Page 20 of Thanking Her Brother's Best Friends

Aiden led me through the restaurant and into the back area. The scents of simmering marinara, fresh-baked sourdough, rich parmesan, and fragrant herbs mingled in the air. They built an intoxicating symphony.

The space hummed with vibrant energy, accentuated by butter sizzling in pans, the chopping of fresh ingredients, and the occasional shouts from servers and cooks.

Vibrant colors—red Roma tomatoes, green basil, and plump ivory garlic cloves—greeted me from the countertops.

I'd never felt so much peace in chaos.

There, amid the culinary symphony, was Dominic, looking like he had stepped straight out of a Renaissance painting. He was a male Adonis, commanding the kitchen with grace and skill.

His strong, tattooed arms effortlessly maneuvered pots and pans, calling out commands in a voice that could have belonged to a rock star.

It was as if he was born to be in the kitchen. His culinary prowess radiated from every pore of his being.

Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, accentuated his chiseled features, and added more character to his raw intensity.

His eyes looked up and looked straight into mine. The momentary peace that I felt was broken into a thousand shards as hot, balmy chemistry filled the salty air between us.

"Hello, Selene," he drawled, brandishing a ladle at me like it was the sexiest thing in the whole fucking world.

An unspoken language danced in the air between the three of us. Although we were surrounded by cooks, at this moment, it was just him, Aiden, and me.

"Hey," I replied, my throat distinctly dry. "Busy?"

That had to be the stupidest reply I could have come up with. Selene, Kitchen Goddess, the best show host in all of Boston, was apparently unable to string together coherent words.

To my relief, he responded with a laugh and said something to one of his sous chefs before leaving the pot he was working on and coming over. Even as he walked, I could make out every chiseled line and curve of his muscles.

And beside me, I could hear Aiden chuckling as if he was not offended by my distinct discomfort. Instead, he seemed to relish in it, like he wanted me to know that this world existed and it could be mine for the taking.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since the wedding," Dominic said as he got closer.

"Oh?" I blushed, my mind full of all the possibilities. What had he been thinking?

"That cake was some of the best shit I've ever had. You need to come in here and teach me to mix flavors like that," he said.

I felt disappointed for just a second before the ridiculousness of the whole thing got to me, and I began giggling. I couldn't tell if this laughter resulted from my nervousness or an early mid-life crisis.

But, it broke through the tension between us.

"I can totally show you my way with pastries, but for that, you'd have to visit my kitchen," I finally said. "It's a fair trade, no?"

Dominic inclined his head, that same slight smile playing on his lips. "Sounds pretty good to me. So, how did you find Harvest and Hearth?"

"It's stunning," I gushed. "I don't know what I was expecting, but you guys have done an amazing job with the place. I loved the rooftop and how you've decorated the walls with sea shells and pictures of South Boston."

"Well, we had to bring our roots with us, right? You can't become anyone else even if you leave them behind."

What was it with these men, how they looked and spoke? How could they take the most ordinary of words and make something so magical out of them?

And, more importantly, why the hell did I want the two of them so badly? Like, I craved them.

"Can I have some water?" I asked, knowing full well that no water would quench this thirst.

5

DOM

Iwas a sane person. Honestly. This never happened to me.

---