Page 40 of Holly Jolly Heat
"Like this?" he asked, trying to copy my movement.
"Almost. Here—" I reached out to adjust his grip on the piping bag, and our fingers touched.
The contact sent a spark through me, and I saw Lucas's eyes darken slightly. We were close again, leaning over the same cookie, and the domesticity of it was overwhelming.
This was what pack looked like. Cooking together, creating together, existing in each other's space like it was natural and right.
"Perfect," I managed, stepping back.
"Thanks." His voice was low, just for me. "For showing me."
"It's just icing."
"It's your grandmother's legacy. That's not nothing."
The cookies came out of the oven, perfectly golden, filling the kitchen with that warm spice scent. We decorated on camera, Bill telling stories, Lucas engaging with chat, and somehow I ended up staying. Not working, not hiding, just... being present.
At one point, Lucas reached for the same cookie cutter I was reaching for, and our hands collided. We both froze, and the moment stretched, his hand over mine, both of us very aware of the touch, the connection, the heat.
"Sorry," he said, but he didn't immediately pull away.
Neither did I.
The chat went absolutely feral.
CozyFan22: OH MY GOD OH MY GOD
HolidayVibes: THAT HAND TOUCH I'M SCREAMING
StreamSniper: JUST KISS ALREADY
"Cookies look great," Ro said pointedly, breaking the moment. "Bill, want to show us the final plating?"
Professional save. Thank god for Ro.
We finished decorating, arranged the cookies beautifully, and Lucas wrapped up the stream with his signature warmth.
"Thanks so much for joining us today, Cozy Crew. Special thanks to Bill for sharing his wife Janet's amazing recipe, and to the Rodriguez-Williams family for their hospitality. You're all wonderful, and we'll see you next stream!"
"Ending in three... two... one..." Dex counted down.
The cameras shut off, and the kitchen erupted in chaos.
"That was AMAZING," Josh announced. "Lucas, can we review the analytics? I want to see the engagement metrics?—"
"Josh, let them breathe," Maya said, but she was grinning. "Although yeah, that was really good content."
Bill was already pulling up the chat replay on his phone, laughing at viewer comments. "They're asking when you're coming back. And whether Michelle is your girlfriend."
"She's my manager," Lucas said automatically, but his eyes met mine across the kitchen. "And someone I respect very much."
The way he said it, like there was so much more he wanted to say but couldn't, made my chest ache.
"I need to work," I announced, grabbing my laptop. "Good stream. Very professional. Nice content."
I fled upstairs before anyone could comment on how not-smooth that exit had been.
I made it approximately fifteen minutes before there was a knock on my door.
