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She rolled her eyes.

“Okay, so I’ll take your picture and I’ll keep my hands to myself and my seducing to a minimum. How’s that? I can be a professional.” I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t.

“I feel like I should make a bet with you about this,” I said.

“No way. I am really trying here.” She pretended to be serious, but failed. So cute.

“Stop being cute, you’re making it worse.”

“You’re seduced by cute?” Lacey raised one eyebrow.

“Always.”

“Oh, then I’ll try not to be cute.” She batted her eyelashes and pouted her lips and I groaned and threw a pillow at her.

“Stop it!”

“I can’t! I’m just too cute! It’s a disease!” I lunged at her and shoved her against the couch.

“If you don’t stop, I’m going to kiss you.” She gasped.

“Oh, no that would be terrible. The absolute worst thing to ever happen to me. Being kissed by Anna Corcoran. Please, no.” We both giggled and I shoved the pillow out of the way so I could get to her.

But at the last second, I pulled back.

“No, I don’t think I’ll kiss you. Because that’s what you want.” She sat up.

“Are you serious?” Now who was frustrated?

“Yup. I’m not going to kiss you.” I moved away from her and pressed my lips together.

“Meanie,” she said, pouting. Damn, now she was back to being adorable again.

“Takes one to know one.” We were both being totally childish, but I didn’t care at all. I loved being silly with Lacey. It was so nice to be silly with someone.

“Fine, fine,” she said. “I don’t want to kiss you either.”

“Liar.”

She sighed.

“Whatever.”

*^*^*

The morning of my first day of idleness, I woke at my usual time. Of course. But I had a full day with Lacey planned and I was eager to get to it. First up: breakfast.

“I thought you said you were terrible at cooking?” Lacey said when I showed up with a waffle iron and ingredients for waffles.

“I am, but waffles are the one thing I make really well. It’s a gift.” I set the waffle iron on the table next to her coffeemaker and got to work mixing the ingredients. I’d also brought whipped cream and blueberries that I’d pilfered from Violet Hill. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Plus, Daisy had been watching the whole time I’d been stealing them from the walk-in and hadn’t said a word.

“A gift, huh?” she said, coming up beside me and sliding her hand down my back. I leaned into her and she kissed me on the cheek.

“A gift,” I said, turning so I could meet her lips. She still took my breath away when she kissed me. Every single time. I didn’t know when or if I’d ever find someone who kissed me like that ever again.

“You’re such a good kisser,” she said when she pulled back.

“Am I?” I wasn’t aware that I had any particular talent at it. I mean, I’d never had any complaints, but I’d never won any awards for it either.