Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“What do you need me to do?” he asked.
I glanced over my shoulder and smiled. “Can you peel some potatoes?” I turned in time to see him pushing up the sleeves on his hunter-green Henley shirt, revealing a hint of his left forearm. As I was working on seasoning the chicken, he didn’t ask for help to find a peeler. He took the initiative and found it himself.
“Do you like to cook?” he asked.
A smile spread across my face. “I do. And I did it a lot with my mom. It’s my happy place. How about you?” I asked as my pan began to sizzle.
“As I’ve said, I learned through YouTube. But it’s the only time I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself. That makes me happy.”
I turned to face him. “You haven’t cooked for anyone before?” He shook his head. “Not a girlfriend?”
“I’ve never had a girlfriend.” He shrugged when my eyes widened, but I caught a little smirk at the end.
“I’m not judging. I’ve never had a boyfriend, not a serious one at least.” I grinned. “We are a pair, aren’t we?”
“Why no serious boyfriend?”
His question surprised me. “I’ve been pretty focused on my career and helping my parents with my sister. There wasn’t really time for boyfriends, not that anyone really stood out to me. You?”
“Similar. I’ve been pretty focused on my future, but there was one.”
I felt my stomach drop with jealousy, though I had no right to. “Who was she?”
“Someone I knew from college. I wasn’t ready for a relationship when she was. When I was ready, she’d found someone else.”
I cleared my throat, afraid my next words would squeak out. “Any regrets?”
“Initially, maybe. But now, I realize she wasn’t my person, and she found hers.”
The breath I held was because I didn’t want him to see me sigh with relief. Quickly, I changed topics. “What’s your favorite food?”
The question seemed to cleanse the air of the heaviness that had been there.
“You’ll be surprised. A great burger and fries. I’m a simple guy.”
That did surprise me. I expected him to say steak or caviar or something more elegant. “I’ll have to agree with you on fries. Great fries are one of my favorite foods.”
“Sounds like I have a challenge,” he said.
“I guess I’ll have to change your mind and make a chicken sandwich your favorite.”
“Game on,” he said with a wink.
All of a sudden, I felt like I was on a cooking competition show.
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked.
I pointed at him. “Are you trying to distract me?”
His playful shrug was too cute for words. “You didn’t answer,” he said.
“I don’t have one. Do you?”
He smirked, and I melted when he said, “Whatever color you’re wearing.”
I laughed out loud. “You are too smooth. Should I be worried?”
“Should you?”
I scoffed. “You are not going to distract me. I’ve got this. Make sure your fries are crispy,” I jested and got back to work.
We shared the stove, but there were fewer words and a lot of looks. I licked my lips several times and even bit my lip. Eventually, we sat at the small round table, setting our food in the middle. I slid one of the finished sandwiches over to him. The secret wasn’t so much the chicken, which I seasoned simply with salt and pepper. It was the slaw I made that topped the chicken sandwiched between beautiful brioche buns that happened to be there. I would kiss Griffin when I saw him.
After he bit in, the sound that came out of his mouth was like sex. “You like it?” I asked with a wide grin.
He moaned again. “Wow. That was next-level good.” He pushed the plate of fries my way.
They were golden and looked absolutely perfect. I picked one up, and the crispiness was there. I didn’t have to bite into it to know that. They were also salted to perfection. A moan escaped my mouth.
“We’re a great team,” he said.
“We are. Let’s eat.”
Eating became foreplay as we eye fucked each other while eating. I might have gobbled my food in anticipation of what was to come. Too bad seconds after we finished the meal, while leaning back in our chairs, a knock preceded the door opening. Griffin and Kelsey appeared.
“Thanks for the food,” I said.
Griffin came over and fist-bumped me. Shawn got up as Griffin nodded to me with a huge grin. I tried not to think about why Griffin and Shawn walked off to the side to talk, excluding me.
Kelsey came over and asked, “Is there anything you need?”
I’d brought the bag of clothes they’d given me back at the apartment. There were still a couple of outfits there I hadn’t worn. “I think I’m okay.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Are you sure? Do you need any monthly things?” she asked discreetly.