She licked the bits of sugar and cinnamon off her lips, and the sight prompted Gabriel to swoop down and finish the job. The kiss that he’d meant to be light turned hot and intense in a nanosecond. He cradled her face in his palms as his tongue stroked hers. He trailed kisses along her jaw and throat, then moved back to her mouth. At length, he lifted his head. “Come on. Let’s go start the movie.”

“I’ve been waiting all week to see it,” Serenity said, doing a little shimmy out of the kitchen. “My favorite part is when the warden tore down that poster. The look on his face was priceless.”

“That it was,” he agreed, chuckling. After getting comfortable on the spacious lounger and starting the movie, they shared a smile and turned their attention to the screen. Gabriel thought about the woman curled next to him. Every moment of the evening, from the conversation and food to the kiss and relaxed domesticity they shared, had been incredible. A wave of contentment so strong washed over Gabriel that it scared the hell out of him. He was getting in too deep. In that instant, he decided a quick trip home might be a good idea. Sure, he knew he was running from his feelings, but hopefully, the short reprieve would help him regain the distance he needed to keep from falling further for Serenity. Or at least he hoped it would.

*  *  *

Sunday afternoon, Serenity removed the roasted chicken breasts from the oven and set them aside to cool. She’d made it a practice to meal prep when she worked at the hospital because of her long hours, and even though she now had a consistent daily schedule, the habit remained. Besides, it gave her more time during the week to relax when she came home.

As she added some of the buttery and sweet olive oil to a skillet to sauté some yellow squash, a smile curved her lips. Last night’s date with Gabriel had been one she’d never forget. No man had ever cooked for her, and she knew the Wagyu beef had cost him a pretty penny, but he appeared to not mind. In fact, it was just the opposite. He’d gone out of his way to make sure to provide her with a spectacular meal. And the kisses they’d shared both before and after the movie had been out-of-this-world good. She only wished she’d met him before her ex soured her on relationships.

Serenity added the squash, sprinkled Himalayan pink salt and cracked black pepper, gave it a toss, and hurried to answer her ringing phone.

She smiled when she saw Gabriel’s name on the display. “Well, hello, neighbor. Are you calling to invite me over for another delicious meal?” She went back to the stove to stir the vegetables.