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cloveroctobers · 4 months

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FEBRUARY FLUFF — CARMY BERZATTO.

A/N: so carmy won this time around!!! Thanks to all those that voted and ultimately made this decision for me lol. Hope you guys enjoy this and have a safe, healthy, and happy love season 🩷 + yes this is a mixture of fluff and angst...i mean come on! I wouldn't be me if i didn't include that in here somewhere!

PROMPTS ARE FROM HERE + HERE & I’m using: 1. “…Okay, so the only way for us to enjoy that huge discount is to act like we’re dating.” “What, so you’d fake date me for discounted food but you wouldn’t real date me even though I could take you out to the best restaurants out there in town every fucking night if you wanted me to?” + always giving the other the first bite of their food < or the last.

WARNINGS/SN: I wrote with a black or brown reader in mind although reader isn't physically described + they’re given a name only when mentioned, language is a thing here duh!, this is LENGTHY, lots of timelines: reader + nat became friendly before season 1 during the summer prior to 7 fishes which is estimated to be five years before season 2, reader knows of carmy due to past work, I feel like she can be just a few year(s) older than carmy but younger than nat—there’s a age gap for the Berzatto’s anyways, sexual relations are mentioned, this piece takes place months after the grand opening, & finally there’s a possible chance for a poly relationship or maybe just multiple crushes going on? Take that how you will.

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡

it was a Sunday.

The kind of Sunday you woke up embarrassed about but knew you had to swallow your pride and just send out that text. You knew you wouldn’t be judged regardless reaching out to Fak because he’s built to deal with things like this and never made you feel like shit about anything.

You usually had to squeeze it out of him to get him to lay out any cons about a situation but appreciated most times when he didn’t. Your minds been going haywire with a recent assignment as a food journalist and it really slipped your mind, although you were usually a quick thinker, you’ve been stressed over this recent restaurant. Thankfully it clicked for you after throwing a tantrum to simply reach out to Fak to come help you out.

The stupid lever in your bathroom decided to stop flushing on you and of course you panicked. Who wouldn’t panic in a situation like that? You no longer had a roommate and strongly debated if you even wanted to search for another; after the shady actions of the previous one, so you really didn’t have to worry about them giving you shit either. (Let’s see if your rent feels the same next month!)

It was just you in the end and perhaps you were learning to be okay with that.

Yet that didn’t stop you from FaceTiming Sydney about it. “Hey Siddy, how’s your day going?”

“Pretty good, yours?” She politely asked as she moved down the hallway of her shared apartment to prop her phone on the pedestal sink, moving around her functioning bathroom to grab some oil to grease her scalp.

Smacking your lips you glare, “it fucking sucks.”

“Oh?” Sydney questioned, appearing back in frame, “what happened? Did someone egg and scratch up your car again after a review you gave them? Noo wait, don’t tell me there’s a bullet hole?!”

That was light work compared to New York (it really wasn’t a competition of which state had its worst moments but your home state left you kinda triggered, not gonna lie!) where you were just starting off and those that were in tune with the culinary world didn’t take your words with a grain of salt. Most nights you still woke up gasping for air, reaching for your throat due to some trauma of a break in from a well-known nepo-baby chef. Don’t get that twisted, your mom didn’t raise no punk but that didn’t mean those events didn’t mess with your mental and you acknowledged that every time you had a nightmare. They only served three years and five months compared to the original five year sentence.

Ah the system…got to love how that works out for the privileged!

You shrugged, “no…the threats have been pretty tame lately so I can give myself a pat on the back for that. However! I still am in a crisis.”

Sydney begins to move her braids around to expose her scalp, “Elaborate for me.”

“My toilet won’t flush!” You whine, laying flat on your messy bed. You tended to not make your bed on Saturdays and didn’t get around to making it today—although it was after 3pm.

Sydney asks, “Like the waste won’t go down…?”

“Exactly!” You confirm throwing your arm over your eyes dramatically, “The lever thing is moving like my old dislocated shoulder.”

Sydney gags, “don’t fucking remind me of that day. That was spooky to witness but I am glad you healed from that.”

“Thanks girl, means a lot, truly.”

Sydney gives a small smile, “don’t mention it…have you considered YouTubing it? That’s what I do when I don’t want to ask anyone for help and figure it out by myself.”

You hummed knowing this was true. In a sense you could be like that too, especially when it came to the working field, since writers can tend to be some nasty bitches and always in rivalry with each other. You made a name for yourself in Chicago as well, coming from New York where you worked just as hard-maybe even harder than the rest to mean and write exactly how you felt about cuisine, regardless if anyone agreed or not. It wasn’t about if people liked you, the relationship with food would always be more significant and hold value in your life, just like the rest of these chef’s you encountered and you got that, people were allowed to be sensitive about their work. You’ve come toe to toe with many chef’s around the world who didn’t like your take on their craft but that didn’t mean you didn’t understand them. They hardly took the time to really dive into your ratings and automatically took it as you shit talking or not having any idea what you were saying since you “weren’t really a chef,” but you knew your worth most days.

Yes you could be straight forward but that didn’t mean you lacked compassion like some chef’s liked to think according to your reviews. You often wrote in a way that was puzzling to some, almost philosophical or riddle like with your own twist. Some just didn’t get it and that was okay but you wouldn’t back down from any confrontation. The second they didn’t want to really listen, that’s when you removed yourself from the escalating problem. It didn’t have to get violent like some wanted to inflict.

“Why didn’t I think of that?!” You exasperated, slapping the palm of your hand to your forehead.

Sydney snorted, “maybe because you’re under a lot of pressure lately and the most simplest of things don’t come as easily as they should.”

“You would think I have high blood pressure with the way these past two weeks have been.”

Sydney says, “give it time.”

“Gee, thanks! That’s exactly the kind of shit I want to hear from you.” You roll your eyes at the blurt of words that commonly escaped the braided girl’s mouth.

Sydney breathes out a laugh, “I’m just joking!”

“Yeah, yeah! Maybe I should text fak back and tell him not to come by!”

“You asked fak instead of the apartment manager?” Sydney is in amazement.

“Fuck that noise, he’s so full of shit that he should see a doctor about it. He’ll show up to analyze the problem, then acts like he’s going to fit you into the schedule and then when you catch him in the lobby he pretends that he has amnesia.” You commented with a scowl.

You get ready to minimize the call to text fak but some obnoxious knocks at the door made you pop up from your bed. “That was fast!”

Hopping up from the bed and padding out of the last bedroom in the apartment, you made the journey through the foyer to the awaiting black front door. Peeking through the peephole you spot Fak grinning widely up into it, almost making you jump back.

“He’s made it Siddy! I’ll call you back!”

“K. Good luck!” Sydney calls out before you end the call to pull the door wide open.

“Neil!” You scream, quickly latching onto his tatted wrist ready to yank him in until you notice someone else is with him, “…why is he here?” You point.

Fak quickly glances over at a brimmed Carmy who raised a brow at him in a silent told you so manner, “I mean we were having a boy’s day when you called and I didn’t want my buddy to be left out. Plus, it’s always great to have some assistance.”

“…i find it hard to believe that Carmen wants to fix my toilet.” You cross your arms, poking out your hip as you stare at him.

Carmen shrugs his shoulders, “I wanted to wait in the car if it makes you feel any better.”

“Hmm…it doesn’t.”

Carmy rolls his eyes, pinching at the bridge of his nose briefly in agitation, “you know what, fak you’ve got this right? I know you do so—

“Nope!” Fak quickly interrupts, “this maybe a two person job so aspie if you just let us do what we came to do—

Shooting an arm out to block the doorway you peer into Fak’s dark teal eyes to show you mean business, “didn’t I say I dislike that nickname, Neil?”

He nods.

“Also i find it offensive that you brought an uninvited guest to my place.”

“Just be glad it wasn’t Richie because that was also a possibility before he ran off to pick up the kid.” Carmy snaps making you roll your eyes.

If Richie was here you been would have slammed the door in both Fak and his face. Sure you had some sort of tension with Carmy and beef with .......his cousin but at least Carmy only gave it back to you when he had the energy to—meaning if he was already on one. The issue was simple, you wrote a not so nice review once before when the eldest berzatto, Michael was alive and running the joint. Richie couldn’t forget that and actually kept the clipping, yes the clipping of the review way back when. He had the receipts to show Carmy and Carmy actually brushed it off then, not seeming to really care or doubt some of the words that were said.

He came to revamp the place because Mikey left it for him, to fix the mess his big brother left behind, to create what they’ve always dreamed of. Sure he got shit for it in the beginning and part of him felt like maybe that was your case too? He could relate to you on that, yet the weight was slightly different on his part and he even spoke with you not long after he found those tomato cans.

That gave him a certain push he couldn’t really explain. He may have done a brief dive on you, wondering why you felt acquainted to him—completely forgetting about seeing you once around Noma—choosing to start with reading previous reviews by you on other restaurants here in Chicago and a few interviews you’ve done over the world. You weren’t just some nobody, you held your titles well and it reflected in your work.

You weren’t clueless.

He just didn’t really know what he was dealing with until a short time ago.

What he didn’t expect was for you to show up again on opening night with a certain head chef, also from New York. That made carmy more anxious than anything, seeing you sitting beside that four eyed fuck ready to set off a tornado in the heart of the bear. Was that your motive all along? With carmy attempting to build a bridge, not for you to kiss his ass with praise but there was a odd need to have a simple conversation with you. It was weird but it seemed like Sydney, Fak, and Nat liked you?

The jury was still out with the rest—except Richie but you were a mystery to Carmy. However carmy wasn’t the best at putting a read on people or their emotions in the first place, he was good at fucking that up unless you’re screaming it into his face. That’s just how he operated.

“You two can come in—only because I don’t have the patience with the manager here and Neil’s the best I’m gonna get.” You state while fak slaps a hand on his chest.

“That was really sweet, Aspen.” Fak cooed ready to pull you into a bone crushing hug but you hold up a finger.

“Save the hugs until after you fix my problem.”

“You got it boss,” Fak salutes before diving under your arm to travel through your apartment, ooo-ing and ah-ing before finding the bathroom around the corner from the living room.

Sighing you drop your arm and wave carmy through, who keeps his view straight while traveling through the hallway. You call out to him, “you can have a seat on the couch.”

“What? Did you drop a load or something and is that the real reason why you don’t want me to help Fak?” Carmy comes right out with it, nose twitching in amusement after whipping around to face you in the center of the living room.

See…only when he’s frustrated or overly focused will he just let it out. Some may look at this as Carmy attempting to make a joke but you took that somewhat personally. The only thing you were thinking after he said this was: What an ego on this one huh?

You stop on your heels and tilt your head to the side, “are you telling me that you think women or fem pronoun users don’t take shits? Do you know what it feels like to have period shits?”

Carmy blinks at you and shouts with his hands out, “I...don't even know what the fuck you're getting at? I wasn't even trying to be sexist to you just then! I asked you a honest question—

“About you being in my business,” you pointed out, “contrary to your beliefs I have a heart and decided to be nice to you and let you stay in my place to keep warm. You’re welcome!”

“Oh bullshit, don’t act like you’re doin’ me any favors.” Carmy scowls, “you don’t even want me here.”

You shrug, “yet you’re here in my apartment, yelling.”

Carmy exhaled while you smirked at him sweetly before turning to lean against the wall that leads to the bathroom.

“Everything okay in there, Neil?”

“Oh yeah!” He says, “I think I figured out the problem. Easy peasy!”

“Great!” You exclaim, pulling your phone out from your sweats to read a very important email.

The weight of stress seemed to lift a good chunk as you quickly responded to a email that you’ve been waiting for. You’ve been invited out (squeezed in) to a taste test at this restaurant for this evening that you’ve been trying to get into for a month before you brought it up to your employer. The deadline was approaching for the end of this week to have a review ready and they just responded to you five days before that deadline! Reading over it twice, the squeal in you slipped through your smile until you read the exceptions.

If you were to go over the amount of food purchased, which you would put on the company card anyways, you can get a discount if you brought a plus one and some reimbursement if the review was satisfactory to the owners—which the last part wasn’t unfamiliar to you.

You usually didn’t bring a plus one to any of the places you did reviews for, you got comfortable doing outings all on your own but this was different. Sure you were somewhat known in the culinary world but that didn’t mean you were a millionaire and this restaurant was apparently upscale. There was a waiting list regardless of your status—even for the celebrities that went there so this was a big deal and they gave you a short notice. Usually Sundays were known for a reset for the week but what better way to start it?

You don’t go forward with reaching out to anybody else that you work with. This was your battle and you were aware that two of your other co-workers also reached out to this restaurant. You just hoped you were the only one they picked and wouldn’t miss out on the great opportunity just because you weren’t sure about your guest.

A few hours before show time and you had to find somebody to attend with you. Your best friend was away in Cabo for a honeymoon, the other (who recently planned on moving to ATL) was dealing with the flu and had their no good ex boyfriend taking care of them, Sydney was suddenly MIA, and you even considered inviting Natalie Berzatto to piss carmy off just a bit.

“Hey, Nat!” You greet into the phone as you walk into the kitchen, witnessing Carmy perk up from the couch.

It’s small talk at first: you asking about how her day is going as a mom to be, if she’s going to be at the bear tomorrow, did she watch the Emmy’s the other night, tell her husband you said hello, and then finally if she had plans for tonight.

“…are you asking me to hang out?”

“We had fun at that club way back when no?”

“Yeah! But that was how long ago?”

You knew it’s been awhile. You were always friendly with Natalie, meeting her first—well second out of the siblings down at the small mart one summer you helped out at that your great-uncle owned. She was huffing about something her boyfriend at the time, Pete forgot to bring her and some groceries she was picking up for her mom. You were cool enough to become Facebook friends, exchange numbers, go out for coffee and go to the club together. This wasn’t unusual to call each other randomly but you knew she commonly got shit from Michael and Richard about her talking and hanging out with you.

The thing about Natalie Berzatto is that she always tried to give people the benefit of the doubt. Yes she saw your review yet she kinda laughed about it initially but it was all fuck you’s from the other two loud mouth’s. Of course she was going to listen to her brother but she still had a mind of her own. she didn’t care to listen to Richie go off but she understood how Michael felt, although she was the only other Berzatto that heard you out.

Except you didn’t owe anybody an explanation even if some felt you were more cutthroat in your younger years.

“...Before you and Pete even thought about marriage?”

You were younger than them but you imagined how it would always work out for Nat and Pete, which included growing old together.

“Wow! Yeah that sounds right.”

“So…?”

“Can’t do it.”

“You didn’t even hear all the details!”

“I know, I know and it sounds like it’ll be a real fucking blast but if this kid wasn’t sitting on my sciatic nerve constantly and if my feet weren’t the size of two honeydews…I totally would! But I’ll have to decline this time around—so please don’t hate me!”

“I could never!”

“You know you could always ask carmy-

“Why on earth would I do that?” Your reply was instant.

Natalie sighed over the phone, “aspen…the potential of friendship and love is a beautiful thing.”

You scrunched up your face at the phone before placing it back to your ear.

“Do you want me to hang up on you?”

“I’d call you a rude bitch if you did but then get over it.”

“I can live with that because I know it’s real love between you and I.”

“…whatever that means.”

“Right.”

You both laugh, knowing just how weird the subject of love can be. Although you didn’t talk all the time it was always okay for one of the other to drop a venting text or call each other’s way and know the other would get around to responding. The both of you may not be the best of friends but you did consider each other friends regardless. There were conversations between the both of you that no one knew about and would be a constant reminder of what kind of friends the both of you would remain.

Natalie wished things could have been resolved between you and Michael but she reassured that the dislike wasn’t as deep as it seemed. There was no secret that you felt awful about how his life ended and being there for nat during that time also meant a lot. She told you that one of the last conversations she had with Michael was about you and it felt as if he was learning to let go of your review, slowly taking in Nat’s words of you not having a cruel bone in your body especially with all that you’ve done for her.

Anybody that showed his sister true friendship couldn’t be complete garbage. As much as he tolerated Pete, Michael was always aware that he was good enough for his sister. They were all cut from different cloths and the Berzatto’s were just from the same but opposite corner’s.

Natalie telling you this was not to erase any worries you had since that is always brought to the surface when someone you’ve been face to face with before decides to end it all. It was to show you that nobody ever truly knows what anyone is thinking whether there is love there or not.

You can feel Natalie smiling through the phone, “Think about it…all that tension could be smoothed out if you extend the olive branch…now it’s your turn.”

“It’s not my fault he switched up on me after your opening night.” You didn’t lower your voice or make it louder but you were definitely staring at carmy now who was side eyeing you, looking like phineas from phineas and ferb.

“That’s something you need to talk to him about, don’t you think?” Her tone was always so gentle that it made you sick sometimes because she could be right.

“I’m not here to do think pieces.”

“…aren’t you a writer?”

“Have a good night, nat.”

“Ta-Ta!” Natalie sing-songs, “be sure to send me the deets later because carmy never tells me anything! Bye! Chat later!”

Hanging up the phone, you slide it onto the counter and tap your nails against the island. To the right of you, you pick up on some clinking in the bathroom—which sounds somewhat normal and zone in on carmy who’s also holding onto his phone but staring at the blank tv in thought.

“Hey, Carmen.” You call his name.

His bright blues turn to you as if he hasn’t been eavesdropping on your conversation here and there between his texts with Marcus.

“You. Me. The Saffron Simmer. 7pm.”

The air is frigid as the both of you hunch your shoulders shoving through Chicago’s winter. Shockingly the streets are filled with cars tonight so you had to park on the next street over before walking up and around to The Saffron Simmer. Carmy offered to drive, which was a debate—no shock there—since there was no way he was leaving the bear stock van behind for no license having fak to play around in.

Fak definitely found that offensive and said he didn’t mind hanging out at your place, being done with your toilet but with the look you sent him he said he’s find an Uber or fak2 can pick him up. It’s not like you didn’t trust fak in your place…it’s just that the possibilities of what he can get into are endless.

You also didn’t want to ride in the bear’s van not because of shallow reasons, you just wanted to annoy carmy just a bit more for fun. Walking mostly everywhere was the way to go growing up in New York and Carmy working there so doing so here in Chicago wasnt foreign either. However with the type of cold here in this city is enough to give the bravest of hearts hypothermia. So obviously driving was the best option, it’s just the petty back and forth between you two of who will drive had to be spewed.

Eventually you gave in and sat in the passenger side of the van, being on DJ duty for the twenty-five minute drive—something carmy didn’t care to argue over. The both of you made it on time, throwing the door back for carmy to catch then bouncing on your toes while he blew into his gloveless hands waiting on the greeter to find your reservation.

The pictures didn’t do The saffron simmer any justice. There was so much to look at with its modernized speakeasy décor and the high ceilings did a superb job of making the both of you feel small in the spacious space. Thankfully the dress code was business casual so you didn’t have to go all out but you still put in the effort of looking your best in simple attire. You’re shrugging out of your scarf, earmuffs, and puffer coat while Carmy is already seated; with only the removal of his cap across from you in a chair.

He’s watching you as you place everything neatly to the right of you before you're taking a seat in the leather oversized chair, then digging through your tote to pull out your notepad, Sony camera, phone, and bolt pen. You quickly scribble something on the first line and circle it before dropping your pen.

Rolling the sleeves of your long sleeves back underneath your blazer, you roll your shoulders with a close of your eyes before opening them with a look of determination.

“Wow, that was something.” Carmy tells you, making you set your eyes back on him, forgetting just that quick that he was your plus one.

Clasping your hands together you quirk up a brow, “What?”

“Watching you prep.”

You dip your head, “should have seen me before I got dressed…much worse.”

A smirk appears on the corner of Carmy’s lips, “oh yeah?”

“Well yes, I can contain myself in public, Carmen. Your home is supposed to be your safe space so that’s the best place to go a little crazy sometimes.” You inform, yet still not giving too much away.

“Why are you in your head about this place anyway?” Carmy peers around the slightly filled dining area before meeting your eyes once more.

You lift your shoulders, “have you seen the way they market this place? Giving not too much away although it’s top ten restaurants here and I can either contribute to its success or its downfall. They picked me for a reason so my review matters at the end of this year.”

“But you uh-get a thrill out of this shit don’t you? It’s what you signed up for, right?” Carmy is actually relaxed against the chair across from you.

Which is a sight to see.

You state, “it’s part of the job, if that’s what you mean.”

Carmy blinks and seems to get it, “and so you stay.”

“So I stay.” You echo while holding his stare, which is broken by a piece of the stone table lifting and showcasing the menu illuminated by sepia lighting in the dark of the restaurant.

Carmy’s bright eyes are wide as he stares at the menu that appears right in front of your faces. There’s a grin on your face as you rest your fingertips around its rough edges, almost as if you were expecting this while carmy blows out a breath.

“The hell is this place?”

You peek over at him, “some next level shit, berzatto.”

“Yeah…I think I’m starting to catch on.”

You turn your attention back to the menu, swiping your fingertips along the touch screen although you’ve heard things about the menu, which they kept offline since apparently it renews monthly.

“What looks good?”

“Uh…these pages aren’t even labeled." Carmy exhales through his nose, eyes searching all over the tablet, "I have no clue. You?”

The words come at ease for you, "One of almost everything maybe?”

“Sounds good...I guess?”

“On me by the way,” you state with a wink as you flash your company card.

“I’ll get the tip then.” Carmy pats his jeans, the left containing his carton of cigarettes, the right holding his keys, lifting his hips he checks for his wallet although he’s been sitting on his behind for about ten minutes now.

You don’t argue with that, eyes in awe at the selection of items as you start ordering, “don’t forget to order your drink.”

“Water should be fine,” Carmy mutters to himself, eyes scanning over the first strange title of water that is described as flower and ginger infused purified water and decides to go with that.

You finally express after rapidly letting your fingers go over the screen and taking a picture with your phone, “…Okay, so the only way for us to enjoy that huge discount is to act like we’re dating.”

It sounded so easy to you as you quickly shifted to pick up your pen and start writing notes.

“What was that?” Carmy pressed his elbows into the edge of the table, making sure he heard you right since he’s not even sure if he can trust his inner thoughts lately.

You’re still scribbling but also turning your face towards the messy haired chef, “you heard me. We have to act like we’re in a relationship because I’ve definitely went over the budget on the card.”

“That’s not really my problem?”

“Yes it is,” you demand, “you agreed to be my plus one so that’s that. Plus this menu further confirmed my suspicions from the email.”

Carmy scratches at his brow confused, “what are you talking about, aspen?”

“Here,” you swipe across your screen towards Carmy’s device, which brings up another screen instantly to carmy who’s in awe but scans over the details.

You didn’t share the email with him but he’s heard about how high tech this restaurant is but didn’t have the time to do his own research.

*Significant others in attendance are subject to applicable discounts.*

Carmy feels his stomach cramp at the fine print and it so small that he was sure anyone could have missed that.

Not you.

“…how exactly are we supposed to prove that, hm?” He's gripping at his greasy hair now, feeling himself getting a bit worked up about this.

You fanned your hand along, “just do what couples do and follow my lead...Depending on our witnesses,” you whisper as you look around, “they could always assume that’s what we are anyways.”

Part of carmy didn’t like how that came off.

“What, so you’d fake date me for discounted food but you wouldn’t real date me even though I could take you out to the best restaurants out there in town every fucking night if you wanted me to?” Flies out of Carmy’s mouth before he can even process what he’s saying.

That stoops you too, making you press your back against the chair in thought. That wouldn’t be going down in the notes, as you stare at the pen in between your fingers for a moment. Which brings you back to Carmy’s tatted fingers first that touched you in ways that romance novelist craved to write about.

So you may have left that out, how a shared conversation about the “heartless” review of then Chicagoland turned the bear melted into hot and heavy actions in the front seat of your Mazda. It hits you in those same flashes you take of dishes: the unsure sloppy kisses, you taking the lead to get Carmy to just touch you, shaky hands that trace the tattoo from your rib cage down to your hip before soon holding steady and angled just right beneath your red tapered trousers.

“Where did that come from?” You question just as a server greets you, delivering drinks and announcing the small plates should be out in the next five minutes with a timer appearing on both of the stone tablets.

Carmy says, “you—you didn’t just think I forget right?”

“Well I was hoping.” You were honest, “neither of us are ready for relationships—especially hearing about you and Claire.”

Carmy felt his eye twitch, “and how do you know about that?”

Sydney.

You wouldn’t throw her under the bus like that although you could tell carmy already knew.

“I have my resources but don’t think I’ve been asking around about you or anything like that.” You sipped at the raspberry mint cocktail, it could be stronger.

His thumbs are shaking first on the table top but his icy stare made your chest pulsate in a way you didn't particularly like, “…would that be so bad?”

You and carmy didn’t exactly know each other well enough besides a conversation once had and with his hand down your pants! and you trying to get him to crash, clothes still on right in the center of his lap—It was a spur of the moment hookup and you could tell it was not something that happened often for carmy. He never had time for it or bothered to get attached but there was something about you that had him thinking otherwise. What was supposed to be a one time thing that you swept to the back of your mind was being brought up again.

The annoyance overtook what that feeling brought in the front seat of your ride. You weren’t ignoring carmy after that but the both of you had a lot on your plate with him renovating a restaurant and you diving back into your own work. Both fields of work seemed to matter more and not once did you think he ever thought about you in that way.

Communication was important people!

And here you thought he wanted nothing to do with you, especially with you showing up to the grand opening of The Bear. Now here you were months later, basically at your benefit, face to face hearing only pieces of what Carmen Berzatto was thinking.

“Hey, guys!” A familiar voice gathers your attention and you both turn to see Sydney smiling at you two.

Carmy widens his eyes, “Syd, what’re you doing here?”

Sydney snorted, “doing the same thing you’re doing? Having dinner.”

“Right.” He lightly shakes his head.

“Oh my god…am I interrupting this um? Date?” Sydney quickly connected the dots eyeing the both of you back and forth while you’re choking on your drink, “you okay?”

She pats your back for you while you gasp and Carmy slides over his water your way although you have your own glass near by. Gaining some air, you swallow some water and breathe through your nose. Normally you would have a response for Sydney’s joke but given what carmy just said to you had your mind running along with some burning tears you wiped away.

“So this is where you’ve been instead of answering me back?” You decide to switch the subject-you were great at that-wheezing a bit while Carmy scoffs and looks away.

Sydney frowns, “huh? When did you call me besides the FaceTime call…” she starts and pulls out her phone, “oh shit sorry. I placed it on do not disturb like thirty minutes after you didn’t call me back. I got wrapped into some entail about the menu from one of the chef’s that works here and is also a friend.”

Carmy speaks, “Didn’t know you had a connect with anybody here, Syd.”

“Can’t reveal all my moves, Carm.” She winks and lightly elbows him while Carmy sends her a small smile and a shake of his head.

Carmy asks, “scooping out our competition?”

“Only a little," She pinches her fingers before continuing, "and my dad thought it would be a place I wanted to try.” Sydney admits, “and if you two weren’t on a date I’d say let’s make this a group thing! so I’ll be going! I see my dad coming back from the bathroom…he’s got like a bladder problem and I don’t know why I’m sharing that with you two. But bye! Enjoy and just know I’ll be keeping my eye on you two.”

“Fuck,” carmy exhaled feeling his nerves rising, “don’t do that.”

Sydney chuckles to herself and sends a wave to you two before walking back to her table by the window.

“Siddy kicked me to the curb for her dad,” you sigh resting your cheek into your knuckles for a moment, “can’t be mad at that.”

“But you can be mad at me for what exactly?”

“You wanna do this with me right now?”

“Yeah, I think I do.”

“I thought we could move past what happened—

“You can say it you know? Me with my fingers inside—

“Excuse me!” You hiss, “I don’t need you to repeat action by action thank you. I was there too. We both know what happened, we’d agreed we can coexist around this big ass city. I show up to support—

“Did you though?” Carmy pressed, “support me? Or am I waiting for something else to be thrown at me with your upcoming review?”

“What?!” You bite, “is that what your stank ass attitude is about?”

Carmy tightened his jaw just as the first serving was handed over. You let him sulk in that for some time as you study the plating of the four appetizers, making note of each before taking more pictures with your sony.

“I wasn’t there to write a review.” You reply.

“I saw you—

“Let me finish. I understand pressure so I get it but you have to learn to channel your anger and this grief, elsewhere and deal with it better without projecting it onto any and everybody. I’ll tell you that right now that won’t get you anywhere and especially with me, Carmen.” You affirm.

You’ve been in Carmy’s position before so you can speak with experience. He seemed to always be waiting for the worse to continue filling up his plate but it takes time to accept the good in life. He was giving you something but you weren’t sure it was the best option for the both of you and you weren’t afraid to say that.

“Alright…I didn’t come here to talk about feelings either you know? That’s what those meetings are for.” Carmy spills just a tad.

You stare at the vibrant but delicate plating but his tone and the soft upbeat tempo above your heads don’t go unnoticed. “What did you come here for then?”

Carmy blinks and snatches up a spoon, almost weighing it in his hands before he dives the utensil into the dish. He stares as the stretch of cheese, twisting the spoon to break it apart before holding the Macaroni and Brie with Crab out for you to take the first bite.

He doesn’t answer for awhile and so you do the honors of taking a bite and savoring it's texture and taste.

“…that’s not my favorite.” You announce and notice that Carmy waited for your view.

He raises his brows, “tell me about it?”

“They need different plating.” You deeply sigh, “I know that type of plating works best for a dessert and that’s not it. There’s more breadcrumbs than meat, which seems to not be fully removed from its shell so be careful with that. It’s also lacking flavor even with the brie, which is my least favorite kind of cheese in Mac, although many swear by it.”

Carmy flicks his attention to your disappointment to you scribbling into your notepad with a shake of your head. If he was making you a dish, he’d try his hardest to make sure it was everything you ever wanted.

He quickly has his share and thinks to himself.

Carmy can agree, this was lacking flavor and the breadcrumbs didn’t even have a crunch to them. You can’t just depend on the cheese to give you flavor in Mac and cheese.

“What’s your favorite dish? I—I don’t think I ever asked you that. We just went straight into talking about the beef.”

And doing dirty things in the front seat but who needs to relive that?!

You look up from your notes and lift your chin, “you’re looking at it. It’s childish I know...but that’s exactly what it reminds me of: my childhood. Mac and cheese! then as I got into my adulthood…crab kinda took over. Which is funny because I hated on it for so long growing up. My papa—my grandad, he helped my mom raise me, he's from Ocean City so you can only imagine the amount of seafood on our table.”

You’re smiling to yourself and Carmy can’t help but to feel his small laughter lines appear by his lips as you’re locked into some memory only you can remember vividly. This was the most Carmy was learning about you, sure it may not look like much but he didn’t feel the need to dissociate even if at times he really couldn’t help it.

You were the question mark that he wanted to figure out and get all the answers to. Maybe it was his gut and he shouldn’t have blabbed to sugar about you because now Carmy was thinking this was Michael’s doing.

If you believe in that shit.

So the both of you take your time trying the small dishes before getting the main courses. It seems the longer you sit across from each other—the tension was definitely still there especially with Sydney’s eyes burning into the two of you across the room and attempting to not get caught—although she had once or twice but gradually it lifted as you and carmy shared this time together.

He watched you work while you asked for his input before you told your own. He also provided a few things he would do to tweak it if he agreed with what you didn’t enjoy. Which was eye-opening for you, yes you went to school for journalism and sat in on some cooking classes once that also tied into your passion for learning. After completing your first degree you decided culinary may take you to different heights and enrolled into culinary school. You didn’t find the need to continue going through with being a chef after Copenhagen, finding writing to be your stronger suit but you still understood food and the relationship with it when it came to chef’s.

So you took carmy’s input into consideration.

With the last serving being a Asian dessert called, “Jjan Hae,” which consisted of: coconut rice pudding served with fresh citrus (orange, grapefruit, kumquat) and coffee ice cream, topped with crispy pop rice & a shot of Korean rice wine, it was a strange concept but the both of you came to terms with the dessert working well.

Carmy even took a video to show Marcus tomorrow at the bear and sent a photo to an old colleague, Luca, that you were also familiar with considering Noma was a thing that you didn’t bother speaking much on…but it was your turn to give carmy the last serving.

He hesitated since he had his own bowl, which he finished way before you did but it was clear you wanted him to have the last bite so he also took it while saying something with his eyes.

Breaking the stare, the both of you felt your phone buzz with a text. Carmy didn’t jump to answer it right away…he was the worst texter according to Nat and Sydney but you can answer for the both of you as it was a group text from Sydney who was long gone with her dad.

Siddy + (773) XXX-XXXX: Carmy, invite aspen to breakfast in the morning?? See you guys then! 👍🏾😉

“You guys do breakfast at the bear now?” You say lifting your eyes from your screen.

You heard Sydney made a mean omelette but you haven’t been back since earlier this year and you weren’t in the mood for that that night.

Carmy frowns and closes his eyes with a shake of his head, “uh yeah it’s a new thing that Syd came up with but we agreed to do that with everyone once a month…later this month. Why?”

“She wants me to have breakfast with you guys…knowing I’m not a morning person.”

“It’s not happening tomorrow anyway, so what is she talking about?” Carmy digs into his jacket, where he carelessly shoved his phone into after sending the photo off to Luca.

Another text rings out: at carmy’s place. just us three???

Not Sydney making plans and then placing it all at Carmy’s apartment.

He’s taking a breath, almost as a silent reminder for him to do so before his thumbs move over his screen: i don’t even eat breakfast, Syd.

Syd: well youre gonna.

~ Syd has notifications silenced 🌙 ~

“Well, looks like your work wife told your ass.” You laugh, which you translated into her message but didn’t comment further than that.

Carmy harshly exhales through his nostrils in disbelief, “my work wife huh?”

He didn’t hate how that sounded but he also never thought about marriage or relationships in awhile.

“Yeah…the proof is in the pudding, no matter what anyone says.”

Carmy pinched at his bottom lip as he attempts to dryly joke, “I thought it was rice? and what about outside work…”

“That’s something you have to figure out yourself.” You shrug, getting ready to pack up your notes and cameras.

You turn your attention to the table, which knows just when to lift as you tap on the screen to signal that you’re ready to pay while holding out your company card, “are you paying cash for the tip or card?”

“Uh, cash.” Carmy answers, “…what if I’m starting to think about what come’s next?”

“With Syd?” You question, your now sage and mint scented hands flying over the screen as you select the correct paying method before tapping your company card against the screen.

Carmy starts bouncing his leg underneath the table, “with everything.”

“Well…when you’re ready you’ll make moves to make it happen won’t you?”

Carmy dips his head, “you bet.”

And here comes the intense eye contact that you can’t help but to huff out some laughter.

“What’s funny?”

“It’s just people with light eyes always do this thing where they’re just staring into your soul you know? Like damn, relax!”

Carmy’s confused as he holds his wallet open, “uh sorry for having eyes?”

“Shut up, glacier eyes.” You tell while Carmy just snorts at you.

The both of you don’t waste any time rushing back to his car as the clock is approaching 10pm. The wind’s definitely picked up and the temperature dropped, making it easier not to get caught up in the night time city lights which you often liked to do. Back in the van, carmy doesn’t wait to crank up the heat and you don’t bother to mess with the radio this time.

“So?” Carmy asks as he waits for the car to warm up some.

You keep your attention outside the window shield, “yes?”

“What’s the rating?”

“What makes you think I’m going to tell you that, Carmen?” You continue holding yourself.

He sniffs, “I mean—I was sitting across from you the entire night while you told me some of your thoughts.”

“So you thought you should also get the final score? I don’t even know what I’m going to say yet.”

“Ah, I think you’ve got some idea.” Carmy lolls his head over to peek at you.

Laughter bubbles past your lips, “I do. I’ve absolutely had better because—what the fuck was that?”

Carmen feels a crooked smirk appear on his own face, “I don’t want to completely bash other chef’s work but fuck, I thought it was just me? You said it got a 4.3 out of 5? The ambience and service was spot on but…the flavor for most of the dishes?”

“I knew you knew something about seasoning,” you continued laughing while carmy rolled his eyes, “should spend less on the tech and interior and more on some fresh herbs.”

“Isn’t it called simmer saffron?”

That made you laugh even harder as you gripped your stomach, “You’ve got that so backwards!”

And carmy couldn’t help but to scan your features as you laughed and he felt his chest getting somewhat lighter? Just listening to the sound of you and being beside you. What kind of feeling was this? He’s felt it before looking at someone else but that feeling was more of a tug with that light while this one slowly poured in from the black.

“Don’t be too hard on ‘em though? There’s always room for improvement.”

“Sure, but we both know the bear is better and you guys don’t have a waist list months in advance.”

“We also don’t have any celebrities showing up either.”

“Yet.”

Carmy taps his fingers against the steering wheel, appreciating that, “right, yet…I’m sorry about March. I was too in my head about so much shit and you’re right, I took it out on everyone and I’m still trying to make up for it.”

“Effort doesn’t ever go unnoticed if people look and feel it hard enough.”

Carmy chews on his lips at that, “if you believe that…then why do you feel what I said about dating—uh us—about us dating is out of the blue?”

“I said that?”

“Your eyes did. It’s the most expressive thing about you which is funny to me when you talk so much shit about mine when you hide the rest of it away on your face. It’s fucking confusing but I think I gathered that from our dinner tonight.”

Carmy was just as detail oriented as you. It was in his language with food and maybe even in his tattoos that you tried to understand starting with his fingers first. The way he spoke about what he would do with the dishes that were lackluster, except for the dessert—that was pretty good. Carmy wasn’t much of a talker because he wasn’t sure how to express himself, always been that way since you knew of him at Noma…but he told just enough in his dishes and you told just enough between the lines you wrote.

Someone just had to look hard enough.

“…I ever tell you I was engaged? Of course I didn’t, we’re still…I don’t know what the hell we’re doing here Carmen but I’m starting to sense that we could be special if we both want this badly.”

“What do you want?”

“Does anyone ever really know?” You laughed, “ I guess someone to look past the circumstanial and I had that once but then he died. So that was the end of that.”

“You swore off love.”

“Love is many things but maybe I closed off the long lasting part.”

Carmy could relate to that as least with family. He never had much interest in romance even growing up because he lacked that confidence in anything being permanent besides the chaos he’s used to, then he found some of it once he proved what he fucking set out to do yet cooking was all Carmen really opened himself up to. While Luca and others encouraged him to have a night out in the town, he always left early or if there was one person that caught his interest, they get to talking and both get bored of each other since Carmy hardly made the move to take them back to his. Before Noma?

Maybe.

Back in Paris there was one that could have been permanent but Carmy had to break her heart since Noma was calling. Culinary was his true love and he honestly couldn’t tell you what she even looked like now if you asked him. Things that should have mattered tended to get buried in the blue of his mind unfortunately.

He didn’t have the time to be attached and you didn’t want to have your heart ripped out again.

“How’d—

“He was a firefighter.” Was all you said and just those words alone told carmy it was anything but peaceful.

It took a lot for carmy to scream at himself how Michael went out and he imagined it might have been the same for you. So he wouldn’t dare ask for further morbid details because what did that help?

So maybe you weren’t wrong about the both of you not being ready to take that step on going on dates but change was everlasting.

“Uh—what about breakfast then after that not so great meal?” Carmy asks as he pulls off from the curb now.

You think about it. Really think about it that carmy starts to assume you may have dozed off.

“Depends on the time honestly? And who am I to turn down a free meal?” You beamed at Carmy who lifts his shoulders with a chuckle.

Carmy explains, “Syd and I usually start our days early, sometimes even earlier for me if I don’t get enough hours in. but thanks to the reno those on the early shift can get prep ready and I heard…you’re not a morning person?”

You’re just as sarcastic but there’s no lies, “I don’t even know my name or birthdate when I first wake up…what do you think?”

Carmy snickered at that, “okay? So how does 10am sound?”

“That’s pushing it but…I think I can be there so that’ll give me the rest of the day to work from home.”

Carmy nods, “can’t wait to read it. Shake on it?”

“On what? My review or showing up?”

“Both.”

“I’m not sending you a sneak peek, maybe syd or even nat but not you.”

“Ouch.” Carmy mocks, still waiting for your hand to touch his.

And when you do there’s a spark, that makes you yank your hand back and you feel like you’re in one of those cheesy teen movies.

You’re aware carmy’s felt that too but he just clears his throat and placed his hand back on the steering wheel. Leaving you to lightly massage the palm of your hand, now glancing at the profile of carmy’s face.

Life takes time to live but once you start to just let it be, the green starts to stand out more and can be equally as joyous…once you get through the rain and mud that is.

And once the ice blue sets back on you, the both of you can’t exactly see the future but there’s always warmth waiting for the cold to give them a try.

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡

February fluff anthology series continues here.

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emjayewrites · 5 months

Text

PASTRY PASSIONS (4/?) (Luca x blackfemoc!)

PAIRING: Luca x Symone (black!original character)

SUMMARY: When Symone secures a coveted position as the social media manager at Noma, the renowned Michelin-starred restaurant, she is thrilled to be part of a team that pushes boundaries and captures gastronomic excellence. As Symone immerses herself in the vibrant atmosphere of Noma, she catches the eye of Luca, a talented and career-focused pastry chef within the same establishment. Luca is captivated by her presence, however, with his desire to maintain a clear boundary between work and personal life, he resists the growing attraction he feels toward her. Despite their shared passion for the culinary world, Symone and Luca find themselves entangled in a delicate dance between friendship, ambition, and unspoken desires. As the duo collaborates on various projects, from showcasing exquisite pastries to capturing behind-the-scenes glimpses of culinary artistry, they face numerous challenges that test their resolve. Amidst the intense pressures of Noma’s demanding environment and the weight of their individual aspirations, Symone and Luca must navigate their relationship in a career-driven world, where the line between personal and professional blurs, and decisions made can shape not only one’s heart but also their future in the industry.

WARNINGS: slow burn romance, drama, angst, grueling work conditions/not-so-glamorous life of the culinary world, cursing, slight age gap, sexual content. RATED M (18+)

TAGLIST: @cinewhore @kdoxkeic @wakandamama @afro-hispwriter @nolita-fairytale @lovebittenbyevans @blowmymbackout @superhoeva @barefoothighlander @ihyperfixateoncharacters @soufcakmistress @celestianstars @vlvtkyssis @fadingbelieverexpert @arctvrvs @scottlangswife @lilyed777 @suckthatskittlebiiitch @write-fromthe-start @pantherxrogers @penny44224 @roxyfan14-blog @aieshawilliams2001 @cillianmirphy @sarcasticmrfox @zeeader @eddiemunsonreader @geekyfer @retrouvailles-film @stargirlfics @mauvecherie-writes @spellbinding10 @blckgrl-sunflower @beahil @stnexus @iamcurlycubana @motivation-idontknowher @shar74nett @blackpearlbutterfly @virgosapphire79 @a-lumos-in-the-nox @creativitybewarebeware @becauseimher @crispysublimecupcake @wordswithoppar @mintbong420

AUTHOR NOTE: This is my first fic for FX’s The Bear. This contains spoilers from Season 2, so please don’t read it if you haven’t watched it. In “Honeydew”, Luca mentions that he’s been working as a pastry chef/chef for 14 years, so he has to be in his early/mid-30s (32-34-ish?) and there will be a small age gap between him and Symone. Also, Chapters 1-3 are set a month and a half before Marcus’ stage trip in January. Please DM me if you want to be added to the tag list. Enjoy reading!

CHAPTER IV: Bain-Marie

BAIN-MARIE: A water bath that prevents delicate desserts from curdling, cracking, or overcooking as they bake.

As the days rolled by at Noma, the tension between Luca and Symone lingered like a silent storm. Despite their brief yet intense connection in Oslo, their interactions were now cloaked in an uneasy atmosphere. Both danced around each other, caught in a web of unspoken emotions and unresolved feelings.

Symone tried to bury her emotions beneath a façade of professionalism. She threw herself into her work, channeling her energy into creating social media content for Noma. Yet, every time she glanced in Luca's direction, her heart fluttered, reminding her of the bond they shared during their time away.

Meanwhile, Luca wrestled with his own internal conflict. He found solace in the familiar chaos of the kitchen, throwing himself into refining pastries and mentoring Marcus. However, thoughts of Symone were a constant distraction, leaving him grappling with the unspoken tension that lingered between them.

One afternoon, amidst the controlled chaos of the kitchen, an unexpected lull provided a fleeting moment of respite. Luca stole a glance across the bustling room and found Symone engrossed in her work at an empty table, typing away on her laptop.

Summoning his courage, Luca navigated the sea of busy chefs and made his way toward her. With each step, his heartbeat quickened, nerves coiling in his stomach.

"Hey," he greeted softly as he approached Symone.

Symone looked up, surprised at the interruption. "Oh, hey Luca," she responded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Mind if I... we talk for a sec?" Luca asked, his voice tinged with a touch of uncertainty.

"Sure, what's up?" Symone replied, setting aside her work to give him her full attention.

They faced each other, the air thick with unspoken words. Luca hesitated, searching for the right words to articulate the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him.

"I know things have been weird between us lately," Luca began, his gaze earnest as he met Symone's eyes. "And I just wanted to say... I don't want it to be like this."

Symone nodded in understanding, her expression softening. "Me neither. It's just... complicated."

"Yeah," Luca agreed, a rueful smile crossing his face. "But maybe it doesn't have to be."

Their eyes held a silent conversation, a myriad of emotions passing between them. For a moment, the chaos of the kitchen faded into the background, leaving only the palpable tension between Luca and Symone.

"So...what're you suggesting?" Symone wondered as her eyebrows furrowed. She inched closer to him, causing her delightful scent of vanilla and cherries to waft through his nostrils. Her smell beckoned him and it took all of Luca's willpower to not kiss her right then and there.

He's been trying to be on his best behavior since they came back from Oslo, giving her time and distance to process what happened between them, yet Marcus' advice kept echoing in his mind: he needed to uncomplicate it.

Was he scared shitless? Of course; he didn't want to be in yet another office situationship, however, Symone was proving to be too hard to forget and Luca was willing to risk it at least one more time. Call him reckless, yet he'll be an idiot to try to keep playing this platonic bullshit with her, especially after the weekend they had.

"I dunno," he shrugged, "but I don't want to be here at work feeling awkward as hell, y'know? Symone, we...had fun in Oslo, alright? Why can't we continue to have fun here?"

Her annoyed eye roll tempted him to chuckle, yet somehow he managed to keep it together. Luca enjoyed watching her reactions; she was such an open book.

Symone crossed her arms over her chest, which emphasized her breasts even more, much to Luca's chagrin. "I thought we agreed to leave it in Oslo?"

"I know, I know," Luca admitted, trying to diffuse the tension with a half-hearted grin. "But can't we at least be civil? Working like this is driving me crazy."

Symone sighed, her frustration evident. "It's not that easy, Luca. Things are different here, and we have our responsibilities."

"Yeah, responsibilities," Luca echoed, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. "I get it, but does that mean we can't even talk without it being weird?"

She hesitated, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze. "It's not about being weird. It's about keeping things professional."

"Professional," Luca repeated, the word feeling like a barricade between them. "I guess I just miss how things were."

Symone's expression softened, a flicker of nostalgia crossing her features. "I miss it too, believe me. But we can't go back."

"Can't or won't?" Luca challenged, a hint of defiance in his tone.

"Luca...don't do this." Symone's gaze softened briefly before she regained her composure. "This isn't the time or place for... this."

An awkward silence settled between them, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Luca ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident.

"Alright, then," he said finally, trying to sound nonchalant despite the ache in his chest. "I'll leave it alone."

Symone's gaze softened, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes. "Luca, I..."

But before she could finish, Luca gave her a small, understanding nod. "It's fine, really." With a heavy heart, Luca pivoted on his heel to turn away and get back to his work, but something – someone –stopped him.

"Luca," she stated in a harsh whisper, her fingers lightly gripping his wrist, halting his departure. Her eyes pleaded with him, conflicted emotions swirling within them. "Please."

He turned back around, caught off guard by the sudden contact, and met her gaze, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Yes, Symone?"

"I didn't mean for it to be like this," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the kitchen's clamor. "It's just... it's complicated. Can we talk about this later? Just you and me?"

He searched her eyes for a moment, seeing a mix of regret and longing. "Sure," he said. "Where?"

Symone's grip on his wrist loosened, her hand falling back to her side. "My apartment. I can make us dinner."

"Trying to bribe me with food, huh?" Luca let out a low whistle, shaking his head in mock displeasure. "That's cold, Symone."

Symone managed a small, rueful smile, a glint of warmth in her eyes. "Hey, it's the least I can do."

Luca chuckled softly, the tension in the air easing just a fraction. "Alright, fine, but I can't promise that I'll enjoy it as much as I want to."

"Liar," Symone quipped. "You know damn well you've been itching to try my cooking."

"We shall see, Symone." He glanced over at his workstation. "I have to finish up my work, but I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay," was her response.

Symone silently watched as Luca headed back to his tasks.

______________________________________________________________

The hours passed slowly for Luca, his mind occupied with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty about the upcoming evening. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, he found solace in the familiarity of his work, channeling his restless energy into perfecting the desserts for the evening service.

As the day wound down, Luca glanced at the clock, realizing it was time to leave. With a sense of both apprehension and excitement, he made his way to Symone's apartment, the thoughts of their impending conversation swirling in his mind.

Upon arrival, Symone greeted him with a warm smile, the aroma of a homemade meal filling the cozy space. They exchanged a few light-hearted remarks about their day, attempting to mask the unspoken tension that lingered between them.

Dinner progressed smoothly, the conversation flowing more easily than expected. Symone's culinary skills surpassed his expectations, and Luca couldn't help but admit how much he enjoyed the meal. They laughed and reminisced about shared experiences, momentarily letting go of the weight that rested between them.

As they finished their meal, Luca sensed Symone's demeanor shifting, her expression becoming more earnest.

"Luca," Symone began, her tone tinged with a mix of hesitation and resolve. "I've been distant, and I want to apologize for that."

A reassuring smile appeared on his lips. "I understand. I'm sure it can be weird coming back after all the things we've done in Oslo." He added a sultry wink at the end and Symone kissed her teeth at his antics. "I'm not sure about you, but after something like that, fucking you like that, I can't just be friends, Symone. Don't you miss that? Don't you miss how we felt together?"

"I do miss it," she confessed, her eyes meeting his with a twinge of vulnerability. She wouldn't lie to herself to say anything else; it took so long to admit it. Since that weekend in Oslo, all she could dream about was Luca's big, calloused hands on her smooth skin. Symone was unable to shake off the feeling of Luca inside of her, fucking her relentlessly. Call her touch starved, a sex feign, whatever; yet it was no denying how wonderful it felt to be with him, even for a brief moment.

Luca's heart skipped a beat at her honesty. "I miss it too, more than you know."

The air between them crackled with unspoken emotions, but there was an unspoken agreement, a silent understanding that they both yearned for more than just professionalism between them.

"I want to find a way to balance this," Symone said, her voice soft but resolute. "But I don't even know where to start. I mean—fuck!" She used both hands to cover her face and mumbled out a few incoherent sentences. Exhaling a deep breath, she finally removed her hands from her face. "Sorry, I can be a bit melodramatic. Obviously, what we had was fun..."

"Yes," smiled Luca, "it was really fun. I'm down to keep going if you are, Symone. Just say the words."

If it all was that simple, she thought. But it could be...

As soon as that intrusive musing popped up in her mind, she quickly forbade it, pushing it to the deep depths of her consciousness. Symone felt a mix of emotions swirl within her, a whirlwind of hesitation, desire, and caution. Luca's proposal sounded both appealing and daunting at the same time.

"It's not that simple," she murmured, her gaze lingering on Luca, feeling a tug-of-war between her longing to reconnect and the fear of the repercussions. "Listen, this is hard for me to navigate, okay? I have a career to worry about. I mean, we both have careers. What if someone finds out?"

"Then we figure it out, Symone," Luca said all too calmly. "This isn't my first go-around for something like this and I can understand your concern, your worry, but...how 'bout we put a timeframe on it, okay? Let's say until Noma officially closes its Copenhagen restaurant? Until then, we're friends with benefits, a couple, whatever you want to describe it."

Wow, he has all the answers, doesn't he?

A sense of frustration flickered within her, the conflict evident on her face. "And at work?" she wondered, rolling her eyes at the uncomfortable ease he had towards this. It sounded ludicrous and she hated the idea of sneaking around. It made her feel all too reminiscent of her younger, teenage self hiding her boyfriend from her nosy, overprotective father.

Been there, done that, and still remember the punishment of that entire ordeal.

Luca shrugged nonchalantly. "Work is work, but alone time is just us."

"And then what? What happens after Noma closes?"

His demeanor remained composed, a hint of determination in his eyes. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Symone pondered his proposition; it stirred a sense of reluctance, yet there was an undeniable pull toward Luca, a chance to rekindle something they had lost, which was something she so desperately craved. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," he agreed. "Whether it's at your place or mine, we can be whatever you desire, and at work, we are strictly professional. How does that sound, baby?"

"Baby?" Symone scoffed. "So we're jumping right in with the affection, huh?"

"Fuck yeah," he said as his eyes twinkled with mischief. He eased out of his chair to saunter over to her. Despite his innate desire to erase any specific timeline from their connection, he recognized the necessity of gently rekindling their relationship.

He towered above her, the gravitational pull between them was undeniable, a magnetic force that seemed to transcend the boundaries of logic and rationality.

As he stood there, close yet not touching, Luca grappled with the conflicting desires within him. He prided himself on patience and adhering to rules, but Symone had a way of dismantling his resolve, sparking an urgency that tugged at his restraint.

"Symone," he began, his voice softer, a deep timbre, and he reached out tentatively to caress her cheek. "We'll do whatever you what, okay?"

The touch sent a jolt through both of them, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken connection that lingered between them. Luca felt the familiar tug of attraction and the urge to unravel the intricacies of their bond, and as much as he tried to exercise restraint, reminding himself of the importance of patience and understanding, his fervor for her managed to overtake his entire existence.

Cupping her chin, he leaned down to kiss her. Their lips met in a passionate embrace, igniting a fire within them that burned hotter with each passing second. Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the intoxicating taste of each other's lips, their bodies pressed together in a desperate need for closeness. The world around them faded away, leaving only the electrifying sensation of their kiss. It was a moment of pure bliss, where desire and longing merged into one unforgettable experience.

Their embrace deepened, and a low, passionate moan escaped Symone's lips, echoing the intensity of their connection. Her fingers tangled in Luca's hair, gently massaging his scalp, heightening the pleasure of their intimate exchange.

Luca pulled at her clothing, and Symone quickly got the hint, separating briefly to remove her t-shirt. Her breasts were covered by her bra yet Luca still growled at the sight of her — she was still as gorgeous as he remembered.

"C'mere," he said as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to him. Symone melted into him, her body responding instinctively to his commanding presence. Their lips moved once again in sync, a dance of passion and longing, as Luca's hands trailed up her back, tracing the delicate curve of her spine. With a surge of courage, he unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor, and exposing her breasts to his hungry gaze.

Luca's eyes darkened with desire as he hungrily took in the sight before him. He leaned down, capturing one of her hardened nipples with his lips, teasing it with his tongue. Symone gasped at the sensation, arching into his touch, craving more.

Sensing her need, Luca gently lifted her off her feet and carried her towards the bedroom. Symone's heart raced with anticipation as they entered the room, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm ambiance over the space. She could feel the heat radiating off Luca's body, a tangible reminder of their growing desire.

As he laid her down on the bed, she reached up to pull him down on top of her. Symone's hands roamed over his muscular back, feeling every inch of his sculpted form as they continued to explore each other.

Breaking away from their embrace, Luca looked into Symone's eyes with a mixture of tenderness and urgency. "I want you so fuckin' much, Symone," he whispered hoarsely. "Do you want me too, baby?"

She nodded in silent agreement and with practiced ease, Luca removed her lounge pants and panties before discarding his own clothing. They were both naked now, their bodies entwined in an embrace that left no room for doubt or hesitation.

Luca gazed at Symone with reverence before claiming her lips again in a passionate kiss. His hands roamed over her body, refamiliarizing himself with every curve and dip before settling between her thighs.

Symone moaned as he began to explore her most intimate parts with skilled fingers, eliciting waves of pleasure that coursed through her body. She clung to him tightly as they moved together in perfect harmony, lost in sheer ecstasy. Her back arched into a bow and her hips moved in tandem with his ministrations.

"That's right, baby, let me know how much you need this," he crooned. "Do you want to cum?"

"Yes." Symone could feel the waves of pleasure building within her. She moaned his name, her body surrendering to his touch.

Luca's lips trailed down her neck, nipping and kissing at the sensitive skin before making his way down to her breasts. He took one nipple into his mouth, sucking and flicking it with his tongue while his fingers continued their rhythmic movements.

Symone could hardly think or speak, completely consumed by the sensations coursing through her body.

With a wicked grin, Luca slid down her body until he was positioned between her legs. His tongue replaced his fingers, sending a jolt of pleasure through Symone's entire being. She cried out as he expertly circled and flicked at her clit with a teasing touch before plunging it deep inside of her.

Symone's hips bucked uncontrollably as Luca continued to tease her with his skilled tongue. She felt herself getting closer and closer to the edge, ready to topple over into pure pleasure.

But just as she was on the brink of release, Luca stopped and moved back up to kiss her deeply. Symone groaned in frustration and pulled him closer, craving more of his touch.

"I want you inside me," she whispered against his lips.

Without hesitation, Luca positioned himself between her thighs and slowly pushed himself inside of her. They both moaned at the feeling of being joined together again after so long apart.

Their pace quickened as they moved together in perfect sync, each thrust taking them higher and higher towards their climax. Symone dug her nails into Luca's back as he drove into her with a new intensity. The room was filled with their moans and the sound of skin slapping against skin. They were both lost in the moment, consumed by their desire for each other.

"Harder," Symone gasped, her eyes locking onto Luca's.

He obliged, picking up the pace and thrusting deeper into her. She felt his hands grip her hips tightly, his movements growing more urgent. Symone could feel herself getting closer to the edge once again, the pleasure building inside of her like a fire that was about to explode.

With a guttural groan, Luca leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss as he reached his own climax. Symone followed soon after, crying out his name as she rode out the waves of pleasure coursing through her body.

They collapsed onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, both breathing heavily and basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

"I missed you," Luca said softly, stroking Symone's hair as they lay there together.

Symone felt the soft, gentle touch of Luca's fingers as they combed through her braids, soothing and comforting her. "I missed you too," she replied, turning to face him with a smile. "I can't believe we finally did this again."

Luca chuckled. "Me neither. But it was definitely worth the wait."

______________________________________________________________

The sun filtered through the sheer curtains as Luca and Symone lay tangled in each other's embrace. Symone traced lazy circles on Luca's chest, her fingertips gliding along the contours of his toned muscles and the outlines of his tattoos. Each touch sent a shiver down his spine, igniting a dormant fire within him. He reveled in the weight of her body against his, the softness of her skin against his own.

Luca let out a contented sigh, savoring the feeling of her being in his arms. It had been too long since he had held her like this, since they had been together in this way. He couldn't believe how much he had missed her.

"How 'bout I make us some breakfast?" he said and Symone let out a chuckle. "What? Aren't you hungry?"

"I can eat," she replies, "but I figured you'd want to...enjoy each other's company for a little while longer."

"Ah..." Luca smiled at the revelation of her words. "I mean, I'm a good multitasker. I could always cook something and fuck you at the same time."

"Bullshit," she scoffed, giving him a playful nudge.

He tilted her chin upwards so that they were at eye level. "Do you wanna take that bet, love?"

Symone's eyes sparkled with mischief as she considered his proposition. The thought of Luca managing to cook breakfast while simultaneously pleasuring her seemed both impossible and enticing. She couldn't deny that the idea excited her.

"Alright," she finally conceded, an impish grin spreading across her face. "I'll take that bet."

Luca's eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of excitement glinting within them. He never backed down from a challenge, and this was no exception.

He led Symone towards the kitchen and instructed her to take a seat on one of the barstools before donning an apron, washing his hands, and getting to work.

As he moved around the kitchen with fluid motions, Symone watched intently. Luca put on a fresh pot of coffee and then set off to gather supplies for waffles.

"Do you have any bacon?" he asked as he examined the refrigerator.

"Nope," she quipped, "but there's prosciutto."

"Interesting," he mumbled to himself. "Alright, prosciutto it is." He started the batter for the waffles, and he gazed at Symone as he whisked the ingredients together. "Spread your legs."

The unexpected command intrigued her, and she did as she was told, spreading her legs as wide as she could. She was ready dripping with arousal and it was no way of hiding it.

Luca licked his lips in anticipation. "Fuckin' hell, you're soaking already. I am always amazed by how quickly you become wet for me."

"I mean it helps when you're easy on the eyes."

"Charmer," Luca goaded as he carefully poured the batter into the waffle iron. He set the timer and then turned his attention back to Symone. "Play with your pussy."

Symone felt a rush of excitement at the command, but she tried to keep her composure as she reached between her legs and began to tease herself. She let out a soft moan as she circled her clit with her fingers, feeling the familiar tingling sensation begin to build within her.

Luca watched her studiously, his eyes darkening with desire. He could see how ready she was for him, and it only fueled his own arousal. Symone couldn't help but squirm under Luca's fiery gaze as she pleasured herself in front of him. She focused on her pleasure, rubbing her clit and occasionally dipping a finger inside herself. She let out another soft moan, imagining it was Luca's fingers bringing her to the brink of ecstasy.

He couldn't resist any longer and stepped forward, placing a hand on her thigh as he bent down to capture her lips in a passionate kiss.

Symone eagerly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. She could feel his hard length pressing against her through his apron, and it only made her want him more.

Breaking the kiss, Luca pulled back slightly to look into Symone's eyes. "I couldn't wait any longer," he whispered huskily.

Symone nodded in agreement before leaning back on the barstool and spreading her legs wider for him. Luca wasted no time in positioning himself at her entrance.

He slowly pushed inside of her, savoring the feeling of being surrounded by her warmth. They both let out a simultaneous moan as he began to move within her, their bodies moving together with ease.

The sound of the timer going off distracted them from their intimate connection, causing them both to chuckle. Luca pulled out and helped Symone off the barstool. He then turned off the waffle iron and skillfully plated their meal.

"C'mon," he ordered, gesturing for Symone to follow him to the dining table. He set their plates down, but instead of sitting down as she expected, Luca pushed her gently against the table, causing her to gasp in surprise.

"Hands on the table," he instructed, his voice low and deep.

Symone shivered at his dominance and complied without hesitation. She braced herself against the table as Luca moved closer behind her, pressing himself against her back and running his hands up her sides.

"You like being told what to do?" he whispered into her ear before nipping at her earlobe.

"Yes," Symone breathed out in response, feeling a surge of pleasure shoot through her body at his touch.

"Good girl," Luca praised as his hands lingered on her ass. He slapped the right buttock harshly and Symone hissed at the sting. "Fuck, Symone, you have no idea what you do to me. Can I have like this, baby? Can I bend you over the table and fuck you?"

Holy shit, she thought. She nodded her head hurriedly.

"Use your words, baby," he told her as he sent another slap to her ass. "Tell me what you want."

"Yes, yes," was her response. "Please fuck me, Luca."

Luca's deep chuckle was like honey to her ears and Symone's entire being went abuzz with exhilaration. She felt his pierced penis head brush against her entrance before slowly pushing inside of her once more. Symone moaned loudly as Luca filled her, feeling every inch of him as he began to move within her. He set a steady pace, his hands roaming all over her body as he kissed and nipped at her skin.

With each thrust, Symone's pleasure intensified until she was overwhelmed by it. She could feel the heat building in the pit of her stomach, signaling her impending release.

"Luca," she gasped out, gripping onto the edge of the table for support.

"I know, baby," he grunted in response, picking up his pace. "Me too."

Symone felt as if she were on fire, her body consumed by the pleasure Luca was giving her. Her mind was hazy with desire and she could only focus on the sensations coursing through her.

Luca's hands moved from her hips to cup her breasts, kneading them gently as he continued to thrust into her.

His movements became more frantic and desperate as they both chased their climax. Symone could feel herself getting closer and closer until finally, they both reached their peak together.

They collapsed onto the table in a heap of sweaty limbs and heavy breathing. They stayed there for a few moments, catching their breaths and basking in the afterglow of their passionate encounter. Luca pressed kisses to Symone's neck before slowly pulling out of her and helping her stand upright again.

He turned her around to face him and pulled her into a tight hug. "Best waffles I've ever had," she joked breathlessly, causing Luca to chuckle again.

"You can have them every morning if you want," he replied with a smirk.

After a few minutes of standing there in each other's embrace, they separated and cleaned up the kitchen together. It was a comfortable silence between them now, filled with stolen glances and shy smiles.

As they sat down at the dining table to finally eat their waffles, Symone couldn't help but think about how perfect this moment felt. Even though she knew that this wouldn't last forever, she felt content with just being with him, and she wanted to revel in this feeling as long as she possibly could.

______________________________________________________________

A couple of days later, Luca woke up with a newfound pep in his step. The previous night, after a long and mentally draining distance, he had made up with Symone.

As he made his way to Noma, Luca couldn't help but smile at the memory of their passionate encounter. It felt like a turning point in their relationship, a moment of understanding and connection that they hadn't experienced before. And as he entered the chaotic kitchen of Noma, Luca's heart was still filled with that exhilarating energy.

Luca walked into the bustling kitchen of Noma, and he spotted Marcus, the stagiaire he had been working with lately, and motioned for him to join him at the workstation.

"Today, we're going to tackle the shiso gelee," Luca said, his voice filled with confidence.

"Yes, Chef," Marcus nodded eagerly, ready to learn from the master.

"So just watch me. When you're comfortable, jump in. Don't try to be a hero and then fuck it up."

"Yes, Chef," affirmed Marcus as he focused on Luca's movements. Marcus watched as Luca carefully demonstrated each step of the plating process to Marcus, explaining the importance of precision and attention to detail. "It's like Operation," commented Marcus.

"Bzz," joked Luca as he placed the final layer, a caramel cracker, on top. "Alright, there you go." Luca wiped his hands on the towel that was strategically placed in his apron's pocket. "Go 'head and try that out for me."

Marcus grabbed a nearby fork and dug right in, chewing delightfully. "Whoa. It kind of tastes like a, um..."

"Minty Snickers bar?" interrupted Luca.

"A minty Snickers bar," laughed Marcus. "That's crazy. Yeah."

A small smile appeared on Luca's face. "Symone said the same thing when she tried it. I want you to think of a name for it, if you're up for the task, that is. I don't think Minty Snickers bar will gel well with our customers."

"Yeah, of course, no problem," Marcus grinned. "Thanks for teaching me."

"It's my pleasure," Luca replied before turning his attention back to the other tasks at hand. Amidst all this chaos and creativity, there was one person who continued to linger in his mind – Symone.

He wondered what she was doing at that very moment; if she was thinking about him as much as he was thinking about her. He yearned to see her again and wanted to have another recap of their last time together.

As lunch service came to an end and preparations began for dinner service later on, Luca decided to take a smoke break. The fresh air would do him good after being cooped up in a hot kitchen all day.

Luca stepped out of Noma's kitchen and into the cool Copenhagen air. The chill in the air was refreshing after being holed up in such a high-intensity environment for hours on end. He lit a cigarette and took a long drag, savoring the taste and feeling of the smoke filling his lungs.

As he exhaled, Luca's mind wandered back to Symone once again. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered that night, and early morning, together. But as much as he wanted to see her again, Luca knew that work came first. And with dinner service about to begin, he needed to focus on that.

"Chef?" called Marcus, snapping Luca out of his thoughts.

"Yeah? What's up?" wondered Luca as he finished his cigarette and flicked it onto the ground.

"Making sure you're good, that's all," said Marcus with a shrug. "You seem...cool now. I figured you spoke to Symone?"

"Yeah," nodded Luca, "We cleared the air. Thanks, Marcus."

"So, it won't be awkward between y'all no more?"

"Nah," chuckled Luca. "No more awkwardness. Let's go back inside and get ready for dinner service."

As he re-entered the kitchen, Luca immediately got back into chef mode, checking on all of his team's stations and making sure everything was running smoothly. The air in the kitchen was filled with a symphony of sizzling pans, clinking utensils, and the rhythmic chopping of vegetables. Luca's team moved with well-rehearsed precision, each member focused on their designated tasks.

Maria, Luca's trusted sous chef, was delicately crafting miniature chocolate tarts. Her nimble fingers danced across the counter, gracefully shaping each tart shell and filling them with a luscious ganache that tasted like pure decadence. Not too far away from her, Theo and Marcus worked together on the bread, kneading and separating the dough, getting it ready to use as tonight's dinner rolls.

The dinner service entered its peak hours, and Luca's mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Symone. He couldn't wait to see her again and make up for all the lost time they had spent apart.

But just as he was about to sneak off for another smoke break, the door swung open and Symone stepped in, followed by James and Rene.

"Thank you for coming to Hart Bageri despite such short notice, Symone," said Rene with a warm smile. "James and I can't wait for your plan to come to fruition."

"It's my pleasure, as always," replied Symone with a charming smile. "And thank you for the pastries."

Luca couldn't help but be intrigued as he watched James and Rene warmly speak with Symone. He was aware of their previous collaborations but wondered what specific project required her to be at Hart Bageri. As much as he wanted to talk to Symone to figure out what was going on, work always came first, and he needed a small reprieve before jumping back in.

The kitchen was finally starting to wind down after a successful dinner service. The last of the customers had left, and the staff was busy cleaning up and prepping for the next day's service, Luca finally had a chance to approach Symone. He took a moment to swing by her office.

"Hey," Luca said, catching Symone's attention as she finished up some paperwork at her desk. "I saw you earlier with James and Rene. What's this project you're working on together?"

Symone looked up, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Ah, Luca," she said, smirking. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

Luca leaned against the edge of her desk, a playful smirk mirroring hers. "Well, surprises can be quite exciting, don't you think?" he teased.

She chuckled softly, her gaze never leaving his face. "True, true. But I think we both know that other things can be equally exciting."

His heart raced at the implication in her words. Memories of their passionate encounters flooded his mind, and he felt the familiar heat of desire igniting within him. Despite the professional façade they had to maintain during work hours, there had always been something simmering just beneath the surface. It was a delicate dance they performed, balancing their insatiable lust with the need to maintain a certain level of professionalism in the workplace. But now, with Symone's suggestive comment hanging in the air, Luca couldn't resist the magnetic pull between them any longer.

With a coy smile, she leaned back in her chair, and Luca took a seat at the corner of her desk.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" he asked, his voice low and seductive.

Symone felt a shiver run down her spine at the sound of his voice. "Just you," she replied, matching his tone. "But I do have some work to finish up here first."

Luca gave her a playful pout. "Can't it wait?"

She couldn't help but laugh at his impatience. "As much as I would love to jump into your arms right now, I have some important paperwork to take care of before we can have any fun."

He rolled his eyes in mock annoyance but nodded understandingly. "Alright then, I'll leave you to it. But don't take too long," he said with a wink before getting up from the desk. "If you want, I figure we head over to my place if that's alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine," she smiled. "I'll be ready in an hour."

"Sounds good."

Symone watched him walk out of her office, feeling a sense of longing and excitement building within her. She quickly finished up her work and made arrangements for the next day before grabbing her belongings and meeting up with Luca for their evening together.

That night, as soon as they arrived at Luca's apartment, he pulled her into a passionate kiss as soon as they stepped inside. Symone caught quick glimpses of his space: most of the walls were painted a deep burgundy, the color contrasting nicely with the exposed brick. The apartment was very much bachelor pad with an industrial feel complete with abstract paintings and a mixture of wood and leather furniture. It smelled exactly like him, sandalwood and the musk from his cologne.

His hands roamed over her body, igniting sparks of desire that coursed through her veins. They fell onto the couch, their lips still locked in a fierce embrace. Symone felt Luca's hands unbuttoning her blouse, and she eagerly reciprocated by pulling his t-shirt over his head. They both knew what they wanted, and there was no use wasting any time.

As they continued to explore each other's bodies with eager hands and lips, Symone felt the familiar heat building within her. She moaned softly as Luca trailed kisses down her neck and across her collarbone, sending shivers of pleasure through her body. Symone couldn't believe how naturally they fit together, their bodies moving in perfect synchronization. She couldn't help but let out soft moans as Luca worshipped every inch of her skin. Symone felt like she could get lost in Luca forever, drowning in the overwhelming rush of feelings he ignited within her.

"I could never get enough of you," he said as he removed her last article of clothing. "God, Symone, you don't understand what you do to me."

Luca bent down to take one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked on it gently, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from Symone. His hands continued their exploration, caressing her thighs and slipping between her legs to find her already wet with desire.

All mine, he thought as their bodies eventually connected again. And I'm never letting you go.

And from the one sentiment, he knew that this could never be something casual, especially when it came to her.

TO BE CONTINUED....

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