She just did something that she might regret later. She just invited Noah to have dinner with her at her house!

She paced around before she dropped down on the floor because her knees were shaking.

She was going to cook them dinner.

'Ah, yes, dinner.'

She stood up from squatting on the floor and headed to the kitchen. Before she took a shower she removed a t-bone from the freezer. Upon checking it is now totally thawed.

She opened her cupboard and brought out the spices that she rarely used. Her hands pulled out the spices she needed from memory.

She hasn't made a steak for a long time, but it shouldn't be that difficult, she presumed. She successfully cooked adobo for Luke. A steak should be fine too.

She patted the meat dry, then seasoned it with equal parts of kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and granulated garlic. Not garlic powder or garlic salt but granulated garlic. It was what made the difference, as her father taught her.

This recipe is what her father usually prepared for her mother every time he did something worth asking for an apology. Her father would make her mother a steak, opened a bottle of wine, strung his guitar. And just like that, her father would have her mother's heart mushy in love all over again — until when it is no longer enough.

Her hands froze in the air with the memory of her parents. She looked down at the t-bone cut meat she was seasoning and started questioning herself why she thought of preparing it for Noah.

"I must have gone insane!" she muttered to herself.

She opened the kitchen tap and washed her hands. She left the meat on the island counter for the spices to soak in the meat and returned to her room to change clothes.

She has no idea what time Noah will arrive, but the last thing she wants is for him to see her wearing a silk robe with damp uncombed hair.

And she was faced with another dilemma when she opened her wardrobe. Yes, they are having dinner, but they are just at home, she can't wear something she would wear if they are eating in a restaurant.

At the same time, she can't wear casual clothes since it is still a dinner date with a promise of — something that brought Jess a headache and anxiety that she grabbed her phone and debated if she should just cancel the dinner invitation to Noah.

However, what Noah said during their call echoed through her mind. And a part of her doesn't want to disappoint him.

For someone like her who doesn't really care about people that don't matter to her, not wanting to disappoint a man - Noah, in particular, is something new to her. Her heart thud with the uneasiness that she felt in her heart.

She caught her mind before it wandered too far down memory lane.

'Choose a dress.'

She sighed and grabbed the first thing that caught her eyes from all the hanging dresses in her closet. Then, slammed the door shut after grabbing the dress because she doesn't want to waste time trying different dresses when she hasn't started cooking.

Appetizer, dessert, drinks, table set up. So many things to consider. She should have just agreed to go to Matsugen with him. She heaved another sigh of regret then threw the dress she pulled out from her closet to her bed without looking at it.

She sat down on her dresser and started blow-drying her hair. She didn't totally dry it because there was not enough time. A bit damp is okay, it will just dry out later, she thought before she started putting on some moisturizer on her face and some light makeup.

A tinted lip balm was all she put on her lips before she stood up from her vanity dresser. She untied her robe and put on a pair of white lace underwear.

She finger-combed her hair and tousled it a bit. She found herself chuckling because whether she admits it or not, she is excited about this dinner.

She grinned at her reflection in the mirror. She was busy admiring herself when she got startled with the ringtone that she put for Noah's number.

She grabbed the dress that she tossed on her bed and put it on. The soft silky fabric of the dress slid on her skin smoothly.

A silent 'o' formed in her mouth when she saw her reflection on the mirror.

The dress she grabbed from her closet was a silk maxi dress in burgundy red. Her tan skin, courtesy of almost everyday time spent in the sun in San Lucas, is accentuated by the dress.

Due to the material of the dress, it gives an illusion that it floats in her skin. Softly showing the curves of her body every time she moves.

Watching her image, she would admit that the dress looks very promising…

Her thoughts were pulled from the very promising image that she is seeing in the mirror because Noah kept on calling. She answered his call as she headed to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.

"Hey, baby," he said in a muffled voice. "I'll just drop by my apartment for a quick shower and I'll be there...in about twenty minutes?"

She heard the familiar elevator ding. He was already in the building! She panicked when she realized that she hadn't started anything in the kitchen.

"Uhm, I need more time…" she said, chewing her lips.

"Baby, you looked lovely in anything," he said, in his now familiar throaty tone that he used whenever he was talking to her.

"Shut up! I haven't started cooking," she said with clear panic in her voice.

"I'm a good kitchen assistant," he replied, dropping the call for a brilliant idea that crossed his mind.

How fun would it be to play house making dinner together with Little Miss Jessie, he grinned to himself. He was whistling when he entered his apartment. And he was still whistling when he was taking a shower, and putting on a white shirt and jeans.

He didn't bother to dry his hair, he simply scrubbed a towel on his hair and grabbed the bottle of wine and the bouquet of flowers to see Jess.

He felt like he was floating in excitement as he made his way to his lovely neighbor's apartment.

Today, he will be having dinner prepared by Jess, after a satisfying business deal. He was still whistling when he knocked at her door, thinking, today is the best day ever!

Jess, who just finished preparing the appetizer, was putting a table runner in her dining table that hasn't been used, not even once in her years of stay in her apartment.

She originally thought of serving dinner on the balcony but then, she thought why not in the dining room. Two or three weeks from now, this dining room will be her library slash office, why not use it before it's gone.

She set up the plates at the far end of the table facing each other. She decided against using the head of the table. She put some of the flowers Noah sent before as a centerpiece and some of her favorite candles.

When she was satisfied with the table settings, she stepped back from the dining table to finally open the door for Noah. The wait must have irked him.

Before opening the door, she smoothed her dress and took a deep breath, which was a good thing because she forgot to breathe the moment she opened the door for Noah. He was looking so fresh, with his washed-out jeans and white shirt that hugged his body rather tightly.

The only consolation she got was she wasn't the only one who forgot to breathe. Upon opening the door, Noah gasped and his eyes hungrily scanned her body, causing her to blush.

"Come in," she said, clearing her throat.

"Good evening, Jess," he said in a serious tone, but his eyes were dripping with unrestrained lust.

She closed the door behind them, and she slowly walked back to the kitchen with Noah, checking her behind. 'This man is truly shameless! Can't he at least be discreet?'

Noah had a glimpse of the beautiful table set up from her dining room.

"You prepared," his voice was filled with wonder and pride. 'Jess is cooking him dinner.' He quietly said to himself and felt his heart full.

"Where should I put the wine, baby?" He was waiting for her to get annoyed with him calling her baby, but Jess didn't react. He grinned to himself, 'Does it mean she allows him to call her, baby?'

"Just put it there," she replied, pointing to the wine bucket sitting on the island counter.

She put the grill on the stovetop and set the fire on high heat, "How do you like your steak, Noah?"

"Medium rare," his eyes were glued on to her when she pulled her hair up and stabbed it with a chopstick, exposing her neck. He had to take a deep breath and slowly let it out, otherwise, he would grab Jess and do God knows what.

He is here for dinner that she is graciously preparing for him. Dessert could wait...he grinned to himself.