“That’s why it’s been a family recipe for generations,” he said. “It’s easyanddelicious.”
My plate was empty less than a minute later. I looked at it sadly.
“Want seconds?” he asked.
I glanced up at him. “You won’t judge me?”
“You’re on vacation, Feisty,” he said while taking my plate. “You can do whatever the hell you want.”
I grinned and admired his sexy shape as he went back into the kitchen to get me another slice.
17
Molly
The Day We Danced
We drank expensive wine and talked about everything—home, work, other countries we wanted to visit—until the candles burned low. When Donovan went to refill his glass, the bottle was empty.
“How about I grab another bottle from the wine closet and we drink it on our balconies?” I asked. “The rain has finally stopped, and we haven’t had balcony wine in days.”
He chewed the inside of his lip, then smiled sadly. “I should probably clean the kitchen and put the food away.”
“I can help!” I said. “It’s the least I can do.”
But he waved his hand. “I don’t mind. Besides, I want to tinker with some of the kitchen gadgets. I’ve never had access to arealkitchen before. I feel like a kid in a toy store, and I don’t know what to play with first.”
“Fine,” I teased. “Play with yourtoys. Thank you for a wonderful evening.”
We smiled at each other, and I was struck by just how much I wanted to kiss him. Donovan wasn’t a stranger anymore. We’d been stuck together for over a week, and had been on the equivalent of five or six dates. I didn’t have any excuses anymore.
Not to mention heradiatedsex appeal. As we stood on either side of the table, the sexual tension between us was the strongest it had ever been. Even more than when we played pool last night. That felt like playful teasing, but this? This had been arealdate, with cooking and wine and candles.
Kiss him,I told myself.Go around the table and push your lips against his and make him respond.
Before I could work up the courage to do just that, Donovan grabbed our two dessert plates and carried them into the kitchen.
I snatched a bottle of red wine from the kitchen closet and carried it upstairs to my balcony. The sky was perfectly clear and the stars were shining above the city, despite the light pollution. A cool breeze blew across the balcony, stirring my shirt.
I thought about my date with Donovan. Something had changed between us, for the better. His playful flirting had been replaced with genuine interest.
It’s probably the kitchen,I thought while sipping my wine.Now that he can cook real food, he’s happier than I’ve ever seen him.
As I thought about him, my mind drifted to the hot tub this morning. The way he fearlessly removed his boxer-briefs and stood in front of me like it was totally normal to be naked. I hadneverbeen that comfortable in my nudity, even with my serious boyfriends. Letting Donovan see me in my bra and panties, and bending over in front of the gym window, was a huge step for me. Yet he one-upped me by the hot tub with ease.
Confidence probably came easy when you looked likethat. Because everything I saw while he wore his birthday suit made me tingle with unrestrained arousal. Bulging arms, broad chest, abs like buttery dinner rolls leading down to a penis that looked smooth and long, even when he wasn’t hard…
Suddenly the door to the neighboring balcony opened and Donovan walked out. “I changed my mind. The kitchen can wait.”
I couldn’t stop a smile from filling my face. “I’m so glad! I mean, because I didn’t want to drink alone. This is an expensive bottle of wine, and I don’t think I can finish it by myself.”
He leaned his wine glass across the railing toward me and flashed his most charming smile yet. “Happy to help with that.”
His portable speaker chimed to life and began playing classical Italian music. We stood on our balconies and gazed out at the city. Some cats wandered across the plaza andmeowedbeneath our balcony. Wondering if we were going to accidentally drop more food.
“I wish I was dancing right now,” I said out loud.
“Yeah?”