Love At First Spill: A fast-paced contemporary romance (First loves Book 1) by Alina Memon

Author:Alina Memon [Memon, Alina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadowhaven publishing
Published: 2024-06-26T00:00:00+00:00

19- SUBTLE AS A SLEDGEHAMMER

LILY

The tantalizing aroma of garlic filled the air, its musky scent swirling around me and sending my stomach into a frenzy. The sizzle and crackle of the cloves in the pan was like a symphony to my senses, making my mouth water in anticipation. But it wasn't just the food that made me feel at home in Andrew's cramped kitchen. It was his infectious laughter, filling the room and bringing warmth to my heart. As we worked together, our movements were a dance of chaos, flour dusting his nose and splatters of homemade pasta sauce adorning my apron. Despite the mess, this was where I felt most at ease – surrounded by delicious scents and the sound of laughter, with Andrew by my side.

"Admit it, you're having fun," I said, nudging him with my elbow as I stirred the simmering sauce.

"Fun doesn't begin to cover it," he replied, grinning as he expertly flipped a chicken breast in the skillet. "This is... domestic bliss?"

I snorted, shaking my head at his choice of words. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Lockhart."

His smile faltered just a touch, and I could see something flicker behind his eyes—a hint of something deeper, maybe even a little scared. And damn if it didn't resonate with something inside of me.

"Hey," I said softer this time, setting down the spoon. "You okay?"

He took a deep breath. "I just... What happens when this all ends, Lil? When we don't have to pretend to cook dinner together or go to fake dates and family events?"

My heart skipped, because it was the question that had been haunting the back of my mind for weeks now. I leaned against the counter, trying to seem more casual than I felt. "I guess we'll just have to find new excuses to hang out."

"Is that what you want?" he asked, turning the stove off and moving closer. "Just... excuses?"

"Andrew," I started, but the words jammed up in my throat. I wanted to say more, to reassure him—and myself—that this wasn't going to be the end of whatever was brewing between us. But my responsibilities, my family, they were like a weight on my chest, reminding me that I couldn't afford to dive into anything without thinking about the consequences.

"Look at us," he murmured, taking another step toward me until we were almost touching. "Scared to admit that maybe we want this to be real."

"Being real means taking risks," I whispered, feeling the heat from his body mix with the warmth of the kitchen.

"Isn't it worth it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "For the chance that this could be something incredible?"

I looked up into his eyes, searching for an easy answer and finding none. "We're going to face a lot of crap, Andrew. My life's complicated, and messy, and..."

"Beautiful," he interjected. "It's beautiful because it's yours, Lily. And I'm not saying it won't be hard, but whatever comes our way...we can handle it together. Can't we?"

"Together," I repeated, letting the word wash over me like a promise.

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