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“Katie, I promise we’re not leaving,” Matthew said, reaching for her hand. “Unless you decide to stop cooking for me.”

Katherine’s weak smile turned into a laugh. “If you think you’re going to tease me and get away with it, it might be time to get rid of the liquid courage.”

Matthew reached for his drink, but Katherine was faster, scooping up both glasses and taking them to the sink.

“Trust me, I have something I think you’ll like even better.”

Chapter 12

Matthew grinned, licking a drop of sweetness from his bottom lip. “Katie… you are unbelievable.”

“So, you like it?”

“Oh, I more than like it,” he said, taking another bite of the delicately sweet vanilla bean cake with salted caramel sauce. “This issogood.”

“Careful,” she warned with a smile. “You know what happens when you tell a cook you like their food?”

“No. What?”

“They cook for you again.”

Matthew’s eyes rolled upward, followed by a smile that conveyed nothing short of utter bliss. “Yes, please!”

“Shhh…” Katherine hushed with a grin. “You’ll wake the baby.”

“It’s your fault,” he whispered back. “You’re the one that got me all wound up.”

“I made cake.”

“Exactly,” he affirmed, mouth full and fork pointing in her direction. “Guilty as charged.”

“Can I get you anything else?” Katherine said, then stifled the sound of her girlish giggle when a suggestive smile brightened his handsome face. “You’re a tease, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Then Katherine watched as Matthew meticulously forked another bite of cake and dipped it into the perfect amount of caramel. The bite made it just beyond his lips and onto his tongue before the sticky, sweet sauce could drip down his chin.

“How about a glass of milk?”

“Oh yes! How did you know?”

She shrugged. “Years of experience.”

“You’re amazing, you know that? Like an amazing angel that makes cake. You’re so good. I bet you have two halos.”

With so much praise, Katherine felt as if she floated to the refrigerator and back.

“I don’t want you to go,” he blurted out when she set down the glass.

“I said I could stay as long as you needed me to.”

As she reached for his empty plate, Matthew grabbed her hand.

“I mean it, Katie. I don’t want you to go,” he repeated. “Ever.”

Except for the soft, ticking sounds from a clock on the wall, there was nothing but silence between them as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“Say you’ll stay.”