DAMIEN'S POV
Thursday evening I came home to the apartment smelling like garlic and something roasting and Elara in the kitchen with her hair up and flour on her sleeve that she hadn't noticed.
I stood in the doorway for a moment before she heard me.
She turned. "You're early."
"Flight was on time for once."
"The chicken needs twenty more minutes."
"That's fine."
I put my bag down and crossed the kitchen and kissed her properly, not the quick greeting kiss we defaulted to on busy evenings but an actual kiss, my hand on her jaw, unhurried.
She made a small sound of surprise and then settled into it.
When I pulled back she looked at me with the slightly unfocused expression she got when she hadn't been expecting something.
"What was that for?" she said.
"I missed you."
"You were
