Geoff blew on the sauce and slurped the liquid into his mouth. Garlic, onion, oregano, and other seasonings he couldn’t pinpoint flooded his senses.
“That is wonderful,” he said.
“Thank you.” Teddy blushed.
“You’re so adorable when you blush.”
Teddy’s face turned redder. “Stop.”
“Would you like some help?” Geoff asked.
“Yes, please. Can you continue to stir this while I finish the meat?”
Geoff stirred as he watched Teddy season and tasted the meat.
He used a towel to wipe the sweat from the brown curls that clung to his forehead. His eyes closed each time he tasted the seasoned beef. A wide smile curved upward when it was perfect.
When it was to his satisfaction, he placed a glass lid on it and started preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Geoff took the lid off, grabbed a spoon, and took a taste. “Tastes good.” He took another bite.
“Don’t eat it all.” Teddy laughed. “I need most of that for the lasagna.”
Geoff set the tasting spoon in the sink and then continued to stir the sauce, watching to make sure it didn’t boil over.
“Okay, put the lid on the sauce to let it simmer, and then you can slice the bread.”
Once he’d sliced the bread, Geoff helped Teddy assemble the lasagna. Handing him strips of pasta, holding the pan of sauce and meat, and the bowls of cheese.
Between each layer, Teddy gave Geoff a kiss and thanked him for helping.
Teddy placed the lasagna in the oven. “There. Now we just have to wait forty minutes, and then I’ll put the garlic bread in.”
They washed the dishes as the lasagna baked; the aroma wafting through the kitchen. Geoff rarely joined Teddy in the kitchen. He used it to decompress, so when Teddy invited him, it was special.
“We still have time to kill,” Teddy said. “What should we do?”
“I’m going to play some video games,” Geoff said.
“Have fun.” Teddy gave him a kiss. “I’m going to sit outside and read.”
Geoff had an hour to kill, so he booted up his Steam account and foundStardew Valley.“This’ll be fun.”
He planted crops, milked the cows, collected eggs, and romanced Harvey. “Why can’t we get some beefy choices?”
Geoff was in a mine when Teddy told him dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes.
“Almost done,” Geoff called.
“You need to get Ciaran before the food gets cold.”
“Okay.” Geoff exited the mine and got his character home.
He stood, stretched, and bundled up to grab Ciaran.
Chapter Four
CIARAN
