“The night we almost took everything too far?”
I sigh at the memory. “That’s the one.”
“But I reckon we went a little too far last night, too.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you naked in the shower,” I say, my voice dropping. Sean’s eyes are dark and lustful. “Maybe we could…”
“Hey, you two!” Sean’s sister interrupts us. “What are you chatting about?”
“Nothing that can be repeated, I’m guessing,” Jake says, wrapping his arm around Sean’s sister.
“Do you have to?” Sean asks.
“You’re always so tense…” Jake shakes his head, then adds: “I don’t know whether this is the right time to tell you, but Eric’s grandmother has only made up one bedroom for us.”
“What?” Sean exclaims.
Jake shrugs. “Not my fault!”
“Here,” I say, passing Sean his wine glass. “I think you need another sip.”
“I told you to tell him calmly,” Mila says to Jake.
“I am calm!” Jake retorts. It’s almost as if he wants to get punched again.
“Give us two minutes, okay?” I ask Jake and Mila, who silently leave us alone in the kitchen.
Sean place his glass down on the counter. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”
“To Jake and Mila?”
“Come on. This is Jake we’re talking about…”
“You know he’s not that bad, deep down.”
“You reckon?”
“Well, he’s the one who brought us together,” I say, treading cautiously.
“True.”
“Maybe he knew what he was doing.”
Sean’s eyes grow wide. “Do you really believe that?”
“All I know, Sean, is that I feel good, really good, for the first time in a long time. I even want to cook for my family. And it’s all because of you.”
“I’m flattered.”
“I wouldn’t be here without you.”
His hands slide onto my chest. “I’m here, Eric. And I’ll be by your side for as long as you need me.”
I wish I could tell him that our twenty-one days aren’t enough, but for some reason, I don’t. I just let his words hang in the air in the kitchen, mingling with the scent of tonight, of Christmas, of an emotion neither of us is brave enough to really experience – but one that neither of us is willing to give up.
38Sean
It’s the first time I’ve seen Eric at work. He’s cooked at mine a few times, but using whatever he could find in my fridge and a handful of other ingredients from the supermarket.
