Page 98 of Fierce-Colson

“But you get playing and shit on your phone too.”

“But I’m in the kitchen.”

She didn’t dispute the phone comment.

“I didn’t know you could make cookies in that thing.”

Just another device he’d bought when she came into his life. Because it was something his father had and she was used to using to heat things up.

He had to admit that it came in handy.

“You can and I did.”

He pulled one out, and she slapped his hand. “Hey, you made me try a meatball.”

“I know the cookies are fine, but go ahead.”

He shook his hand off, even though it didn’t hurt. “Geez. You’d think the queen was coming to visit.”

“She could be your queen,” Bella said, almost singing the words.

That didn’t warrant a comment because it was too damn close to the truth in his mind.

“These are great. There aren’t that many.”

“Because you can only do a few at a time and so I don’t make as much as if I did it in the oven. If you let me use the oven.”

“You can use it when I’m home.” The doorbell went off and Bella made a move towards it, but he cut her off. “I’ve got it.”

He was glad his sister was excited, but it was putting some pressure on him also.

More than he needed to not fuck this up.

As if he wasn’t already worried about it after the call earlier that people were inquiring who Marly was dating.

He opened the door wide, saw her standing there in her workwear, black pants, a red silk shirt and black jacket, black pumps on her feet.

“Good thing you’ve got red on,” he said. “Having sauce tonight.”

“Yum,” she said, leaning in for a kiss.

He was glad she’d made that move first.

And if Bella weren’t here, he’d yank her in just as hard and fast as he had five days ago.

Had it only been five days? It felt more like five years.

Her lips brushed his once, soft and quick, but there was history in it. Heat tucked under the surface. A reminder of not only what they shared on Saturday night but decades ago.

He could feel Bella hovering behind him, practically vibrating with curiosity at how he’d be with Marly. Or maybe it was how he’d be with any woman, since it was the first he’d brought someone home for Bella to meet.

“Hi,” Marly said, eyes lifting to his, her smile bright.

“Hey.” His voice came out lower than he intended. He stepped aside, knowing Bella was in the kitchen entryway and watching. “Come in. Ignore the chaos.”

“It smells amazing in here,” she said, walking past him.

“That would be Bella,” he said. “She likes to cook and knows to keep to the rules.”