His insides were starting to heat with rising intensity. “Next, I’d like for us to go out—doing something we’d both like to do, of course. I know you work hard, but I want to explore Paris with you. We’ve never had a meal alone, have we?”
“Chefs don’t usually eat out since we’re in a restaurant all the time.” She made a face. “Besides, we’re always with our friends, but I can swing that.”
He had other plans in mind, but he wouldn’t mentionthem now. He could feel her vibrating with nerves and excitement under his hands. “Next, I’d like for you to sleep in my bed after we make love. I promise to make it a comfortable space for you.”
She lifted her head sharply. “Oh! Ah…”
God, the awkwardness was like nails on a chalkboard. “Fuck it,” he said. “The reason I want this condition is simple. I want to fall asleep with you and wake up with you. If you snuck out or left me after we were together, it would upset me.”
It would hurt me.
The words got stuck in his throat, but this time, she was the one who leaned closer and whispered, “I wouldn’t do that.”
He let her hear his harsh exhale. “Good. Then I only have one other item. I want to have breakfast with you. I know work is what it is, but I figure that’s the meal we can most easily share together. Besides, I like the idea of starting my day with you. I always feel better when I’m with you.”
She touched his chest and then pulled away before resting it there more firmly, her palm layered over the heart that was already hers. “I… I was just thinking earlier how I like seeing you reading the paper when I come into the kitchen. I’m happy to have breakfast, but I sleep longer than you in the mornings.”
He tipped her chin up. “I’m not worried. Maybe our schedules will sync up. Or I’ll stay in bed longer. Anything is possible. Even breakfast in bed.”
Those golden eyes of hers were blazing with heat now, causing his heart to drum loudly in his chest. “I’ve never had breakfast in bed.”
Who were these men she’d been with? “Consider it on my list of ways to please you.”
She angled her barstool closer, curving more into his body. “You already have a list?”
“I have a whole spreadsheet,” he corrected, tracing the underside of her jaw. “Which I add to daily. When I say I want to convince you that we can be forever, I mean it.”
She cleared her throat. “I appreciate your thoroughness. No one’s ever made a list about me like that before. Kyle?—”
“Yeah, Mad?”
She bit her lip. “I’m going to be a little weird at times about this whole arrangement between us.”
He gave her a little room since he understood her, leaning his elbow on the kitchen island again and simply gazing at her. “I probably will be too. We’ll figure it out. We always have.”
Ducking closer to him, she simply said, “So what now? Do we just go upstairs and get going? Should I bring a toothbrush? Or do you want?—”
He put his finger to her lips. “I want our first time to be really special, so if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to wait until we can make a night of things…like a couple.”
The groan she made was pained. “Iknewyou were going to say something like that. You aren’t going to expect me to do rose petals and shit, are you?”
God, he’d love to see that, but he made sure to keep his face straight. “We’ll discover what we both like. This isn’t just about sex, Mad. I want to romance you.”
She looked down at her fingers as if she was contemplating ripping her own nails off. “Kyle, I’m not good at this whole romance deal, but since I know it means a lot to you, I’ll do it. Just make sure it happens soon, okay? If Thea hadn’t interrupted us last night, I might have ripped your clothes off in that hallway.”
Liquid heat filled his veins as he imagined her yanking his shirt out of his pants and running her hands up his bare chest. “I also wondered. They’ve been some pretty good fantasies.”
Finally, she gave him one of those rare, full-tilt smiles. “Oh yeah? You’ll have to tell me about them.”
He leaned in and kissed her softly on the mouth before pulling away. “Count on it. Now, I plan to leave the kitchen before I embarrass Pierre and myself by showing off exactly how much I want you.”
“Gotcha.” She grabbed her recipe card and folded it before shoving it back into her pocket. “We might end up doing it on the kitchen island the first time, and God help us if Pierre told Dean about it or imitated us in front of the others.”
He cringed. “That…could happen? We might need to find Pierre another place to sleep. Just in case.”
They stood there staring at each other, tension crackling in the air between them.
She lifted her shoulder finally. “So…ah…good night. See you in the morning.”
