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"I can’t believe you kno to cook" The simple statement came out with such a bite, more than she even knew she had in her Sophie couldn’t understand how she could love and hate hiave her a half-smile, not quite the s in this smile that was different, alht out at so male

"I had to learn when the cook was sick and no one else was around to do it"

"I never thought about how hard it must have been to have your own restaurant," she said, assu the first McCann’s Irish Pub

"Yeah," he said, "it was crazy knowing that running McCann’s was entirely up to uy to blame, but that’s not where I learned to cook I was ten My dad orking the taps I would hang out in the back, wash dishes for quarters The cook was too drunk to fry up the orders He passed out in the back and the custo my father trouble He told etables to a plate, then sliced the pork roast he’d heated up on the plate beside it "So I cooked"

How long had she wanted to know so had she dreah to him to actually hear stories of his childhood? Now that the moment had finally come, she was so mad at him Too mad--and too tired--to really appreciate it

He slid the plate in front of her and it smelled wonderful "Standard Irish fare" There was a hint of defensiveness in his tone "It’s what I do best"

That, she knehere he rong The food looked a, but she already knehat he did best And while it involved plenty of heat, the kitchen wasn’t the preferred locationand there were a heck of a lot less clothes involved

"The bed is non-negotiable"

Over and over his earlier words played in her head, thru every cell co, despite how exhausted she was She’d already accepted that seven days in close proxiuard her horood he could h to know she needed to guard her heart Noof her stomach stole her attention back from how close his bed had to be She reached for the knife and fork "Thanks for dinner"

It wasn’t the rateful she’d ever sounded, but it was the best she could do for now Jake would just have to deal with it But when she took a bite, she couldn’t stop thefro at her and when she looked up at hi so pleased with pleasing her, she lost hold of every thoughtlost hold of anything but the sudden, desperate need to feel hisher the way he had during their one beautiful night together

It didn’t help when his s to an intense look of desire that she was sure ed to pull herself together enough to say, "It’s great" She took another bite, hoping that if she kept her mouth stuffed full, she could keep her lips focused on soainst them

"Good There’ssome?"