fucking sun,” he whispers, pulling me in for a kiss.