Page 187 of My Real Love Affair

“I’ve never made cookies before,” I admitted.

She turned to stare at me. “Never?”

“Never.”

“Not even as a kid?”

“We had staff for that kind of thing.”

She shook her head, but she was smiling. “Well, you’re about to learn.”

It became clear I had no business messing around in a kitchen, but she helped me with the patience of a saint.

“We need a cookie sheet,” she said.

I stared at her blankly.

She laughed. “That cupboard. Black. Flat.”

I opened the cupboard she nodded toward and pulled out a few options.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“You’re learning.” She opened the cookie-dough tube and started breaking off pieces. “Now we just put these on the pan, about two inches apart. They spread when they bake.”

I helped her place the dough rounds, making sure they were perfectly spaced. This part, I could handle. When the pan was full, she slid it into the oven and set the timer.

“Twelve minutes,” she said. “Now for the second round of snacks while we wait.”

“There’s more?”

“I’m really hungry.” She pulled out a pot. “Ramen. The fancy kind with actual vegetables and good broth, not the instant stuff.”

I watched as she filled the pot with water and set it on the stove. “This is easy enough,” I said.

She laughed. “You’re so cute. I love that you’re a complete novice in the kitchen.”

I moved closer, backing her against the counter. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called cute before.”

“What have you been called?”

“Hot. Sexy. Insufferable. Asshole.” I grinned. “But never cute.”

“Well, you are. Especially when you’re confused about boiling water.”

I kissed her because I couldn’t not kiss her. She tasted like wine and chocolate. I was rapidly losing interest in food. I couldn’t get enough of her. She was addicting.

“The water is boiling,” she murmured against my lips.

“Let it boil.”

“Austin, we’re going to burn down my kitchen.”

Reluctantly, I pulled back. I watched as she added the ramen to the water, along with vegetables and what looked like actual real ingredients.

I watched her move around the kitchen adding seasoning, tasting the broth, adjusting as needed. She made it look effortless. I loved that we could go from fine dining to this homey, comfy feeling in her kitchen.

Melody was a woman of many talents.