They held each other in the silence of her apartment, simply content to be. But just when Audrey was relaxed enough to contemplate dozing off, Theo’s phone timer went off in his pocket, jolting them both up from the couch. A heavenly aroma floated in the air.
“Ohshit, I almost forgot! Glad I set this,” he said, wincing at their sudden movement and massaging his leg absently. But after unzipping his hoodie and tossing it over the back of the couch, he leaned down and gave Audrey another quick kiss before limping over to the kitchenette.
She couldn’t help but smile as she watched him bend over her tiny oven and carefully use a towel to take out the trays he’d put in there to warm. He took up half her studio by himself, and his hands were so large, it looked like he was using an Easy-Bake Oven rather than a real one.
“What’s the clear stuff on your scar?” She draped herself over the side of the couch while she watched him move around the kitchen.
Now that his hoodie was gone, she could see his back muscles rippling through his thin shirt.
Wait a second.
Was he…
Was he ripped?!
Her mouth dropped open. Hewas. But he was also too preoccupied to notice how red her face suddenly got. “It’s silicone scar tape,” he answered as he set the trays on top of the stove. “It’s supposed to help with healing. My plastic surgeon wants me to wear it pretty much all the time now that I have my latest reconstruction stitches out and the wound is fully closed.”
“I don’t remember feeling that on Saturday. Wouldn’t I have?”
“I…might have left it off that day. Just in case.” He peeled the foil off the tops and glanced over his shoulder. The tips of his ears had turned pink and his cheeks and neck were rapidly following suit.
“Oh?” Audrey purred, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand. “So youdidhave that kiss planned after all.”
Theo’s deepening blush was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. “Dishes and silverware?” His voice might have cracked a little while he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows, revealing strong, sculpted forearms thickly corded with muscle and dusted with dark hair. A few more fresh pink scars twisted along his right arm. Audrey pointed to the correct cupboard and drawer with a wicked grin, and he quickly plated up dinner before striding back over to the couch with two bowls held in each wide hand. He passed her one set, and Audrey’s stomach growled at the sight of it.
It was handmade ravioli drenched in fresh tomato sauce and melted cheese, paired with a slice of soft, crispy focaccia topped with flaky sea salt and dripping in olive oil. She took a bite and nearly died.
“Oh my god,” she moaned through the creamy herbed ricotta filling. “This is heaven.”
“Better than blue box?”
“Holy hell,yes. Where did you get this?”
He grinned crookedly at her, wide and luminous.Grinned, which was made so much better now that she could actually see his mouth, especially when two long, sweeping dimples appeared, carved deep into his cheeks alongside it.
God, he haddimples.
“My secret. I’m not telling you.”
“Oh, come on.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Gotta keep some things close to the chest.”
“You’ve kept almosteverythingclose to your chest.”
He snorted and tapped at the other bowl he’d brought over for her and set on the coffee table. “And I brought you a salad too.”
She glared at him. “What, are you trying to make sure I’m healthy or something?”
A wicked gleam glinted in his eye. The novelty of actually seeing him smirk would never go away now. “Eat your greens, Miss Adams.”
Audrey punched his shoulder playfully, and he gave her an indignant look. But she was already reaching for the remote to get her revenge before he could stop her.
“Fine, I will. But I needsomesort of trash with my dinner and you owe me an episode ofLove Is Blind. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”
He groaned dramatically but didn’t protest when she fired up Netflix on the little TV across from them. Audrey couldn’t believe how happy she was in that moment, tucked next to him on the couch, nestled into his warmth on the outside while the incredible pasta he’d brought her warmed her from within.
Having Theo here in her space alone with her was so much nicer than she’d expected. Given how he was when she’d first met him, she’d half wondered if it might have been extremely awkward with no buffer and nothing between them. But she was shocked at howutterlyrighteverything felt. Even the fact that he’d actually taken the hoodie off to reveal a dark green Henley underneath, the low, unbuttoned collar displaying far more of the length of the scar than she’d seen before, showed how much he trusted her. Theo really did seem to feel safe with her now, and that was enormous.
