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softly to herself as she worked, her demeanor quiet and relaxed. It made his tension ease a bit, and he couldn’t help a grin as he watched her bare body move.
    It didn’t take her long to have something spectacular whipped together, and he noted that she’d somehow guessed his stomach wasn’t up to anything exotic or spicy. The omelet was simple, comfortable and smelled incredible. Exactly what he needed right now.
    He sighed. “You’re wrong, you know.”
    “About what?” She grabbed silverware out of a drawer for him.
    “This does help,” he said quietly. “Thank you.”
    She stilled for a moment, not looking at him, as if she weren’t sure how to respond. Then she glanced over and offered him a quick wink. “Well, I need you to keep your strength up so I can wring you out on the mattress again.”
    Following her lighter lead, he arched one eyebrow. “Again? When was the first time?”
    A sassy smile answered that. She waved him into one of the stools that surrounded the island and set his plate in front of him. “Dinner is served.”
    She went to dish something into a small bowl, and then hunkered down to put it on the floor. She stroked Balthasar’s back while he dug in. Luca felt oddly jealous of his cat. Snorting at that stupidity, he plied himself to his own meal.
    It was even more delicious than it smelled. The cheese was gooey, the mushrooms flavorful, the eggs fluffy. Every few bites, he got a bit of ham. A low hum of satisfaction worked its way up his throat. “This is outstanding, Chef Bates.”
    “Why, thank you, Agent Cavalli.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “The secret is the gruyere. Best cheese for omelets.”
    “What kind of mushrooms are these?”
    “Portobello.” She rose and went back to the kitchen to clean up. “When you’re done, I have some pineapple strawberry sorbet I was experimenting with yesterday and it should be ready to test now.”
    “So you want to experiment on me, huh?”
    She widened her eyes. “Since when have you ever complained about me using your body for all my creative processes?”
    “Never.” He leaned back in his chair, his body revving up at the thought of the many, many inventive things they’d done to each other in the last year. “Let’s take the sorbet with us to bed.”

Chapter Two
    When Erin arrived at work the next afternoon, there was a long white box sitting on the desk in the office she shared with her cousin. The box’s top was stamped with the name of a local florist. She arched her eyebrows, hanging up her sweater before she approached the box. Was it for her or Holly?
    “That arrived for you an hour ago.” Her cousin’s voice came from behind her, and Erin glanced back to see Holly lounging against the doorjamb. The werewolf’s silent and speedy approach was unsurprising after five years of dealing with it. Holly gestured with her chin. “Come on, open it up. I want to see what you got.”
    Erin lifted the lid, parted the crinkly layers of tissue paper and sighed over the dozen peach-colored roses nestled inside. Their peppery sweet scent filled her nostrils and she couldn’t keep a silly grin from curling her lips. Fishing around in the box, she found a card.
    Thank you for the amazing omelet. And everything else. Delicious. -L
    A blush burned its way up her neck and cheeks because she knew the delicious was not referring to her omelet. She tucked the card in her pocket before Holly could read it. After lifting the long-stemmed blooms out of their tissue nest so she could bury her nose in them, she took a deep breath. She loved roses. It took her a moment of rooting around their office before she found a vase, but she soon had them in water.
    Holly crossed her arms. “Are you sure the two of you aren’t dating? I’ve never had a booty-call send me flowers.”
    “We’re not dating, he’s just a gentleman.” Erin hid a grin by sniffing the roses again. “Sometimes.”
    Her cousin grunted. “You’d better not