Want some?" he asks, pointing to his dinner.Maybe eating will calm my nerves....

Want some?" he asks, pointing to his dinner.
Maybe eating will calm my nerves. "What is it?"
"Enchiladas. makes kick-ass enchiladas." He stabs a small portion with a fork and holds it out to me. "If you're not used to this kind of spicy food--"
"I love spicy," I interrupt, taking it into my mouth. I start chewing, enjoying the blend of flavors. But when I swallow, my tongue slowly catches on fire. Somewhere behind all the fire there's flavor, but the flames are in the way.
"Hot," is all I can say as I attempt to swallow.
"I told you." Alex holds out the cup he'd been drinking from. "Here, drink. Milk usually does the trick, but I only have water."
I grab the cup. The liquid cools my tongue, but when I finish the water it's as if someone stokes it again. "Water . . . ," I say.
He fills another cup. "Here, drink more, though I don't think it'll help much. It'll subside soon."
Instead of drinking it this time, I stick my tongue in the cold liquid and keep it there. Ahhh . . .
"You okay?"
"To I wook otay?" I ask.
"With your tongue in the water like that, actually, it's erotic. Want another bite?" he asks mischievously, acting like the Alex I know.
"Mo mank ooh.