“Right. Takes a whole lot of skill to stir something. Your other water looks like it’s about to bubble over.”

I moved behind her, pressing a kiss to her neck before dropping the pasta in the boiling water.

“How about you stir these into the sauce,” I said, producing the mini shrimp from the fridge.

We worked side by side then.

“This is the first time I’ve ever shared my kitchen with someone,” I confessed. “I like it,” I added, watching the smile toy with her lips.

“If this turns out gross, I’m placing the blame squarely on your shoulders,” she told me as I strained the spaghetti.

“The experiment is half the fun,” I told her as I scooped the pasta into the sauce.

“Really? Because if I spent an hour cooking something and it came out inedible, I’d be so pissed.”

“Not gonna lie, I’ve angrily eaten some pizza or Chinese a time or two. But I have more wins than losses. Can you grab the plates right above you?”

“You’re not one of those people who insists on sitting in uncomfortable silence, looking for conversation to engage in, are you?”

“Prefer eating in front of the TV?” I asked.

“Only if I get to pick the show.”

“Seeing as all I ever watch is the news, the remote is all yours.”

“The news?” she asked, nose wrinkling up. “Real exciting leisure time you have there, Soren,” she teased as I piled her plate. “I’ll find something better,” she promised, taking both our plates over toward the living room.

I refilled our drinks, grabbed silverware and napkins, then joined her where she was sitting criss-cross on the couch in nothing but her tee and panties, her lower lip tucked into her teeth as she squinted at the TV.

“Do you wear glasses?” I asked.

“Shut up,” she said, shooting me slitted eyes. “I probably need them. But I don’t want them, so we are doing the adult thing and avoiding the issue. If you never watch TV, why do you have every streaming channel known to mankind?”

“The answer to that is probably not going to make any sense.”

“Try me.”

“I have them because I can have them. Because I spent so much of my life not able to afford a simple luxury that now that I can afford it, I want them all. Even if I don’t use it.”

“It makes sense to me,” she said with a shrug. “I have a gym membership. And not even a normal one. I splurged for the super expensive one that everyone likes to brag about. I don’t work out. Ever. But I keep paying in case one morning I wake up with the kind of self-discipline that I’ve never once exhibited in my entire life.”