Page 109 of The Alpha's Pen Pal

His hand came to my waist, resting there as his other hand closed his front door behind me. Then he placed it in the small of my back, pushing me in closer to his body.

“Hi,” I breathed out as I broke our kiss.

“Hi,” he replied, smiling.

“I missed you,” I said before I could stop myself, and then my cheeks flushed, probably the brightest pink they’d ever been without makeup.

I couldn’t believe I’d said that. I always made fun of couples who said things like that. I never once missed Lennox or any other guy I’d dated when we were apart.

“I missed you too.” Wesley laughed, kissing me again and easing my self-consciousness. “Seriously, you look incredible,” he told me.

I smirked as I stepped back, setting my purse down on the little table in his entryway. I swayed side to side as I said, “I thought you said green wasn’t my color?”

He looked confused for a moment, a little wrinkle forming between his eyebrows, then he threw his head back and laughed.

“If it’s a dress that looks like that, then it can be any color you want it to be,” he said, his eyes scanning my body again, his gaze filled with more heat and desire than the first time. “Come on.” He held his hand out to me. “Dinner is almost ready.”

I took it and followed him through the house to the kitchen, my low-heeled sandals clicking on the dark hardwood flooring.

“Do you need any help with anything?” I asked him, stopping at the edge of the counter as he continued to the stove.

“No, everything is basically done.”

I nodded and glanced around the kitchen again, taking in the clean, white marble countertops and the white cabinetry, white backsplash, and white walls.

“It smells delicious,” I said, inhaling deeply.

“It’s my mom’s bolognese recipe, given to her by her mom, who got it from her mom… all the way back I don’t even know how far.” He chuckled.

“I can’t wait to try it.”

“Well, my mom’s is better. I know that for a fact. But mine comes pretty close,” he said as he pulled two plates out of the cabinets. “Did you want wine?” he asked, pausing with his hand on a glass and glancing back at me.

“Sure,” I breathed out, tearing my eyes away from his ass moving and tightening in his jeans as he reached for the dinnerware. “Just a small one, though, because I have to drive back to town tonight,” I added, testing his reaction.

He nodded and swallowed but said nothing else as he took two stemless wine glasses out and set them next to the plates. He poured us each a small glass of red wine, then turned to hand them both to me.

“Can you take these to the table, please? I’ll dish up our food and bring it over.”

I nodded and took them from him, maneuvering around his counter to his long, dark brown rectangular table in the dining area. I hesitated for a moment, then set his glass down at the head of the table, and sat down on his left, sipping my wine as I did.

I let the full-bodied flavor fill my mouth and savored it before I swallowed the sip, just as Maya had taught me.

Wes entered the room, with our plates in each of his hands, loaded up with spaghetti, red sauce, garlic bread, and salad.

“Wow!” I said as he set the plate in front of me and then took his own seat. “Seriously, this looks and smells fantastic!” I told him.

“Thank you, but please don’t sing my praises just yet.” He laughed. “You haven’t even tasted it.”

I smiled and picked up my fork, twirling the pasta around the tines and blowing on it a little before I took a bite. He watched me intently, and I didn’t miss him squirm in his chair when I blew on the pasta.

I took a slow bite and groaned out my delight at the hearty flavor of the meat sauce, pretending I didn’t see him bite his knuckles at the sound. But judging by the glare he gave me when I lowered my fork, he knew I did it on purpose.

“What? It’s superb!” I said, feigning innocence.

“Mmm hmm,” he replied, looking not at all convinced.

“Did you make the pasta too?” I asked, poking at it with my fork.

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