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“Niall,” she moaned, pushing her hips up to press against my pelvis, and all those practical thoughts vanished from my mind. The only questions left were what position she wanted and if I could eat her out first. I reached for her waistband and—
The oven sounded, the beeps so aggressive, I thought it might burn everything down if it wasn’t answered immediately.
“I’ll get that,” I mumbled, climbing off her and adjusting my semi before heading to the kitchen.
“Cock-blocked by my own oven,” she huffed. “Figures. That bitch hates me. I have to have a thermometer inside the oven because its temperature is always off.”
“You’re always welcome to cook at my place.”
“Nah, I like the battle.” Leah popped up in the kitchen window. “Set a timer for three minutes for them to cool on the pan, then we’ll let ’em cool for another five before we can pack them and go.”
I grabbed the moss green pot holder and pulled out four trays of insanely delicious smelling cookies and carefully set them on the stove and started the timer. Done, I turned back toward her, eyes roaming all over the place as I took in the decor in this room. “You’ve got a lot of hobbies.”
“Yeah. I get bored easily. Or …” She paused, shifting side to side. “Since I didn’t do friends or community or whatever, I had a lot of free time and filled it with grandma hobbies.”
“Is coloring considered a grandma hobby?” I asked as I rounded back into the living room, nodding at the coloring books on the table.
“I guess not that one. But the knitting and quilting are definitely grandma hobbies. Most of the quilts I have, my mom made. That floral masterpiece is hers.” Leah nodded to the one quilt hanging on the wall behind the couch. The center was a sporadic collection of wildflowers, the edges trimmed in little waves of sage green. “Now that I’m looking at the place, it is pretty cottage-core, isn’t it?”
I looked around her home and nodded. “It’s nice though. I like it. A lot more personable than my place. When I moved down here, I just hired someone to furnish it. Since Sharma started and I have some free time again, I’ve noticed it doesn’t really feel like home.”
“Hmm, but they did get you quality shit. Your bed was amazing. I didn’t really care about the quality of my bed beyond ‘not shitty,’ but I regret not doing more research into what’s best.”
“Well you’re welcome to my bed anytime,” I said, fumbling when she responded with a raised eyebrow and a devilish smile. “I meant—”
“I know what you meant. But sex is definitely on the table now. There’s no reason to avoid it anymore. Right?”
“Right, no reason,” I said under my breath, grabbing her waist and pulling her flush against me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Except for right now. ’Cause of the shower. Late for cookies is one thing, but late for sex is another.”
“Ah, you’re right.” I sighed and rested my forehead against hers, not pulling away. I hadn’t thought much about it before, but it was nice that she was nearly my height, it made her feel closer. I liked her closer.
“And yet you’re not moving,” she teased.
“I like holding you.”
“Uh-huh. And is all the touching your normal relationship thing?”
“Hmm, not really. But it feels good to hold you.”
“Weirdo.”
“And yet you’re not pushing me away,” I countered and she shrugged in my hold.
“The timer’ll go off any minute now. No sense in moving.”
I hummed and let her weak excuse pass, knowing if I pointed it out, she’d push me away for the bit.
“I don’t think I said it, but I like you too.”
“Oh really? I couldn’t tell.”
“I’m comfortable around you in a way that I can’t be with the guys and … it’s nice to have that in my life now. I’m really glad we met that night.”
Leah hummed and moved to rest her head on my shoulder, nuzzling in.
“Can I say something controversial?” she whispered.
