My leg wobbled slightly from the aftermath of the kiss, and I pulled away, desperately trying to gather my scattered thoughts.
"S-should we... start baking now?" I stammered, clutching onto the first rational idea that popped into my fried brain.
Danny chuckled under his breath, the sound dangerously low and boyish.
"Absolutely," he said, tying the apron properly and tossing me another one.
I caught it, trying not to fumble like an idiot.
As I slipped it on, I caught him grinning at me from the corner of my eye, and I stuck out my tongue at him, earning another one of his lazy, heart-melting smiles.
We started measuring the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder, laughing at each other's clumsiness. Danny, it turned out, was hopeless at cracking eggs.
One egg exploded onto the counter and I burst out laughing, nearly doubling over, while he stood there looking completely betrayed by the universe.
"Hey!" he protested. "You try doing it with hands this big!"
"Excuses, excuses," I teased, grabbing a cloth to wipe up the mess.
At one point, when I was trying to whisk the batter, he leaned over my shoulder — way too close — and placed his hand over mine, guiding my movements.
His breath brushed against my ear and I thought my brain might short-circuit right there.
We baked in that cozy, chaotic atmosphere, the kitchen filled with the rich scent of chocolate and the sound of our shared laughter.
Flour ended up on my forehead. He wore a streak of cocoa powder across his jaw.
Neither of us bothered to clean it — it felt too perfect, too happy to ruin.
After the cake was done, we brought it to the living room, settling comfortably onto the big, plush sofa.
I placed the cake carefully on the coffee table, brushing my messy hands on a napkin, when Danny leaned back and said smugly,
"Alright, nerd. Time for the final part of your punishment."
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What now?"
He smirked, stretching his arms behind his head lazily.
"You have to feed me. It's part of the punishment for losing, remember?"
I let out a dramatic sigh, grabbing a fork. "You are literally the most annoying person I've ever met."
"And yet," he said, leaning closer with a teasing smile, "you're still here."
Rolling my eyes, I cut a small piece of the cake and, with an exaggerated huff, held it up to his mouth.
He bit into it with a grin, his lips brushing my fingers way too deliberately for it to be accidental.
"So..." he said, chewing thoughtfully. "Tell me about your family."
I tucked my legs under me, feeling a little shy.
"Um... well, my parents are sweet but strict. My mom's a Professor— she's the scary, organized one in the family, always winning arguments even when she's obviously wrong." I laughed a little at the thought. "And my dad's owns a cafe. He's more easygoing — the kind who gives away free cookies if you just smile nicely at hims. I have an older brother too. He's annoying but... he kinda acts like my second dad sometimes. Always checking if I ate, if I reached somewhere safely... you know, that kind of stuff."
Danny listened carefully, no teasing in his eyes for once — just genuine warmth.
"Sounds like they love you a lot," he said softly.
I smiled, feeling a little warm inside. "Yeah... they do."
"And you?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.
He leaned back, a different kind of smile pulling at his lips — smaller, more bittersweet.
"My parents are always busy.My mom's a doctor and my dad's a corporate lawyer," he said. "I mostly grew up with nannies and boarding schools. It wasn't terrible or anything. I mean, I had everything — just not... them. But it is what it is."
The casualness in his voice didn't fool me. I caught the flicker of loneliness hidden behind those golden eyes.
"Still," he added, nudging my knee with his, "I'm pretty good at making my own fun. And I guess... meeting you makes it even better."
My heart did this weird little flip, and I quickly shoved another piece of cake into his mouth to shut him up.
He laughed against the fork, and somehow, that sound made the world feel a whole lot lighter.