Page 54 of Tinsel Time Treasure

I sighed. “Yeah, that doesn’t look likely.”

“I’ll be back on Saturday night though.”

I grinned. “Dinner’s on me then.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

So am I.

Chapter 23 - Justin

~December~

Iswayed to the music as I pulled the spaghetti squash from the oven. Then I set the baking sheet aside to cool while I stirred the sauce.

Max had surprised me with dinner several nights before and since Thanksgiving, and I’d finally convinced him that it was my turn to feed him.

I consulted my phone for how to get the strings of squash, having noticed that he preferred healthy and lean options. Normally I was a carb man, but I wanted Max to be comfortable with me cooking for him—because I wanted to keep cooking for him.

I wanted to cook for him, sit next to him for movie nights, feel his arms around me… feel his knot locked inside me.

I shivered as the last thought crossed my mind. Max had been a source of comfort when I was staying with him, but now that I had the law on my side when it came to Frederick… well…

It was getting harder and harder to ignore my attraction to Max. I wondered what it would be like to run my fingers through his long brown hair, kiss him…

I shook my head as my thoughts ran wild again.

A knock at the door made me jump, and I rushed over, peering through the peephole before opening it.

“Hey,” Max said, smile spreading across his handsome face.

I grinned. “Hey yourself.” I stood to one side. “Come in.”

He held up a bottle of wine. “I didn’t know if I should bring anything.”

I laughed. “I wasn’t expecting you to, but we can break that open and have it with dinner.”

“Works for me.”

“Have a seat. I’ve just got to finish up.”

“Anything I can help with?”

I was on the verge of refusing his assistance, then remembered that I’d never made spaghetti squash before. “Um… actually… Do you know what to do with spaghetti squash? I think I cooked it right, but it says to just shred with a fork?”

He laughed. “Sure, I can do that.”

We walked into the kitchen and he took a spot next to me to work on the squash while I finished the sauce.

“So why did you choose tonight to do spaghetti squash for the first time?” Max asked.

My face heated. “I didn’t know how you felt about carbs, being how healthy you eat.”

He chuckled and bumped his shoulder against mine. “Carbs are ok once in a while.”