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Cooking with Ryan in this elaborate kitchen felt far more domestic than it should. We still barely knew each other, but this felt like something girlfriends would do together on the weekend.

“Can we eat in the gazebo?” I asked when everything was ready.

“If you want to,” she said.

We carried everything outside and I let out a happy sigh as we sat down together. The backyard was absolutely beautiful and included a small garden, several bird feeders, and a little path that led under a trellis into the woods.

“I can’t picture you gardening,” I said.

“I don’t, really,” she said. “Someone else does and the owner pays them very well to maintain everything.”

I stacked pancakes on my plate and added butter and syrup. Ryan filled her plate with bacon and eggs and only one pancake.

“You’re missing out,” I said, cutting a bite and shoving it into my mouth, syrup dripping down my chin.

Ryan reached out and used her thumb to swipe up the syrup.

“I’m not much of a sweet breakfast person,” she said.

“I guess that means more for me,” I said, taking another bite. “These are really good.”

I should probably worry about looking like a mess in front of her, but I was hungry and the food was really good and I’d literally had my hand inside her last night so I didn’t think having some chocolate on my face was going to matter.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I asked.

“Can’t get enough of me, can you?” she said, arching an eyebrow as she ate another slice of bacon.

“No, I was just wondering what you’re doing.” I didn’t want to seem like a clinger.

“The plan was to head to the beach for a swim and come back here for lunch, maybe go for a drive, get a little lost, come back here and read for a bit, have dinner and soak in the bath.” All of that sounded amazing and wasn’t that far off what I would have done in her situation.

“Sounds like a great Saturday,” I said. “I was just going to sit outside and read and maybe clean out my closet, but I like your day better.”

Ryan ate her last piece of bacon carefully.

“What are your feelings about putting off the closet cleaning?” she asked, looking up from her plate.

“I don’t know, it’s a huge mess. I have to go through all my clothes,” I said, sitting back in my chair. “What are you offering as an alternative?”

“You and me, naked. More food, definitely. A walk on the beach. A drive anywhere within an hour of Arrowbridge, which isn’t saying much. More sex.” She leaned toward me, using one finger to draw my face closer to hers.

“Maybe just the sex,” she said, kissing me. Within seconds, I was cradled in her lap as she kissed me hard, tasting of chocolate and syrup and warm butter and coffee.

“Okay, but I definitely need food again at some point,” I said, breaking the kiss.

Ryan smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll feed you.”

This time I rode Ryan’s hand outside as the birds twittered and I let myself be as loud as I wanted since no one could hear me.

Her fingers slipped from my body and I winced but then gasped when she slid them into her mouth.

“Better than pancakes,” she said.

“Your turn,” I said, stroking my hand down her stomach.

“Let’s go inside,” she said, cradling my ass and squeezing it. “We can leave the crumbs for the birds and get the dishes later.”

I hopped off her lap and she stood up.