Those had to be the sweetest words Eli had ever heard.
“Wanna have dinner with me?” Noah asked.
He grinned. “Only if you save the shenanigans untilafterwe’ve eaten. That way, it might be edible.”
Noah chuckled. “I’m not even going to risk it. We’re ordering in. Of course, it might take a while to get here.”
Eli grinned. “I’m sure we’ll find something to do in the meantime.”
Noah opened the sketchbook to a clean page. “I have pencils. And I’ve always wanted to be a life model.”
Eli let his gaze drift lower. “I’ll need a bigger piece of paper.”
“Oh my. You know how to make a guy feel good, don’t you?”
It wasn’t until Noah headed into the kitchen, still laughing, that his earlier words truly sank in.
I reserve the right to tease you about it until we’re old.
Eli’s heart skipped a beat.
Would it be too much to hope that we’re old together?
Chapter Nineteen
Eli was getting usedto the smell of cinnamon and fresh dough. For the first time in days, the world outside the window wasn’t a blur of snow. Clouds diffused the sunlight until everywhere was gray, and now and then there was the odd lazy drift of flakes.
Aileen nudged him. “You two didn’t fall out, did you?”
He blinked. “Of course we didn’t. What makes you say that?”
Her eyes gleamed. “Because you were at my place last night, after spending four straight nights at Noah’s place, that’s why.” Her lips twitched. “Although I suppose not one of those nights was spent doing anythingremotelystraight.”
He folded his arms. “You can hint as much as you like. I amnotdiscussing my sex life with you. And if you must know, Noah had something he wanted to work on last night.”
What that was, Noah hadn’t divulged. Eli had been expecting a message from him all morning, but so far?
Nothing.
He checked the time.
9:42 a.m.
Okay, this is weird.
“Anyway, get your butt into the kitchen. I need a taste tester. It’s an emergency.”
He smiled despite the knot in his stomach. The morning was shaping up as chaotically as usual. Aileen was dusted in flour, her hair in a messy bun held together by what looked like pure willpower.
Eli followed her into the kitchen. “Couldn’t Sam be your taster?”
“Sam is busy. You’re being lazy.”
He glanced toward the door. He wasn’t expecting Noah to walk in, but he was dying to know where he was.
“So what is it you want me to taste?”
Aileen placed a warm cinnamon roll in front of him. “I lied. I wanted you on your own, so I took advantage of the lull in customers. What’s wrong?”
