Page 63 of Forty, Flirty & F*cked

"It's fine!" A woman who can only be Lily Bristol waves frantically. "Everything's fine! Just a small kitchen incident!"

I take the porch steps two at a time, following her inside to find what appears to be a war zone.

Flour covers every surface. Tomato sauce drips from at least two walls. And in the middle of it all, Ariana Bristol—my perfectly put-together PR executive—is wearing yoga pants and what appears to be half the ingredients list while attempting to wrestle a fire extinguisher from her father.

"Dad!" She yanks on the extinguisher. "Let go!"

"I can save it!" Gideon Bristol, still impressively spry for a man with a new kidney, refuses to release his grip. "Just need to adjust the temperature!"

"The temperature is literally on fire!"

"Just a small fire!"

"No such thing as a small fire!" She finally wrenches the extinguisher free, then spots me. "Oh god."

"Having fun?" I lean against the doorframe, fighting a grin.

"This is all your fault." She blows hair from her face, leaving a streak of flour on her cheek. "You and your stupid perfect pancakes made Dad think he could cook."

"My pancakes are not stupid."

"They kind of are," Lily offers. “I heard. You add like two pounds of chocolate chip per square inch? Though even that is probably not as stupid as whatever Dad did to that poor lasagna."

"It wasn't that bad!" Gideon protests.

"Dad." Ariana gestures to the smoking oven. "You tried to substitute kale for basil."

"It's healthier!"

"It's a crime against Italy, is what it is.”

I can't help it. I laugh.

They all turn to stare at me.

"Sorry." I straighten, trying for CEO gravitas. "Just... experiencing déjà vu. My mother once tried to make 'healing crystal-infused' pasta sauce."

"How'd that work out?" Lily asks.

"Let's just say several very expensive crystals had to be surgically removed from the garbage disposal."

Ariana shakes her head, scarcely hiding a smile. "Explains so much about you."

"Does it?"

"The boundary issues. The pancake perfectionism. The—" She yelps as something in the oven makes an ominous popping sound. "Oh come on!"

I move without thinking, pulling her back just as whatever's in there decides to become a minor explosion.

She crashes into my chest with a soft grunt, and suddenly I'm very aware that she's not wearing her usual office armor. That she's soft and warm and fits against me exactly like she did a week ago.

"Um." She blinks up at me. "Thanks?"

"Anytime." I should probably let go of her waist. I don't. "Though maybe we should order takeout?"

"Already on it!" Lily waves her phone. "La Famiglia delivers now. Though..." She eyes us speculatively. "Maybe we should give you two a minute? To... discuss professional things?"

"Out." Ariana points to the door. "Both of you. Before Dad tries to improve Italian cuisine again."

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