This may be my favorite chapter so far. :)
Grace rolled up her sleeves.
"Okay! We need flour, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and blueberries. You get those things because I don't know where they are in this kitchen", she opened two cabinets searching for a bowl.
"You think I know?!", Lucas said as he also started to open the cabinets "I am under strict rules in my own house when it comes to this kitchen".
Grace tried to stay serious.
"Which is?", she asked.
"Never enter the kitchen, not even if it's burning", Lucas said, rolling his eyes "He thinks that fire would explode if I come in his precious cuisine!", he threw his hand in the air, shaking his head at his cousin's lunacy.
Grace couldn't hold it anymore - she bursted to laughter causing Lucas to smile widely at the sweet sound.
She came closer to his side, so close that her hip brushed against his hip.
"Well, I'd have to agree with Gustave on this one", she said.
He looked at her, surprised.
"What?!", he chuckled in disbelief.
Grace smirked.
"About fire exploding when you come in", she whispered seductively "You ARE pretty hot".
Lucas' eyes darkened as his lips lazily stretched in a smile.
"Grace Bennet, are you flirting with me?", he turned toward her and pulled her closer to him.
Grace placed her palms on his chest and whispered back:
"I am just stating the facts", she tried to smirk, but the look in his eyes stole her breath away. Her heart fastened up as their lips collided and a sigh escaped her at the pure love and passion he showered over her.
She gasped for air, leaning her forehead against his as he also fought to catch a breath.
Her fingers caressed the nape of his neck and she smiled.
"See? Pure fire", she felt his smile against her lips as he gently kissed her one more time.
Pulling away after a few moments Grace put on a serious face.
"Okay. Back to work", she glanced at the counter in front of him "What did you find?"
Lucas cleared his throat.
"We got flour, vanilla", he pottered around the kitchen cabinets until he found the one with the bowls "Ah, here it is? What size do you need?", he felt Grace coming by his side and tried to reach for the bowl, but it was too high for her to get it.
Lucas placed a gentle kiss on her hair, making her smile "Allow me, mon coeur", he whispered.
As he took the biggest bowl outside and handed it over to Grace, she held on for the counter with one hand to steady herself, slightly swooning as she watched him with a smile and look of pure love.
Lucas smiled.
"What?", he asked.
"I love it when you speak French", she whispered, her cheeks warming up, but for once, she couldn't care less.
The man was an epitome of romance.
And she loved being the Queen of his heart.
Lucas stepped closer to her, his hand going up to her cheek, cupping it. He smiled, feeling how warm it was under his palm.
Her smile warmed his heart and he hovered his lips above hers, enjoying the feel of her shivering deliciously at his touch.
"J'adore ton sourire", he whispered, placing a gentle, soft kiss on her lips "Je veux être avec toi pour toujours.Je t'aimerai pour toujours.".
Grace sighed.
"Embrasse-moi, Lucas", she barely finished when his lips fulfilled her plea, kissing her with so much love and passion that she whimpered, feeling her entire body trembling.
—--
Lillian rinsed another plate as she glanced at the clock on the wall.
She creased her eyebrows and looked at Gustave who was busy putting the leftovers in the fridge.
Lillian put the plate away and reached for the silverware to wash it as she called:
"Gustave?", as he turned to look at her, Lillian asked "What time is that couple arriving at Lucas' place?"
Gustave creased his eyebrows in confusion.
"Couple? Which couple?", he asked.
"For the adoption. Grace left me a note that Lucas called her to talk to some of his friends who are looking to adopt", as she explained, Gustave's facial expression transformed into one of realization.
"Ah, mais oui! Madame et Monsieur Williams", his face became puzzled "They won't arrive until tomorrow".
Lillian closed the faucet and wiped her hands before taking a piece of paper from her apron.
"No, you're wrong", she said.
Gustave huffed.
"I'm never wrong", at Lillian's pointed look he let out a frustrated breath and grabbed the note from her hand.
"Lillian, I went to Lucas' place. There is a couple who is looking into adoption, Lucas' friends, and he called me to talk to them. Love you. Grace"
Gustave reread the note a few times.
"Je ne comprends pas", he mumbled.
"Maybe they arrived earlier", said Lillian
Gustave shook his head.
"They have a train today at noon. I know that Lucas planned lunch for tomorrow", said Gustave.
Lillian took a note back from Gustave's hand.
"Alright, well, where is she by now?", she glanced at the clock "She's been away for almost four hours. If they are not having that meeting, what are they doing?", she looked at Gustave.
Gustave looked at her, his eyes widening.
"If he even THINKS about entering MY kitchen…", he hurried out from the kitchen "May I use your phone?"
Lillian rolled her eyes.
"Of course", she said and quickly followed him.
Gustave grabbed the phone, a thunderous look on his face.
—--
Lucas opened the oven and Grace put the cookies in it. As he closed it, she wiped her hands on the apron and smiled at him.
"There! It's not that hard, isn't it?", she asked.
"No, it's not, but it does take quite some time to make them", Lucas hid his smile at Grace's surprised look.
"No, it doesn't", she said, a bit confused.
Lucas took out his pocket watch and opened it.
"An hour and half to mix the ingredients", he bit the inner side of his cheek to hold back a smile "That IS too long".
Grace creased her eyebrows then all of a sudden, her facial expression changed as she saw right through Lucas' serious facade.
"Oh, and whose fault is that?", she placed her hands on her hips "If you weren't distracting me while I was working on a batch…", she huffed out, pretending to be offended.
Lucas' felt his blood warming up in his veins as he decided to played along.
"Hey, what did I do?!", he gasped, more than willing to fall into another loving banter with this amazing woman.
At that moment, the phone rang.
Lucas winked at her as he went to the hallway.
Grace smirked as she followed him.
Payback time.
Lucas picked up a receiver.
"Hello?", he said, only to grimace and hold the receiver a bit away from his ear. He rolled his eyes at the hollering from the other side of the line "For God's sake, Gustave!", he said, creasing his forehead "Don't give me a headache! What's got into you?!"
"Lucas, if you even pass by MY kitchen, I will send you to the guillotine!", Gustave shrieked.
Lucas looked upward to the ceiling, letting out a frustrated breath.
"Give me strength, please", he mumbled silently as he sat down on the chair that stood near the table with a phone.
Not noticing Grace sneaking up behind him, a devilish smile on her face.
"You are impossible! Annoying! How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my kitchen?! If you were there, not even Mademoiselle Grace would save you from me, est-ce que tu me comprends?!"
"Gustave, stop with this nonsense! I am perfectly capable to make a meal…", Lucas cringed as he realized what he just said and heard his cousin practically scream over the phone.
"Je le savais! Oh mon dieu, je le savais!", Gustave gasped.
"Will you calm down?! If you continue like this, then I will have to…", Lucas' words died in his throat as he gasped at the feeling of Grace's lips on his neck.
"What?! You will have to do what?!", Gustave's voice was going louder per every word he said.
Lucas closed his eyes, trying to calm down, but Grace had other ideas and continued her gentle attack on his neck, moving to his earlobe as her hands sneaked around his waist.
"Payback time", she whispered in his ear, grinning devilishly.
Lucas couldn't handle this anymore.
He held receiver tighter and practically growled at his cousin:
"Gustave, you are interrupting a very important meeting. I really don't have time to listen to your hysterical fantasies! We will talk when you get home. Au revoir", he slammed the phone down and gasped as Grace gently pulled her lips around his earlobe.
"Tu es une petite espiègle, le savais-tu?", he whispered, using all of his strength to pull away only to get up and pull her closer to him, crashing his lips against hers.
Grace smiled into his kiss, pulling away just for a millisecond.
"Oui, je sais", she whispered before his lips kissed her again.
They got so caught up in each other, their love and passion completely consuming them that they didn't even notice the time.
Until…
Grace pulled away a bit, asking:
"What's that?"
Lucas looked down at her questioningly.
"What?", he asked.
Grace sniffed the air for a few seconds before her eyes widened.
"Oh, my God! Cookies!", she jumped away from Lucas and they both ran toward the kitchen.
Grace ran toward the oven, turned it off and quickly opened it…
…only to be greeted by huge black smoke!
Smoke quickly filled the kitchen and Grace ran to open the windows, coughing while Lucas took the cookies from the oven and discarded them in a sink.
They ran outside, coughing and breathing heavily.
Grace held her head with both hands.
"Oh, my God! What are we going go do?", she looked at Lucas in panic…
… only to be greeted with a grin on his face that made her slowly smile.
"Hide!", Lucas grabbed her hand and ran down the hallway, both of them laughing.