When I stepped inside, I froze.
Enrico stood with his back to me, calmly opening the refrigerator.
I hesitated in the doorway, watching him without being able to look away.
He wore a simple white T-shirt that clung to the defined muscles of his broad shoulders and strong back. Dark lounge pants hung low on his narrow hips, tracing the perfect line of his waist.
I swallowed hard, heat rushing to my cheeks as my eyes betrayed me—remembering, painfully, how much I had once desired every inch of him.
He seemed to sense my presence and turned, surprise flashing briefly before softening.
“Hungry?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, uncomfortable.
“I was just thinking of making a sandwich. I won’t get in your way.”
“You never get in my way, Valentina,” he said naturally, closing the fridge and stepping closer. “I had the same idea. Sit down—I can make one for both of us.”
I stopped short, giving him a skeptical, half-amused look.
“Since when do you know how to cook?”
He smiled—and my breath caught.
“I recently discovered I have some hidden talents,” he said lightly. “Though I don’t think a sandwich qualifies as cooking. I’ll owe you dinner another day.”
Something warm and unsettling spread through me as he moved closer, his presence filling the space.
“Alright,” I murmured, clearing my throat. “Let’s see those ‘culinary talents.’”
He laughed softly and began assembling the ingredients. I found myself cataloging every small detail—the precision of his movements, the way his fingers handled each item, the unconscious grace of it all.
I didn’t realize I was staring until he looked up.
“Everything okay?” he asked gently.
I looked away too fast.
“Yes. Just tired.”
He hesitated.
“Do you think you’ll go back to the bakery full-time once things settle?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It’s always been my dream. But so much has changed that I’m not sure what I want anymore.”
He nodded, stepping closer to place the finished sandwich in front of me.
Our bodies nearly brushed.
My heart thundered.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
“Valentina…” he whispered.
It took everything I had to step back.
