Page 37 of Tempt

“I understand.”

“How will we ring in the new year?”

“Alex hosts a party.”

“Sounds fun.”

Sam makes a face.

“Ah. Will your brother be there?”

“Yeah.” He growls and pulls me on top of him. “But so will a lot of other people. Enough of that.”

Fucking, cuddling, and reading together.

It’s bliss.

And when he leaves, I open my computer and start writing.

12

Sam

She showsup on my doorstep four days later, a day before I expect her for New Year’s Eve. “Hi,” she says when I open the door. “Is it okay that I’m here?”

I sweep her into my arms. “Get your ass inside. I’ve missed you.”

She laughs and crawls up my body, her mouth hot and eager. “I hope I didn’t interrupt any plans? You said you were making dinner when I texted you…”

“Trying to, anyway.”

She gives me a shy look. “Can I help?”

My chest squeezes. “Yes. Fuck, yes. Please.” I lead her into the apartment. “It’s my resolution for next year. I’m starting early. I want to actually use my kitchen and be a human.”

“Less takeout, more…” She stops as she takes in the chaos in my kitchen. “How many different pans do you have going?”

“I thought I’d cook ahead for your visit. That’s, uh, spaghetti sauce, and those are sautéed vegetables. I’ve also got chicken breasts in the oven and—” I cut myself off. “All of the pans, apparently.”

It’s overboard, I know it is, but we have a lot of time to make up for.

“Well…” She moves around the island, looking at the mess. “Can I start with these mushrooms? What are they for?”

“I was going to stuff them. An appetizer. Or dinner while I texted with you later tonight, if they didn’t turn out well enough to save for tomorrow.”

She laughs and picks up a paring knife. “Got it.”

Since I was mostly done the other dishes, I turn to clean-up duty while she preps the mushrooms, then switches knives and begins mincing garlic for the stuffing.

I stop tidying and give in to my urge to just watch her hands flash over the cutting board. Chop, chop, gather, chop, chop, drag. She lifts her head to look at me. “Can you grate some salt on this?”

Fuck, how happy does it make me to cook with her? I add the salt to her board, then stick right next to her as she does a final pass on the garlic.

It’s perfectly minced.

“Good job,” I murmur, kissing her soundly.

I like the way she blushes when I pull away. “I don’t cook a lot. But when I do, I like to do it well.”

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