Page 124 of Forever Yours

I moved out of the doorway so she could come in.

She sniffed the air and hummed. “Smells delicious.”

Her compliment made me stupidly happy.

I took the dessert box from her as we walked to the kitchen.

“Can I help with anything?” Liz asked as I pulled out a barstool for her to sit down.

“Nope. I’m just about done. You can keep me company while I finish up. Want anything to drink?”

“Water would be nice.”

My hands shook as I grabbed a bottle from the fridge and handed it to her. Like a weirdo, I watched as she drank it.

Liz used to be beautiful, but my god, she was absolutely stunning now, even with the braided pigtails. There was just something different about her I couldn’t pin down. Or maybe it was just my imagination since I hadn’t seen her in over a year. But still.

“You’re staring.”

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Sorry. I was trying to figure out what’s different about you.”

“What? Like plastic surgery different? Weight loss different?”

“Neither of those. I can’t describe it. You do look more muscular than I remember.”

Liz laughed—deep and throaty and wonderful—and flexed her bicep. Damn, she really was packing some serious strength behind her girlie, curvy figure.

“Months of PT and the gym. I like to run, too.”

Liz ran? We used to have to bribe her with coffee and scones just to get her up in the morning for school. The only time I ever saw her run was when Jay was chasing her.

“You look very fit as well,” she said.

“I run ten miles a day, coupled with soccer. You’ll need to come and watch a game sometime.”

“I would like that.”

I finished mixing the pasta and spooned some onto a plate, then added the toasted pine nuts before placing it in front of her.

“Dig in.”

She scooped up a large fork full. The moan she made when she bit into the pasta sent my nerve endings haywire.

“Sogood,” she murmured between bites. “You’re a talented chef as well as a talented soccer player. Any other talents I should know about?”

“I’m good with my hands.”

I caught the unintentional double entendre just as Liz choked on her food.

Taking a large swallow of water, she replied, “Good to know.”

A rosy blush crept up her neck and cheeks. This was getting interesting. Liz and I never used to flirt with each other.

Over small talk across the counter island, we finished eating, and I suggested we go out on the balcony for dessert.

“Let me turn on the overhead fans.” The August sun was brutal at this time of day.