My lips feel puffy and I’m sure that they’re swollen and red. My fingers are still tangled in the stiff material of Eli’s jacket and my hair is still wrapped in Eli’s hands.
It’s starting to get chilly in the truck cab and I know that we put on a good enough show and we should go inside now, but neither one of us moves.
In fact, Eli’s hands tighten in my hair, his fingers gently pulling the strands. My scalp lights up at the contact and I moan softly. That sound is all it takes to have us wrapped around each other again.
Our lips connect and Eli groans. I’m practically climbing over the center console to get closer to him when there’s a knock on the driver’s side window.
Eli growls as he reluctantly pulls back. We both turn to see Patrick standing there, grinning at us.
“Hey, you two!” he greets us as we clamber out of the truck.
It takes me a second to right my clothes and smooth my hair out. I meet Eli and Patrick in front of the truck, and Eli takes my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Just a quick reminder that there is a kid in here. Let’s try to keep all of the kissing and touching PG, alright?” Patrick asks with a laugh over his shoulder as he heads inside.
Brennan runs up to us as soon as we step inside. He wraps his thin arms around Eli’s legs, grinning up at him, and my heart melts at the love I can see on the little boy’s face. Eli bends down, scooping Brennan up in his arms.
I take off my coat and hat and hang them on the rack by the door as Brennan tells Eli and me all about the recipes that he’s found and how Patrick got him his own measuring cup and spatula. He’s so proud about it all and I love that I was able to help him find something that he seems to love so much.
“Yeah, we’ll need to get together with Hartley and get a list of some things that we’ll need to cook,” Patrick says as he comes back into the room with a glass of water.
“Of course! Maybe we can get together once a week or something and make dinner together. I can show you all of the tips and tricks that I know,” I offer and Brennan perks up.
“Really?” he asks, bouncing slightly.
“Sure! As long as it’s alright with Patrick,” I tell him.
“Absolutely,” Patrick says with an easy grin.
Susan comes out of the kitchen then and takes the bag of groceries that Eli set on the table by the front door.
“Are you going to help us make dinner, Brennan?” Susan asks and Brennan nods quickly.
“Let’s go wash our hands and get started,” I tell him, and I have to laugh when I see him bolt into the kitchen.
I help Brennan wash his hands and then show him how to make lasagna. Susan helps us take the lasagna out of the oven before she goes to set the table. Brennan helps me with the garlic bread and I smile when he insists on doing it all himself.
“You did really good, buddy,” I tell him as I slide the tray into the oven.
“Yeah?” he asks, leaning against the counter next to me.
“Yeah! I remember learning to do this with my grams when I was like way older than you! You’re already ahead of the game.”
“Patrick said that you went to school to cook,” Brennan asks as Eli comes in to check on us.
“I did. I learned how to do a bunch of stuff, but my specialty is baked goods. I can make croissants and any dessert that you want,” I brag and Brennan’s eyes go wide.
“I want to do that,” he whispers shyly and I smile at him.
“Stick with me, kid. I’ll teach you everything that I know.”
Brennan grins up at me and I hold my hand out for him to high five.
The oven timer goes off a second later and I send Brennan ahead to wash his hands before dinner as I pull the bread out and cut it.
“Smells great,” Eli says, coming to stand beside me.
“Thanks. You should tell Brennan that though. He did most of the work.”