Page 33 of Nikolai
“Hey,” she said.
He walked over and kissed her.“Hey.”
A moka pot started boiling on the stove, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the room.She smiled at him.“Breakfast is ready.Go sit down and I’ll join you.Crazy after last night’s meal, but I’m actually hungry.”
They’d burned a bazillion calories last night, but Nick said nothing.There was a small table set for breakfast right under a window that let in a huge amount of light.
Nick stood until Parker brought in the moka and sat down.He leaned back and looked at the table.“Really nice,” he said.
There were a pretty cream-colored tablecloth and cream-colored napkins.A breakfast set of dishes with a light green rim and green mugs.
The table held fresh toast, butter, two kinds of jam, a plate of scrambled eggs, a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and, on a separate plate, slices of honeydew melon.
Parker had just finished pouring his coffee when there was a light knocking at the door.
Nick half rose, alarmed.Who the fuck was knocking at her door at 7:30 in the morning?
Parker pushed gently on his shoulder.“Down boy,” she murmured.“It’s not terrorists at the door.It’s a pleasant surprise.”
She went to the door, opened it and picked something up from the floor.Nick frowned.A plate wrapped in a rectangle of cloth, the four corners of the cloth tied in a knot.
She placed it on the table, unwrapped it and ohmygod.
It was a yellow cake with baked lemon slices on top and it smelled divine.
“Mrs.Da Costa,” Parker said, smiling.“I told you she was generous with her baked goods.This is a thank you for carrying her groceries up.Here.”A thick wedge landed on his plate and the smell was even more incredible when it was right under his nose.A much smaller slice landed on her plate.“Lemon cake.Her specialty.”
Nick speared a chunk with his fork and closed his eyes.
“Good, right?”Parker smiled.
It was moist, not too sweet, very lemony.Perfect.
Nick took a sip from his cup.Perfect coffee.
He looked at the table, with pretty plates filled with luscious food, then looked at Parker, sitting across from him.Smiling at him.
Perfect.
“How is it that every experience I’ve had with you is a peak experience?”
He hadn’t meant it suggestively, but Parker turned stoplight red.When she blushed, she was outlandishly beautiful, and Nick realized that subconsciously he’d included the sex.It had been amazing.
Everything was amazing.
“That, too,” he said easily.“But also the food and setting.”He put another bite of Mrs.Da Costa’s lemon cake in his mouth and sighed.Perfect.
Parker smiled at him.“Wait until today is over.A long day under the sun at an archeological site watching me take notes will not be a peak experience.”
Actually, that sounded great.
“We’ll see.I promise I won’t be bored.And anyway, tonight you’re going to cook for me.”
“Yep.A promise is a promise.”
He suddenly thought of something.“Wait.You’re going to spend a long day working.You don’t need to cook for me.You’ll be tired.We could?—”
She held up a hand.“Stop.First of all, I’ll owe you.”She lay a long slender finger across his mouth when he began to protest.“And believe it or not, cooking relaxes me.And I’d infinitely rather prepare something simple and relax in my own home than go out after a long day.Here.Have some of my raspberry jam.It’s baked.”
