15 stories
Fire in the Kitchen | Fuego en la Cocina
A late-night cooking lesson turns into something far more delicious when abuela's secret recipe requires two pairs of hands
The Mercado Encounter | Encuentro en el Mercado
A chance meeting at the local Mexican market turns into a passionate cooking date that simmers into something more
Midnight Masa | Masa a Medianoche
Late-night cooking sessions lead to early-morning confessions when two roommates share more than a kitchen
The Private Chef's Appetite
Chef Lorraine cooks for the elite but eats alone. When her widowed employer starts joining her in the kitchen, she discovers some meals feed the soul.
The Repair Job
When Rania's washing machine breaks, she calls the first repair number she finds. She doesn't expect Asad—handsome, skilled, and entirely too distracting—to fix more than her appliances.
The Sunday Roast
Nadia's family does Sunday roast—Pakistani style, with biryani instead of beef. When her brother's friend Faisal becomes a regular guest, she discovers some traditions are worth keeping.
Purley Passion
Personal chef Adaeze cooks for Purley's elite families. When divorcee Marcus hires her to teach him basics, she shows him that the kitchen isn't the only room where heat matters.
The Maid
She comes every Thursday to clean his apartment. He works from home and watches her work—thick, meticulous, wearing dresses that ride up when she bends. When he asks her to stay for coffee, she shows him what else she can do.
Dada wa Kazi
His parents hire a new house manager — a thick Swahili woman in her forties, efficient and stern. When she catches him with a girl in his room, she sends the girl away. Then shows him what a real woman does.
Mise en Place
He hired her to cook three nights a week after his wife left. She makes food that feels like love. Tonight she asks him to stay in the kitchen, watch her work, taste from her fingers.
Mpishi
Madam travels for work three weeks every month. The thick live-in cook stays behind—cleaning, cooking, waiting. When the master is home alone, she serves more than food. Much more.
Yaya
Wife abroad for six months. Children young but sleeping by seven. The thick nanny was hired to care for them—but after bedtime, she cares for someone else entirely. Every night, for six months.
Dobi
She delivers fresh linens twice a week. Collects the dirty ones. Takes hours every visit. The sheets always need washing again by the time she leaves. She knows exactly why.
The Housekeeper
She cleans his house twice a week. What she uncovers changes everything.
The Water Seller
She delivers water to the homes of Dar es Salaam's wealthy. Behind every door is a woman alone. Some need hydration. Some need something more.