The Lunchtime Special

Epilogue

Three months later

"Where does this one go?" I ask Jake as we approach each other in the hallway, dipping the box a little so he can see the scrawled handwritten word on top.

"Kitchen," he replies, swooping to press a swift kiss on my lips.

"That says kitchen? How on earth can you make it out? Seriously, you could be a doctor with handwriting this bad." He knows I'm teasing so merely grins and pinches my bum as he passes me, laughing when I squeal and jump. "Hey buster! I'm adding that to your rent!"

He laughs again as he heads out the door to his car. There are still a couple more large-sized boxes of his belongings to be brought inside and a few minutes later he does so, taking them into the spare room then joining me in the kitchen.

"That's the lot, love." Taking the colander from my hands, he places it on the bench then pulls me close, large hands running from my shoulders down to rest in the back pockets of my jean shorts. "Your squatter has moved in; you're going to have a lot of trouble to get rid of me now."

After months of running separate households but rarely spending a night apart, we'd made the decision to move in together, and as Jake's house in Glenbrook was rented, whereas I own mine – well, the bits the bank doesn't own, that is – then it made sense for him to move in here. It means an extra fifteen minutes on his train commute but with the station right across the road from my shop, we can go in and come home together.

"I don't think I'll want to get rid of you for a while yet," I tell him, running my hands over his tee-shirted chest. "You're a good cook and you remember to put the toilet seat down most of the time, so...I'm happy to keep you."

"Plus you get to have your wicked way with me any time you want," he points out in a voice slightly huskier than a minute ago. Warm amber eyes darken and I can't pull my gaze away – not that I want to. He makes a kind of deep humming sound when my fingers drag through his hair, pulling gently at the ends the way I know he loves.

"Any time I want?" I murmur, thrilling at the shiver his reaction is sending through me.

The sound he makes now is like a deep purr as teeth nip at my earlobes, followed by the soothing sweep of his tongue then the nibble of lips. "Mmm hmmm, any time at all." He moves down my neck to my collarbone and the hollow where neck and shoulder meet, making me break out in goose bumps and gasp at the sensation. One hand moves up to cup my breast, thumb rubbing over a peak that responds instantly and I gasp again.

"I want you now," I whisper, and before I can do any more than turn my head and claim his mouth, he picks me up and heads to the bedroom where his king sized bed has just replaced my old double. Setting me down in the middle of it and sweeping aside a few of his clothes not yet placed in drawers – all without breaking our heated kiss – his hands move to the button on my shorts. I grab the bottom of his tee and tug it up towards his shoulders, giving a soft whimper when he releases my lips long enough to pull it over his head.

"Yours," he gasps, relieving me of the burden of my shirt and bra before coming back to our kiss. While our mouths devour each other, I skim my shorts and undies down my thighs, kicking them off as I hear the zip on Jake's jeans lower. Once again I whimper when he inches away. "Don't move." Seconds later the warmth from his skin is heating me all over and I make a small sound only he can produce from me. "God, I love you," he murmurs, trailing kisses from the base of my neck to my ear then over eyelids and nose, swallowing my response when they return once more to a mouth hungering for all of him.

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"Delivery for Mia Stephenson," the young woman says as she enters the salad bar carrying a voluptuous bouquet of deep red roses. The regular customer I'm currently serving – owner of the Hippy Shop next door - throws me an indulgent smile while two other customers being served by Rob look over interestedly.