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Chapter 23
Mia
“Did you bring the wine?” Andre asked with his back turned to her at the stove.
Mia shut the door behind her. He’d changed into a pair of low-hung sweatpants and a Seaview Construction T-shirt.
“Don’t I always?” Mia held up the bottle.
Andre turned and smiled. “Perfect.” He picked up a wooden spoon and stirred whatever deliciousness was in the pot making the whole house smell divine—garlic and onion with the rich aroma of a tomato-based sauce.
Mia set the wine on the counter and walked over to peek at the stove. The large pot bubbled with the thick red sauce, and bits of green herbs floated along the surface. “Need any help?”
“How about a taste test?” Andre pulled the spoon from the red sauce and blew on it. Her attention darted to his muscular forearms and the veins running through the sinewy tendons. He shifted his hand as he offered her a sample. Her gaze met his as she bent forward and opened her mouth. Andre’s eyes darkened as he brought the sauce to her lips. She moaned at the perfect blend of herbs and tomatoes before licking her lips.
Andre’s gaze darted to her mouth just a moment before he tenderly kissed her. The richness of the sauce mixed with his natural sweetness, overloading her senses. This kiss was different than all the ones that had come before. This one was tender. She’d already been sexually satiated, but a new longing built deep within her.
She broke the kiss, staring back into his glazed eyes. What was that? “I think it’s done.”
Andre nodded and shut the stove off. “Pasta is too. Wine opener is in here.” He pointed to a row of three drawers before motioning to a cupboard. “And glasses are in there.”
Mia pulled open the drawer and found the corkscrew. She was just thankful to have something to keep her hands busy. This all seemed a little too domestic. But he’s been to my house for dinner half a dozen times or more. So why did this time feel so different?
She poured herself a full glass and took a few big sips before filling his cup. He carried over their plates of steaming spaghetti and meatballs before setting them on the rectangular table off the kitchen. Mia took another sip before joining him. This is not a date. Just two friends sharing a meal after fucking each other’s brains out.
“I’m so hungry.” Mia sat across from him. No need to be too close.
“Well, we did have quite the workout.” Andre chuckled.
She laughed before taking another sip of her drink. The alcohol smoothed out the edges and enabled her to relax. She could do this. Friendly banter like they always had on their runs. No need to imagine this was something it wasn’t.
They tucked into the food. Andre’s gaze never seemed to leave her for too long. She sliced a meatball and stuffed a piece of it in her mouth. “This is really good. How did you learn to cook like this?”
Andre smiled before taking a sip of his own wine. “My parents always took turns doing the cooking. When we were old enough, they’d drag us into the kitchen with them. We had a rule that the cook didn’t have to clean. I hate doing dishes, like, loathe that chore.” He shrugged. “So, I opted to cook dinner more often than not.”
He cleaned up and did my dishes the night of Mamá’s birthday though. Somehow knowing it was his least favorite thing made it all that much more meaningful.
“It paid off. This is delicious.”
He flashed her a wink. “The secret is love.”
She coughed, panic squeezing her chest tight. Andre sat straighter, brows knit together. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, reaching for her wineglass to dislodge the stuck food. Gulping down the alcohol helped in more ways than one.
“Went down the wrong hole,” she rasped, patting her chest. The sudden urge to flee rose within her.
He smirked. “I’ve been around Bently too much for me not to have a comeback for that.”
She shook her head. “Boys and your sexual innuendo.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Says the woman who told me that she was going to be the best thing I ever tasted.”
She laughed, the tension leaving her chest. “I guess I did, didn’t I?”
“You weren’t wrong.”
She couldn’t help but smile. But I was wrong about the depth of how I could feel for you. This man had her knocked off her axis.
