Charlie leaned back in her chair, unable to eat another bite. “Why didn’t I know you could cook like that?” she said.

“I learned out of necessity. It’s rough being a bachelor.” Shane winked.

She picked up her plate and took it to the sink, turning on the water to rinse it. It seemed important that she look anywhere but at him. “I’m sure there’s plenty of women who would be willing to cook for you.”

It was the silence that finally made her turn around. Shane was looking at her with that intense stare he sometimes got. Like he was trying to figure something out. She’d seen that look before. It was the look that always made her feel naked and vulnerable. Like he could somehow see right through her.

“Charlie,” Shane said, his tone was soft and serious. “I don’t want women to cook for me.”

He stood and moved to stand in front of her. She looked down, hoping to hide the blush on her cheeks. Gently, he raised her chin until she looked him in the face, and he smiled. “I don’t even want you to cook for me,” he said, his tone carefully light. Like he was trying to lighten the mood.

“That’s probably for the best,” she said, looking away. She tried to ignore the tiny stab of pain in her chest. The rejection hurt, even if she did deserve it.

“That’s not what I meant.” He reached out, putting his hands on her waist. “I couldn’t give a shit whether you cook for me or not, Charlie. I just want you.”

Wait, what? Charlie’s breath got caught in her chest, and she looked back at him. “Really?”

“Really.”

She placed her hands on his shoulders, unsure of herself. Even though they had already had sex, this felt different. There wasn’t anything between them now. Not grief or desperation. This was just them, and it was scary as hell. Charlie wished that her voice wasn’t shaking. “Why?”

Shane laughed softly and moved his hand to cup the back of her neck. “Because you’re kind and brave and brilliant. And there’s no one I would rather spend my time with, even if all we’re doing is eating pancakes.”

There was a sensation in her chest, sweet and aching, and she felt like she might cry. “Tell me more.”

Shane stepped even closer, closing the distance between them so it was barely an inch. “I’ll list everything I like about you. Every little quirk that makes me smile. Everything that makes my heart stop when I see you. I’ll do all of that. But please, let me kiss you first.”

The way he looked at her—like she was the only thing that mattered—made her heart stutter and then pound so hard she thought it might beat out of her chest. He’d kissed her before, too, but now she was nervous. This was what their first kiss should have been.

He tilted her jaw up with his thumb, gently pressing his lips against hers. “I like the way you taste,” he said murmured. “Especially when you’ve been eating syrup.” Charlie could taste sugar on his lips, too, combined with the taste that was just him.

He kissed her again, harder. Charlie felt her body relax into the familiar sensation, remembering just how good kissing him could feel. Shane’s hand slid down to her ass and squeezed, surprising a moan out of her.

“I like the way you feel against me,” he said. “Soft and perfect.”

He squeezed again, and she felt her body grow warm—felt herself getting wet. As Shane kissed her, she realized that she wanted him. Not because she was trying to escape something, but because she wanted him. It felt like a curtain had been pulled away from a window, blinding her. It had always been Shane. He had always been beside her, had always lifted her up and showed her he cared even when she had pushed him away. Even when she had used him time and time again. For sex. For emotional support. He had given everything to her because he cared. Maybe even more than cared, even though she couldn’t bring herself to think those words yet.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, suddenly wanting nothing more than to be close to him. She hummed in happiness, opening her mouth to him just as he pulled back. Charlie could see the wariness in Shane’s eyes and knew that she was the one who had put it there. She shook her head, and carefully put her words together to describe these new things she felt.

“I never let myself before,” she said, watching to see if he understood. “Never let myself consider what you felt toward me. I had to keep up that wall.”

Shane swallowed. His voice was so quiet, but hopeful. “And now?”

Charlie licked her lips. “And now I see you. Even though you’ve always been there. Because you’ve always been there.” She paused, suddenly emotional. “I want you, too.”

Shane’s lips fell on hers almost before she finished speaking. He kissed her like the world was ending and this was all they had left, and heat swirled in her stomach. She could feel his erection pressing against her, and she pushed her hips into his, making him groan. “Charlie.”

She needed to feel his skin, be closer to him. All it took was her pulling at the hem of his shirt for him to strip it off over his head and show her that glorious bare chest. But it wasn’t enough. She pushed down her pants and kicked them off. Shane did the same. He grabbed her hips, lifting her onto the counter and taking her mouth again. God, he could kiss. The way his tongue danced with hers was driving her mad, making her crave him even though she was already touching him.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling their bodies together with his cock hot and hard in between them. Shane moved his mouth to her neck, sucking along her collarbone, and Charlie groaned. “I need to feel you.”

He handed her a condom. “Will you do the honors?”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Where did that come from?”

“Wallet.”

“I didn’t even notice,” she laughed.

Shane grinned, “Well, I’m very stealthy.”

Charlie grabbed his cock, sliding the condom over him. The way he felt under her fingers made her shudder in anticipation. Shane was affected, too. She saw the muscles in his chest tense when she finished sheathing him. His jaw clenched. “The way you feel when you’re touching me—” He cut himself off. “You want to move to the bedroom?” He asked.

“No.” She wanted him. Right here. And she wasn’t going to wait.

He fit himself against her, sinking inside with a groan. “Fuck.”

Charlie pulled his mouth to hers, wrapping her arms around him along with her legs so that she was so tangled she felt like a part of him. There was a new gush of wetness from her pussy at the thought of being so close and so joined, that wetness letting him slide into her more deeply. She moaned into his mouth as Shane began to fuck her, loving the feel of him. Last time had been good, but the memory was tinged with sadness and alcohol and regret. This time was bright, and quick, and perfect. He drove into her again and again, the sound of their breaths loud in the kitchen. The way he filled her up made her pant and shake, and she could feel her orgasm approaching. It was like she saw it draw near and every delicious thrust brought it a little closer. She couldn’t keep quiet—suddenly needed to say the words more and yes and sometimes no words at all.

Shane pulled away from the kiss, his mouth suddenly at her ear. “I like the sounds you make,” he said. “I like the way it feels to be inside you.” His voice was strained, and she could tell that he was just as close as she was. “I like the way your muscles shake when I fuck you.” He growled.

She closed her eyes, letting herself relax, letting go into the feeling. Her pussy spasmed around his cock, fluttering and squeezing. She was right there. Charlie’s eyes flew open, and her eyes locked with Shane’s. “So close,” she said, chest heaving. He pounded into her, fingers digging into her ass.

“I like the way you look when you’re coming All. Over. My. Cock,” he said, every word punctuated with a thrust. Like a flash of lighting, Charlie’s orgasm shattered over her, whole body going rigid as the pleasure made its way through her. Pure sensation and overload swept along her nerves, and she was blind and deaf and mute. She felt Shane come, too, plunging inside and holding, his cock jerking as he came.

It felt like she opened her eyes to a new world. Were they really still just standing in the kitchen? Who was this person in front of her, and how had she not known who he really was until this moment? Shane pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I like the look on your face right now.”

She smiled. “How long can you continue this list?”

“A long time. Very long. Starting with the fact that I like the taste of you so much I want my head to be between your legs, licking that orgasm right off your thighs.”

Charlie’s pulse flared, and she gave him a look, long and hard. He didn’t sound like he was kidding. The image he created appeared in her mind, and her body reacted instinctively, becoming instantly wet again. “Well,” she said lightly and hopped off the counter. “If that’s what you really want.”

She looked back at him and smiled before sprinting for the bedroom. Shane followed.