Page 79 of My Scorned Best Friend

“In the kitchen.”

I follow the smell of dinner, and there in the kitchen is Xavier, hard at work. He’s got his apron on and his hair is styled, making him the most handsome man ever. But I could be biased.

“Come kiss the chef,” he says.

I walk over and run my hands up his rigid torso until I rise on my tiptoes and place a kiss on his lips. “What are you making us?”

“Just some salmon, potatoes, and green beans. Nothing special, but if you eat all your veggies, I have a surprise dessert for you.”

“Oooh, yummy.”

He pours a glass of wine and hands it to me.

“I hate to say this, but I hope it’s not the clown outfit. I’m not sure I can handle that,” I say.

“Yeah, I can’t either, but you want to know something funny? Kerbie mailed me a package that came to the condo. It’s on the table.”

I head over to the table and, sure enough, it’s the Santa underwear I sent him. I hold them up. “So, do you think…”

“No, I’m going with it just being a screwup. No way my grandma sent me elephant underwear.” He turns back to what he’s working on, wineglass in hand.

I raise my eyebrows like, don’t be so sure, then look around. There are candles lit on the table with plates and forks all laid out. “So, this is like a date night?”

“Yep, and I have something to talk to you about.”

I still, and the room is silent.

Xavier laughs. “Nothing like that. I got a call today and there’s a magazine that wants to do an article on me.” He turns around and his teeth skate across his bottom lip.

“What kind of article?” I meet him back in the kitchen, propping myself up on the counter.

He holds up a potato for me and I wrap my lips around the fork tongs. I nod that it’s done, and he turns off the burner.

“Finding love while playing the game.” He plates our dishes and carries them to the table. “Which means you’re a big portion of that article.”

“I would hope so.”

He chuckles and steps between my legs. “So, what do you think? Want to go public?”

I run my hands through his hair. “You know I’m not the one who shied away from it. It was you.”

“I’m still scared. I never want you to be hurt, and some of these people are brutal. My first year as starter, I wanted to crawl into a hole.”

“And now look at you.”

“People are still mean, I just stopped reading the comments. They’re never happy and of course, they can always do a better job than me.” He rolls his eyes. He tips his forehead down, so it meets mine.

“I think you’re amazing. I mean, look how far you’ve come. It’s a story most guys dream of.”

His hands tighten on my ass. “This is what people dream of. Finding their one and only. So?”

“Of course I’ll do it.”

“Great. Although I hate that we’re stuck in this position because of my job, I do want everyone to know I’m yours and you’re mine.”

He picks me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist, my hands working on the apron tie behind his neck. “You should be naked.”

“Next time.” He kisses me and carries me to the chair, then drops me there before taking off the apron and sitting down too. He clicks the remote sitting by his dish and romantic music comes on through the speakers while we eat.

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