Her heart fluttered when she heard his knock at the door. Lily pulled the Alsatian bacon and onion tart out of the oven and set it beside the tarte Tatin she’d whipped up earlier that day.

“Glad you could make it,” she said as she opened the door.

“Well, this isn’t quite as sexy as the lavender robe… and what you had, or didn’t have on, underneath, the last time…” Cade said as he pulled playfully at her apron generously covered in flour and oil stains.

Lily blushed. “I made you dinner.”

“Yeah, but last time, dinner—well, dessert was code for something else.” Cade stepped into her living room and took off his jacket. “Can I help with anything?”

“You’re not disappointed, are you?” Lily asked. A flurry of worries gathered in her stomach. “I mean, I thought actually making you dinner, you know, it would be—”

“It’s great,” he said. Cade leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I was just teasing. And it smells amazing by the way. My offer to help is probably a bit empty. I’m pretty useless in the kitchen.”

“I don’t know. I could probably think of a few uses for you,” she said with a wink. “But actually, if you want, you can open the white wine on the table. I couldn’t get it.”

“That I can do.”

Lily rushed into the kitchen and picked up the casserole dish. In the little makeshift breakfast nook, she scooted over the salad full of seasonal ingredients she’d picked up that morning.

“Damn, that looks professional,” Cade said. “What do you call it?”

“It’s just a kind of quiche,” she said. “Jean-Michel has been working on it with me.”

Cade’s face clouded for a moment.

“A Parisian man who can bake,” he said. “Tough to compete with that.”

“What, you’re jealous?” she asked. Lily whipped off the apron and hung it on the hook overhead. “Do you think Jean-Michel is attractive?”

“I don’t know if I’d say that,” Cade said quickly as he sat down across from her and filled their wine glasses. “I mean, I only saw him once, that first time I went into the shop. I wasn’t exactly checking him out. I was kind of busy checking you out.”

Lily felt her face turn even pinker as she sliced the quiche.

“Well, it’ll break his heart, but I’m going to have to tell him the feeling isn’t mutual.” Lily slid a slice of the quiche—perfectly baked, she noted—onto Cade’s plate.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Jean-Michel was certainly checking you out. I had to tell him not only are my brothers straight, but so is their best friend.”

Cade nearly choked on his first bite. “Oh. You mean—”

“A Parisian man that can bake? Yeah, sometimes it’s called a cliché for a reason.”

“Well now I feel kind of stupid,” Cade said. “Thankfully, the most amazing dish ever makes up for it.”

“You really like it?”

“Before just now, I could honestly say I don’t like French food, but I think you just converted me.”

Lily smiled and dug into her own slice. She was aware of the happy little bubble they’d created around themselves. Ten days.

It had been ten days since they’d gotten together with no walls up. And she was scared to death that any minute it would come crashing down. She could feel how shaky and vulnerable it was.

Of course it can’t last, she reminded herself every day. It made her grateful for every moment of happiness they did have together.

Just don’t mess it up, she told herself.

“Don’t fill up,” she said. “There’s still dessert.”

Cade’s ears perked up at that. “And by dessert, you mean—”

“Tarte Tatin. Come here, I’ll show you.” She stood up, finished her wine in a single swallow, and pulled him into the kitchen.

“You made this?” he asked.

“Don’t act so surprised. I do work in a bakery.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Don’t talk, just taste,” she said, and plucked a pinch of the sweet dessert out of the dish.

When she brought her fingers to Cade’s lips, she truly intended to leave it as a sweet flirt. But as soon as she felt his lips on her fingertips, when he took her wrist and held her hand close—sucked her finger slowly—she knew the tarte would have to wait.

“It’s sweet,” he said. “But not as sweet as you.”

He hoisted her onto the counter and shoved the prep dishes out of the way. The sounds of the clang of them hitting the floor shrouded the groan in his throat.

Cade reached up her thighs and searched for her underwear. All he found was her wetness, her want, and her heat.

Cade cradled her jaw and leaned her head back.

“Sneaky girl,” he said.

Lily laughed. She heard the rattle of his belt. He squeezed the flesh of her thighs and brought her toward him. Just when she thought she was about to slip off the edge, he slid inside her.

Lily wrapped her legs around his waist to hold him closer. She felt a tug at her chest followed by a series of pops as her snap-button shirt came undone. The air was cold on her breasts just long enough to harden her nipples, and then his mouth was on them.

His tongue flicked across her nipples while she rode him as best she could perched on the counter.

“You know you can see the shop from here,” he said into her ear.

Lily’s eyes popped open. She tried to twist around to look out the kitchen window, but Cade held her close. Below, she saw broad backs clad in denim bent over vintage cars.

“Shit,” she said.

“Don’t be shy,” he said. “How about we give them a good show?”

She knew if they were caught, she’d regret it the next day. The guys would give her knowing looks, and the loudmouthed one might even say something. But he felt so good.

Damn, he just feels so good.

Suddenly, Cade lifted her up. She squealed. “What are you doing?”

“Changed my mind,” he said. “Decided I don’t want to share you.”

With every step he walked her toward the bedroom, she held on tighter. With every step, she felt him sink deeper into her. Cade laid her on the bed and never exited her. He was on top of her, all-consuming, the only thing she could see or breathe. At that angle, he hit her G-spot just right.

Lily moaned into his ear.

“You’ve got me close,” she said.

“Let go,” he urged. “Just know that when you do, I’m not going to stop. I want you to keep coming for me…”

Lily felt the first orgasm build up at her center. She exploded onto him and called out his name the entire time. Cade slowed and worked every last layer of pleasure out of her.

She was sensitive, but didn’t want to stop. As soon as she thought she could handle more, she whispered in his ear. “Hey. Where’s that second round you promised me?”

Cade increased his pace, and Lily couldn’t tell if her first orgasm was still going or if it was a new one that built inside her. This time, when she reached her peak, he came with her.

“That wasn’t the dessert I spent three hours making,” she said as he lay heavy on top of her.

He laughed and pushed himself to one side. “Sorry. But I’m starving again now. Tarte in bed?”

Lily walked to the kitchen, naked and not caring if the people below saw. She grabbed the entire dish and brought it to bed. Cade scooped out a piece with his fingers and popped it in his mouth.

“Damn,” he said. “I never thought I’d think the whole Suzy Homemaker thing was so hot—”

She smacked him playfully. “I’m not a homemaker,” she said. “Trust me, I wouldn’t have the calluses I do if I were.”

“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” he said. “I’m just saying. You know, if we’re official or whatever … I’ve just never had a girlfriend before. And don’t think I’m complaining, but I didn’t think if I ever did that, you know, she’d be like you. You’re better than I could have ever imagined.”

“Girlfriend?” she asked, shocked. “Official? What … what do you mean—”

“Oh,” he said. “Sorry, I just kind of assumed. I mean, I thought we were on the same page—”

“Yes! I mean, we are. I just… we didn’t even talk about it, so I thought…”

“You thought what?”

“You know, that we weren’t putting a label on it. Or whatever.”

Cade laughed. “Is that the kind of guy you think I am?”

Lily looked down at the dessert, embarrassed.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s not just you. Every guy in his twenties, I thought that was the thing. The whole play it cool until you get married schtick.”

Cade laughed harder. “I’d like to think there would be a little more communication between meeting and getting married. I mean, if we have kids, I’d rather it not be a surprise.”

“You want kids?” she asked. With me?

“I never thought about it seriously, but, yeah. I think I do. One day. Don’t you?” he asked. “Although I have to be totally honest. There’s a part of me that kind of hopes for a redo of my own childhood. But I guess we all bring our baggage to the kid thing, right?”

“Talking about kids right now is a little too weird,” she said. “But, yeah, I agree. One day. How about we just stick with the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing for now?”

“Okay. So… do we need to pinky swear or something? How do you make it official?”

“I think a pinky swear will work fine,” she said. As he looped his finger through hers, she couldn’t remember ever being so happy.