“Yep. She made a sign too.Our body, our choice, our right.Then threw condoms like confetti.”
“For fuck’s sake.” I let out a breath. “How did I not hear about that?”
“She almost got expelled, but your grandma marched down there and had ‘words.’” She uses air quotes, and I snort.
“That couldn’t have been good.” I chuckle, digging around and grabbing a pot and pan. “Wow. So, she’s always been this way.”
“Ohhh yeah. Between the three of us, she’s the instigator. Katie’s the logical one, always trying to reason with her bad ideas.”
“And what are you?”
She lowers her eyes. “The gullible one, I suppose.”
I frown. “That’s not true. You’re thesweetone.”
“Sweet and gullible,” she counters.
“Sweet and gorgeous,” I correct, flashing her a wink.
She tilts her head with a smile. “I guess I’ll take it.”
“Good. Now, I’m gonna make you thebestmeal of your life.” I drizzle the oil, then add the pieces of steak.
“And what masterpiece are you creating tonight,Chef Tyler?”
Fuck. She just made that sound so goddamn sexy.
I tell her while adding seasoning, and I swear her mouth waters.
“And for dessert…” I hold up the cheesecake I bought.
“I think I just had a food-gasm. It already smells delicious.” She hums.
My cock jerks at the sexy noise, and I quickly shift so she doesn’t notice. As much as I’d love to feel her come on my fingers again, tonight is about us starting over.
It takes an hour to cook, and we chat the entire time. There’s no awkward silence or weird tension and being with her feels as easy as it did before I left. Gemma relaxes, and I grin every time I hear her sweet laughter. She teases me, and I love every moment. As she watches me move around the kitchen, she offers to help, and I replay the memory of her disastrous attempt to make grilled cheese sandwiches last weekend.
“I got it,” I insist, plating everything before we sit.
“Wow, Tyler.” She closes her eyes as she moans around a forkful of food. “This is seriously so good. I think it’s my new favorite meal.”
“Yeah? That makes me happy to hear. I’m not quite up to the level I was at before prison, but I’ll get there eventually. Especially if you keep letting me cook for you.”
She smiles sweetly, and my gaze lingers on her lips that I’m desperate to kiss again.
“There’s no way you were better because this is a ten outta ten. Maybe even an eleven with dessert.”
“It’s nice having someone else to cook for. I mean, if you don’t count my mooching sister who literally takes food off my plate.”
“What about before? Did you cook only for yourself then?”
“In Vegas, yes. When I was with Maddie and Liam, I was in the kitchen a lot. It helped the slow days go by as we played the waiting game. Maddie was a dancer in college and always sucking down protein smoothies, so I tried to help her break that habit.”
“I bet she loved it.”
“Oh, she did. Then when I stayed with them for a few weeks after I got out, I spoiled them with breakfast and dinner a handful of times. At first, it felt strange, but it’s like riding a bike. Plus, it helps that I can follow directions.”
“Well, if this meal is any indication, I think so too.”