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Julian’s kitchen was much bigger than mine, and he let me have the run of the place whenever I was over, which was often.

Dating him wasn’t anything like I had expected. He was undeniably busier than my ex-husband had been, but not a day went by without him texting or calling. For the past three months, we went out several times a week. Sometimes it was for breakfast before he went into the office. If I was fully booked for dinners, he had no problem being flexible when needed.

He never seemed to mind that my job had odd hours, and he didn’t make me feel as though his career was more important than mine, which would be much more understandable as the managing partner of a successful entertainment law firm, compared to Harrison, who sold his family’s wine for a living.

Being with a man who appreciated me and had no problem showing it was refreshing. And inspired me to be a better girlfriend. Like waking up when I didn’t need to so I could make breakfast for Julian before he headed into the office.

I had eggs soft scrambling in butter, smoked salmon waiting, rye bread in the toaster, and a bowl of berries I had cut because the plate needed a splash of color.

Julian came down already dressed, his hungry gaze on me instead of the food. Three months of this, and the passion between us was only growing stronger.

“Stay home.” I turned off the burner. “Call in sick and play hooky with me. I have no clients today, and our breakfast has enough protein to give us plenty of energy for whatever we might get up to in bed.”

“Blame Serena.” He stole a berry from the bowl. “I need to negotiate a deal with the studio for her this morning. If I play hooky, she won’t let me come to any more dinner parties with the most gorgeous chef in town.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure you’ll keep your standing invitation. She likes showing us off while taking credit for setting us up."

“I still say she can’t technically call herself a matchmaker.” He poured himself a mug of coffee and topped mine off. “I asked for your phone number before she got the chance to do anything.”

“True.” I put the toast on the plates, slid the eggs on top, and then added the smoked salmon. “Voilà. Breakfast inspired by the disturbing movie you talked me into watching last night. Very Nordic.”

He took the plate I held out and kissed my temple on the way to the table. “Eat with me.”

“That’s the plan.” I sat across from him.

He finished his breakfast while I still had half a plate left. “I have something for you.”

“We agreed you’re limited to one gift per week,” I reminded him. “And you just gave me those roll-your-own dinner dice yesterday. Which is how we ended up having a wasabi mashed potato shepherd's pie for dinner last night.”

“And it was surprisingly good.” He got up and carried his plate to the sink before heading into the utility area off the garage. Then he came back with something small in his hand and set it beside my plate.

A garage clicker.

“Put that in your car,” he instructed. “I don’t want you waiting in the drive if I’m running late.”

“Julian.” I picked it up. “That’s only happened once.”

“And now it won’t again.”

“It’s still a clicker to your house.” I got up and opened my purse, found the key I had been carrying for a week, and held it out to him. “You should have this.”

He shook his head. “Didn’t mean it as a trade, baby.”

“Good, because it isn’t one.” I pressed the key into his palm and returned to my chair. “I’ve been carrying this around, waiting for the right time. You just beat me to it.”

He closed his fingers around it. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I grinned at him. “And thank you, too.”

“We’re quite the pair.” He shook his head with a laugh.

“I love having you as my other half.”

His blue eyes turned serious as he tucked the key into his pocket and sat down next to me. “I’m glad. Because I love you, Celia.”

“You do?” I sniffled, my eyes filling with happy tears.

He wiped his thumbs across my cheeks to catch them. “I know that neither of us were looking for anything serious when we met, but I can’t picture my life without you in it now that I have you.”