Chapter 2

Chloe turned out to be far more capable than I had ever imagined.

The minute she set foot in my dingy rental apartment, she immediately threw herself into cleaning.

It happened to be my day off, so I sprawled on the couch and watched her hustle from room to room.

From the bathroom to the kitchen, and out to the balcony.

She scrubbed away grease and grime that had settled there for years until the floor practically reflected my face.

"We have to clear out the trash regularly, otherwise pests are going to take over once summer hits."

A stack of garbage bags lined the hallway. Chloe dusted off her hands and headed toward the bedroom.

I got up from the couch and slid my arms around her waist.

Even though she had carried a child, her waist was remarkably slim and firm.

Her soft skin shivered under my touch. Looking down at her flushed, radiant face, my blood started to boil.

"That room is where I spend most of my time. It's spotless already. You don't need to tire yourself out."

Chloe let out a soft laugh and draped her arms around my neck.

"Fine, whatever you say, Liam."

"Can I still take a quick look inside, though?"

We were both grown adults. We knew exactly what "staying together" really meant.

The tension between us thickened. Chloe cast her eyes down, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

My hands slid lower to her hips, and I lifted her up effortlessly into my arms.

"Of course you can."

The bedroom only had a squeaky single twin bed with a cheap metal frame. It was definitely cramped for the two of us.

I laid her down on the mattress. Staring into her pretty, delicate face, my heart thumped wildly against my ribs.

The bed creaked rhythmically for hours.

Once the dust settled, the reality finally sank in. I had struck absolute gold.

How on earth did I luck out with a woman this gorgeous and shapely?

Chloe nestled her soft body against mine, breathing softly into my ear.

"Liam, thank you for giving me a place to stay."

The best part was her gentle temper. She never argued, agreeing with whatever I wanted.

Overwhelmed by heat, I pulled her back down into the sheets.

Drenched in sweat, by the time we finally caught our breath, the sky outside had already turned pitch black.

Obedient as ever, Chloe dragged her exhausted body out of bed, insisting on making dinner for me.

I couldn't offer her much, but cooking was the one thing I excelled at.

Besides, she had taken a liking to me in the first place because she loved the food I cooked at the diner.

Now was my chance to show off.

I patted my chest proudly. "Stay put. Let me make dinner tonight."

I whipped up a simple meal—three home-style dishes and a soup. Nothing as fancy as what I served at the diner, but it was fresh and clean.

I watched her face closely as she took her first bite. "How is it? Good?"

A look of hesitation flickered across Chloe's face. She chewed for a long time before forcing herself to swallow.

"Liam... does it taste a little different from the diner?"

"Well, of course it does," I said, taking a forkful myself and chewing. It was indeed a bit bland. "I'll add more seasoning next time."

Chloe put down her fork.

"I don't think it's the seasoning... It just feels like... the food at the diner tastes so much richer, so much more addictive..."

My heart skipped a beat.

Chloe was a regular at our diner; her palate had been thoroughly spoiled.

If she were just some random customer, I wouldn't have cared. But now, she was my woman.

I warned her in a low voice, "Home-cooked food is safe and clean. You should avoid eating out so much from now on."

A bright smile returned to her face.

"Got it, Liam. From now on, I only want to eat what you cook."

On our first night together, the bed proved far too small for both of us to fit comfortably.

I volunteered to crash on the lumpy living room sofa.

Before she switched off the lights, Chloe leaned down and pressed a sweet, lingering kiss to my lips.

"Liam, I hate making you sleep out here."

With a kiss like that, sleeping on the couch felt like a luxury.

Once the lights went out, the narrow cushions made it impossible to sleep. I tossed and turned for what felt like hours.

Giving up, I pulled out my phone and checked my banking app.

After years of scrimping and saving, I only had about eight thousand dollars in my account.

If I wanted to date a regular girl and settle down, that wouldn't even cover an engagement ring, let alone a wedding.

I stared toward the dark bedroom. Maybe making things work with Chloe wasn't a bad idea at all.

Just as my mind was drifting, the bedroom light suddenly clicked on.