For the first time this week, I slept well last night after hearing her voice as I explained the menu over the phone when she got home. I haven't been sleeping well, if at all since the last time I saw her. It was ridiculous even thinking about it, for the first two days I refused to even think about her; keeping myself busy and working myself to the bone.

After our conversation last week, I canceled my contract with the culinary school. It was an impulsive decision, but I knew I couldn't continue working there if I intended to stay away from her. The school board tried to convince me to stay at least for the remainder of the second term, which was about to commence, but I couldn't. I had to refocus and dedicate my time into all my businesses, this was my way of distancing myself from Amara.

After seeing her break down because of that sorry excuse of a man called her father, I knew that I couldn't force her to believe or trust me that I won't hurt her, but what made me realize that she didn't want to let me in was when she suggested we be friends with benefits when I finally thought we had made progress and she was starting to open up to me.

Her trust issues ran deeper than I initially thought, and then there was a possible new heart break from the guy I have seen following her around like a love sick puppy.

How do I convince a woman who has been hurt by the one person who should have protected her from getting hurt, that I'm not like those men? I wasn't afraid of a challenge and I loved her, but my last relationship ended badly because of the same issues.

Dating someone with trust issues who's not ready to face or let go of her past wasn't a game. The last woman I dated who had this kind of issue, threw her hurt at me every chance she got. I got blamed for pain I didn't inflict and paid for mistakes made by other men.

I had wanted the relationship to work because we had a good thing going before her insecurities got in the way. For months on end I tried to make it work, assured her of my commitment, and for a while things would go back to normal. At least that was the impression I was under, until I found out she hired a PI to follow me around.

Amara was different, I knew the first time I saw her that she would cause me trouble. I fell in love with how she went from tongue tied to sharp claws in mere seconds. I love how she wears her confidence like a second skin, and don't get me started on how she moves around the kitchen!

In my 29 years of existence, I have never gotten turned on from just watching a woman move around the kitchen while wearing slacks.

Hearing her voice last night was enough to know that I wasn't ready to give up on her. I just need to find out how to win her trust, and I hoped giving her so much trust by cooking my parents' anniversary meal showed her how much I believed in her. When I found out I couldn't fly out last night, I couldn't think of a better person to take care of that.

When Cameron told me Amara and her friends just walked into my fast food restaurant, a switch went off in my head and all I had to do was make her see her potential.

"Sir, we are about to land. Please wear your seatbelt." The flight attendant said with a smile.

Putting away the book that I had been holding for the past hour, I obliged. Looking at my watch I realized that it was a little after three in the afternoon, I would be home in two hours. I just needed to make a short stop at my apartment to get some essentials.

I'm coming for you kitten, my parents didn't raise me to give up so easily.

~~~~~~~~~~👩‍🍳🥂~~~~~~~~~~

Amara's POV

We have been on our feet since morning going through Jake's menu and checking if we had everything. It wasn't very difficult to find his parents' house who lived in the outskirts of London.

As soon as we arrived here Jemma, Jake's younger sister, helped us settle in and showed us where we could find everything. She remembered us from the grocery store where we met months ago.

We started prepping after she gave us a tour of the big kitchen, while Daniella, Jake's older sister and her team worked on the decorations.

"Amara, take a small break and eat. We can carry on once we've eaten," Soph said, carrying glasses.

"I can't leave my kitchen unattended, go eat then come back and hold the fort for me,"

As Soph disappeared deep inside the house, I sat in front of the oven, taking a peek at the delectables in there. I really hoped Jake's parents and their guests would enjoy the food we have prepared.

"Amara, please come and eat. My brother will kill me if he heard that I starved you all day." Exaggerated Jemma, joining me on the floor.

She looked radiant while I looked like I had just ran a marathon. If I didn't know that she was a journalist, I would have mistaken her for a designer or party planner. Even now, sitting on the floor she looked like something out of the magazine.

"I'm not actually hungry, and what your brother doesn't know won't hurt him," I smiled wide at her, hoping it will convince her to follow the others.

"What happens when he finds out you are starving yourself?" Said a deep voice behind me, raising the hair at the back of my neck.

I took a short breath and looked behind me, finding Jake leaning on the kitchen island already gazing at me. He had an easy smile on his face with his eyes full of mischief. I noticed he had a different aura when he was around his sister and I liked this side of him.

He looked carefree and I wished I saw this side of him more. At school, he was always brooding.

"I think you two should get a room,or rather let me leave you to it," Jemma said walking out.

"Hi," I said, standing.

"Hi," He replied, coming closer.

Like magnets were pulled toward each other by this strong connection. We stared at one another and smiled like idiots. He caressed my cheek affectionately, and I leaned in, closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his comforting, strong hand on my face. I loved it when he touched me.

"I missed you," His voice came out raspy.

"You disappeared." It surprised me to hear how vulnerable I sounded.

Jake was truly my undoing. A few hours ago I was convincing myself that it was for the best that he had resigned, but here I was now swooning over his touch.

Opening my eyes I found his already on me; full of love, uncertainty and fear. I feared what it meant as I listened to my heart galloping in my chest, uncertain about letting him in and all I saw in his eyes was pure love.

"I'm sorry, I had to work outside the country," he said, smoothing out the lines forming between my eyes.

"I thought you no longer wanted anything to do with me," I told him, deciding to go for the truth. Something about being with him in a different setting other than the culinary and work space made me yearn for him and be honest with myself.

"I don't think you know the impact you have on me, and I will keep trying to make you see it," he paused and swallowed."Can you stop trying to ruin this before it begins and give us a chance?" He pulled me into an embrace and breathed me in.

Changing the subject I asked, "Did you just take a whiff of me? I know I smell bad, but-"

"Your hair smells like coconut, and when I bring my nose here..." He dipped his head toward my neck. " I can also detect the sweet smell of flowers mixed with your coconut shampoo." His lips brushed against my skin as he spoke."And I know what you are doing, we will visit this topic again later," he said, kissing my neck.

My mind was too preoccupied at the moment. I was on cloud nine because of what his mouth was doing to me. His hands were caging me in between his hard warm body and the kitchen island and his knee was pressed at my center, just the right pressure making me hot and very bothered. As he kissed the spot between my shoulder and neck, I heard a foreign sound leave my lips.

It couldn't have been me, could it?

Interrupting our intimate moment, a blaring fire alarm sounded off. I attempted to pull away from him, then remembered I had no way to get away. It was a gasp from behind us that saved me from this man.

"You two want to burn the kitchen? When I said get a room, I didn't mean you should neglect the pots!" Jemma said, switching off the stove.

How could I let this devious man distract me? I can't believe that I burnt the Bolognese sauce that I made specially for Jake's niece and nephew. They had asked me if I could make it for them like uncle Jake did, now I ruined it

As though he could read my mind he said, "Don't worry about it, I will make it. Go with Jemma and she'll show you where you can freshen up, people will start arriving in a few minutes."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean everyone's staying. Now stop asking too many questions, Kitten, my parents will be here any moment now," he said and softly pushed me in the direction of Jemma who was whispering with Soph at the kitchen entrance.

"I didn't even bring a change of clothes," I whined.

"Sophie has that sorted, right Soph?" Jake asked. already preparing to make another Bolognese sauce for the kids.

"Don't forget to check the oven." I told him, following the girls.

"Yep! Let's go kitten, we don't want your fur all over the kitchen now do we?" Soph teased me and I showed her the finger.

"No cat fights please!" Jake shouted after us and Jemma laughed at his brother's lame joke.

When we were showered, dressed and ready to go Soph turned to me and asked, scaring the shit out of me, "Ready to meet the In-laws?"