The Wedding Gift

by Lucy Kevin

  “Me too.”

  Together, they concocted a dessert that was part ice cream, part chocolate, and a lot of random ingredients Andrew had in his refrigerator. There wasn’t a recipe. They barely even spoke while they were doing it. Instead, the two of them simply threw things into a bowl and whipped them up into a sticky, gooey mess that had them both laughing over it as they finally scooped it into two bowls and attacked it with spoons.

  “Well,” Julie said as they ate, “your family is certainly…interesting.”

  “You mean the way they worry that I’ve made it to thirty-four without ever having a ‘real’ job?” Andrew smiled as he said it, but Julie could see the hurt in his eyes.

  “We both know that isn’t true,” Julie said. “We both know how hard you work. How difficult this job is. And how good you are at it.”

  Andrew’s smile turned genuine then. “Now so do my parents and brother, thanks to you.”

  “They needed to hear it. From what I remember, you’re a big fan of telling people what you think they need to hear, rather than what they want to.”

  Andrew winced slightly. “Julie—”

  She shook her head. “Let’s just eat our desserts, all right?”

  They moved over to the couch. For another minute or two, they continued devouring the crazy dessert that they had created together, then Andrew laughed. “This dessert is a total mess, isn’t it?”

  “Are TV chefs allowed to admit that about their creations?”

  “Definitely. If you can’t laugh at yourself doing TV, then you don’t get far. That and confidence are what get you through when everything goes wrong on a live feed.”

  “No one could ever say you have too little confidence,” she teased, before adding, “I wish I had more, sometimes.”

  “You should be full of confidence, Julie. You’re amazing. And not just because of your cooking skills. You’re kind. You’re funny. You’re beautiful. You’re—”

  “Who are you, and what have you done with the real Andrew Kyle?” Julie joked, trying to lighten the mood a little. “Besides, you’re not so bad looking yourself. You know, for someone on TV.”

  It was true, too. Andrew looked great tonight.

  Or maybe it was the fact that she could see so many more sides to him now. He wasn’t just the TV star with the strong preferences about cooking. He was also the devoted brother, the busy chef, the excellent kisser.

  Those extra facets shouldn’t have made a difference in how he looked, but it seemed to Julie that they did, and he’d been pretty fantastic looking to start with. It was just that now, he wasn’t just a great looking guy.

  He was so much more than that.

  “You have a little whipped cream…”

  “Where?”

  “Here,” Andrew said, laughing, his finger snaking out to deposit a dollop of the stuff on Julie’s cheek.

  “Hey!”

  She got him back with the current contents of her dessert spoon, and pretty soon, they were in a full on food fight. Julie hadn’t been in one of those since…ever, now that she thought about it.

  It turned out they were lots of fun.

  Or maybe it was just because of who she was having the food fight with.

  She was still thinking that when Andrew kissed her. It was briefer than their first kiss, and more playful. Just a quick brush of lips, really, but it was enough to make Julie leap up off the couch, staring down at Andrew accusingly.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Kissing you,” Andrew said, unapologetically. “The way you were looking at me, I couldn’t resist.”

  There was still a part of her, of course, that said that he was completely wrong for her, and that he would only end up hurting her. Yet at the same time, there was another part of her that insisted she should dive back onto that couch and kiss Andrew until they were both covered in the dessert they’d just made.

  That part of her pointed out just how glorious Andrew looked, even with a blob of cream decorating his features. Especially that way, in fact, because it gave her the opportunity to reach up and wipe it off. But when he carefully licked the mix off her fingers in a movement that made it clear exactly where things would end up going if Julie stayed, she knew she couldn’t possibly control herself if they started kissing again. She would only end up wanting more than his kisses, more than just his body.

  She’d want his heart, too.

  In a matter of seconds, Julie had her coat on and was heading for the door. Andrew didn’t grab her arm, but he did touch it gently, turning her back towards him.

  “Don’t go.”

  “I have to,” Julie insisted.

  Andrew shook his head. “You don’t have to. The question is, do you want to?”

  Yes.

  No.

  “What are you running away from?” Andrew asked softly.

  “Being with you. Not being with you,” Julie whispered, trying to put a little more distance between them. It was easier to think when he wasn’t that close to her, but still not easy enough. “I don’t know what I want.”

  “Can I tell you what I want, Julie?”

  That brought a nervous laugh from her. “I would have thought that one was fairly obvious.”

  “I want you. And I don’t just mean here, now, tonight, in my bed, if that’s what’s stopping you.”

  “I’m sure there are a few starlets who might say otherwise,” Julie pointed out.

  Was that what was stopping her? Andrew’s reputation? Or was it just the fear of ending up like one of those other women, put aside after too brief a time when his attention flitted somewhere else?

  Andrew seemed to sense her fear. “You aren’t like them,” he promised. “You aren’t like them at all.”

  “I don’t understand. What do you see in me?” If Andrew could have his pick of women, if so many of the ones around him practically threw themselves at him, then why her? “Is it just the thrill of the chase?”

  “There are thrills, and then there are roller-coaster rides,” Andrew said.

  She had to bite back a smile at his teasing tone. She shouldn’t let him charm her.

  “You really are different,” he told her. “You just have to trust me on that.”

  Trust.

  That was the problem. She wasn’t sure she even trusted herself, let alone Andrew.

  “I want to date you, Julie Delgado. I’m not going to pretend that I don’t want to any longer. I’m not going to tiptoe around it, either. I like you. Really, really like you. And I think that you’d really like me too, if you’d only let yourself.”

  Andrew stepped back. Julie hadn’t realized that he’d been blocking the door until he moved.

  “If you don’t want me, just say it. Even if you don’t want to take things further tonight, if things are moving too fast, say that. I’ve tried giving you space since we kissed, but I can’t do it anymore, Julie. I like you far too much for that, and I really want to see how far we could go together.”

  “I want that too,” Julie admitted, and as the words came out, she realized that she did want it. The only thing she didn’t want was the pain that might come with it. “I just don’t know if I should.”

  “You could go through life never taking risks,” Andrew said, “but will that ever make you happy?”

  He’d moved closer again, but he didn’t touch her. If he had, that would have made her decision for her. She needed him so badly right then that if he’d only kiss her once more, Julie was sure she wouldn’t say no.

  But he didn’t make things that easy, didn’t take the choice from her. Instead, he stood very still. Expectant. Gorgeous. But still.

  Oh why did he have to force her to be brave, tonight of all nights?

  The sensible choice would be to turn around and walk away. This was Andrew Kyle, after all. He wasn’t just the man who’d done so much to criticize her food, he was the brother of clients at the Rose Chalet. Taking things any further with him would almost certainly be a
professional disaster for her. It would be the kind of risk Julie simply didn’t take anymore.

  But, oh, what if she did take that risk?

  And what if being with Andrew was beyond her wildest dreams?

  He’d asked her, when had steering clear of risk ever made her happy? Well, right then, she couldn’t think of a single time. Yes, Julie wanted Andrew–but more than that, she wanted to be happy.

  She deserved this joy, didn’t she? All she had to do was to let go, just once. To trust that things would work out okay.

  Put like that, it was so simple. All she had to do was…

  Julie pulled Andrew to her, pressing her lips to his. She kissed him with all of her pent-up passion until he pulled back an inch.

  “Does this mean you want to date?”

  By way of an answer, Julie kissed him again. Andrew responded just as passionately this time, taking charge of the kiss, drawing the moment out in the most sinfully sweet way.

  If their first kiss the night before had been good, this one was spectacular. It ended only as Julie pushed Andrew back towards the couch and they fell on it together, their lips meeting once more.

  “Damn it,” Andrew swore as their dessert spread to cover most of his shirt.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Julie said. “It’s going to be a good excuse to get that shirt off. And if any gets on you...maybe I can lick it off?”

  Andrew’s expression turned tender and his hands reached up to cup Julie’s face. “You’re sure?”

  “Well, it was pretty tasty before.”

  “I mean about this. About us. I was serious before. If you want to just date first—if you want to push the bedroom back—you only have to say.”

  “I know,” Julie said, reaching up to peel Andrew’s hands away from her face and kissing each one in the middle of his palm as she did it, “and what I want right now is to be happy. With you.”

  Andrew laughed and lifted Julie easily, cradling her in his arms while his lips moved over her eyelids, her cheekbones, her throat. He carried her towards his bedroom and as the door swung shut behind them, Julie looked up into those deep dark eyes of his and kissed him again.

  And this time, she didn’t stop.

  Chapter Eleven

  Julie woke the next morning, a smile still on her lips, her skin still tingling, from her lovely–and utterly delicious–night with Andrew.

  She’d wanted him, and she’d gone for him. Taking such a big risk had been scary, but thinking back to one or two of the more memorable moments from the night before, she knew it had been worth it.

  Definitely worth it.

  The only thing that would have made it better was if Andrew were still there to cuddle with on his large, oh-so-soft bed, she thought as she rolled over and hugged his pillow.

  That was when she finally saw what time it was. Uh oh. If she didn’t hurry up, she was going to be late for work. Too bad it meant leaving behind the wonderful comfort of his big bed. Somehow, though, this morning, even that didn’t bother her. How could it, when everything seemed absolutely perfect?

  Throwing back the covers, Julie hunted for her clothing. How had her bra managed to get there? Surprised to realize there was no bathroom off the master bedroom, she peeked her head into the kitchen to find Andrew was working at the stove.

  He caught sight of her and turned to say, “Good morning.”

  Suddenly conscious of how little of her clothing she had managed to put back on so far, she pulled the remainder across herself as best she could.

  “Aren’t we past that stage?” he asked with a gorgeous smile.

  Knowing it was true, she stopped making such an effort with the pile of clothes, and enjoyed the way his eyes lingered on her, instead.

  “Which way to the bathroom?”

  “It’s the only problem with a pre-war apartment like this,” Andrew said as he used a spatula to point to a closed door off the living room. “It’s right through there. Breakfast should be ready soon.”

  “I’m not sure I have time for breakfast.”

  Andrew shook his head. “There’s always time for breakfast. At least if you hurry up in the shower. Although, I don’t suppose—”

  She couldn’t stop the smile from stealing across her face. “You aren’t about to suggest that you scrub my back are you?”

  Andrew grinned in a way that made it clear it was exactly what he had been about to suggest. “A man can hope.”

  “Hoping is fine,” Julie said, “just so long as you don’t think it’s actually going to happen. Unless you want me to be late for work?”

  “Spoilsport.”

  After piling her hair on top of her head and showering as quickly as she could, Julie realized there was no way she’d have time to go back home to change before work. She was just going to have to find out whether the dress she’d worn the previous night–a dress designed for a nice dinner rather than a day at work behind a stove–was going to be suitable for cooking at the Rose Chalet. If Phoebe could get away with it, couldn’t she?

  By the time that she was clean and dressed, there was a heavenly smell coming from the kitchen, and Andrew was waiting for her. The appreciation in his eyes made her practically glow.

  “What are you making?” Julie asked. “Prosciutto wrapped eggs and French toast? An elaborate layering of fruits and homemade yogurt?”

  “An omelet,” Andrew answered.

  He was still staring at her, but not with desire, though she knew there was probably plenty under the surface. No, his expression was gentler than that.

  He looked content.

  And as happy as she felt.

  “Just an omelet?” she teased him. “Why, Chef Kyle, what will the Michelin people think?”

  Andrew laughed. “I won’t tell them if you don’t. Now come and sit down. I’m not letting you leave for work until you’ve cleaned your plate.”

  He was right, she needed to eat. And even if Julie had to get to work, she didn’t really want to leave yet. Wanting to watch Andrew cook, she settled down at the edge of a counter to get a good view.

  Julie didn’t help this time. Making dessert together had been fun, and dinner the night before had really been for his family, since he hadn’t known if she would show up.

  This was the first time Andrew was cooking just for her.

  Every movement he made was sure and deft, from cracking the eggs one-handed to mixing everything together with the sharp motions of a fork. He threw in a few pieces of bacon and roasted a couple of tomatoes, but there was nothing complex about it. Yet even before he was finished, she knew breakfast was going to be amazing.

  He slid the steaming omelet in front of her and she took a bite. It was perfect.

  Andrew had seasoned it as he cooked, let it firm up to just the right degree, and added in just enough in the way of other ingredients to keep it from being bland. It was a confident take on what should have been such a straightforward dish, yet his cooking elevated it so that every bite Julie took as she attacked the finished product was heavenly.

  “Have I told you how much I love watching you eat?” he said, tenderly. He gave her a knowing smile. “Actually, I love watching you do almost anything.”

  The previous night in his arms had been fantastic. But this morning, just being here with him, eating together, teasing each other, was positively amazing.

  “I enjoy watching you, too,” she boldly replied.

  “You enjoy watching me?” He laughed. “And here I was hoping for a much stronger word than enjoy.” He raised one eyebrow and playfully said, “Soon I’ll have you right where I want you.”

  This, Julie was sure, was a huge part of the secret of Andrew’s success. Not simply technique. Not some magical understanding of flavor based on a superior palate. Not even the years of experience working in top restaurants.

  Confidence.

  It was the one ingredient that seemed to go with everything.

  She could see it in everything he did, every move he ma
de, every word out of his mouth. His confidence drew her–and everyone else’s–eye as surely as those dimples of his did. It made his every move in the kitchen a joy to watch. And it made his food–Julie tasted her omelet and closed her eyes as the flavors worked their way across her tongue–absolutely delicious.

  “It’s good to see you smiling,” he said.

  “I have a lot to smile about.” The kiss he gave her a moment later gave her even more reason to smile.

  A few minutes later, though, as she was picking up her car keys to head to work and preparing to say good bye, Andrew put his arms around her.

  “You’re being very quiet,” he observed.

  “I’m just thinking about things,” she said, wanting to be completely honest with him.

  “About us?”

  “This morning,” she said slowly, “things just seem so obvious. Maybe too obvious.”

  “There’s no such thing as too obvious. Just trust yourself, Julie. Trust the way you feel.”

  If only she had that confidence, just for a little while. “I have to go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “I’m already ten minutes late. Last night was wonderful. Really.”

  “I’ll call you later, okay? And you know I’ll show up at your aunt’s place if you ignore me.”

  Things seemed so simple when she was in his arms, she thought as she drove to the Rose Chalet. But were they really that simple?

  Chapter Twelve

  “Wow, you look really happy this morning.” Julie looked up from her work in the Rose Chalet’s kitchen to find Phoebe walking in. “You’re practically whistling while you work. I’m pretty sure that isn’t allowed, you know,” Phoebe joked.

  Julie hadn’t realized her change in attitude was that obvious. Though to be fair, who wouldn’t feel as great as she currently did after dinner–and breakfast–with Andrew Kyle?

  “I know that look,” Phoebe said, with a mischievous note in her voice. She gave Julie a long look. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “Phoebe!” Julie squirmed with embarrassment, but she was dying to tell someone about how good she was feeling and who else was she going to talk it over with? Aunt Evie? Even if the older woman weren’t planning to go out with her friends tonight, there were some things you just didn’t discuss with your aunt.