Daddy's Best Friend

44

CHAPTER 44 

SOPHIA POV

I was in the kitchen, humming along to a tune as I chopped vegetables for dinner, lost in the rhythm of the knife against the cutting board. Suddenly, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me from behind, and warm lips pressed against my neck.

"Hey, beautiful," Henry whispered, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

I smiled, leaning back into his embrace. "Hey yourself. What brings you to the kitchen?"

He nuzzled my ear and said, "I missed you. And I heard rumors of a delicious meal being prepared in here."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Oh, please. I'm not exactly a gourmet chef."

Henry spun me around to face him, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, lucky for you, I have a refined palate. I can handle even the most disastrous culinary experiments."

I swatted him on the arm. "Watch it, mister. I might surprise you with my hidden cooking talents."

He raised an eyebrow, a playful challenge in his gaze. "Is that a challenge, Sophia?"

I grinned. "Consider it a warning. I once burned pasta, so be prepared for anything."

Henry laughed, a deep, hearty sound that filled the room. "Well, I'll take my chances. What are we cooking?"

I handed him a knife. "How about we tackle this together? We'll make it a team effort."

He smirked. "Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

We dove into the meal preparation, bantering and laughing as we worked side by side. The kitchen became a playground of laughter and shared moments.

"Remember the first time we tried to cook together?" I teased, recalling a disastrous attempt at homemade pizza.

Henry chuckled. "How could I forget? We ended up ordering takeout, but it was the effort that counted."

I swirled a spoon in the pot, tasting the sauce. "Well, this time, I promise not to set anything on fire."

Henry pretended to look worried. "Are you sure? I was hoping for a little excitement."

As we continued to cook, our playful banter turned into something more. Henry stole a tomato slice and held it up like a prize.

"Is this your secret ingredient?" he teased.

I winked at him. "It's a family recipe. Top-secret stuff."

He leaned in, stealing a quick kiss. "I'll take that secret to my grave, then."

The kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of our cooking and the sweet scent of Henry's cologne. We moved around each other with a natural rhythm, our laughter harmonizing with the sizzle of the pan and the gentle clinking of utensils.

As we neared the finishing touches, Henry stole another kiss, this one lingering a little longer. "You know, you're not a bad cook at all. In fact, you're pretty amazing."

I feigned shock. "Are you admitting I'm a better cook than you?"

He grinned. "Let's not get carried away. But you're definitely improving."

I playfully nudged him. "You're lucky I like you, Henry. Otherwise, I might have to ban you from my kitchen."

He pulled me into a warm embrace, our laughter echoing through the room. "Good luck trying to keep me out. I have a taste for your cooking and your company."

We sat down to enjoy our meal, savoring the flavors of our teamwork and the joy of being together. The kitchen, once a place of potential culinary disasters, had transformed into a space where our love flourished, one shared laughter and delicious meal at a time.