She shrugs. “Mac and cheese, I guess.”
I grin. “I can make that happen. Is it okay if it’s not from a box? Can I make it from scratch?”
Her eyes widen. “You can make mac and cheese from scratch?”
“Of course. I’ve been living alone for most of my life. Do I look like I’ve missed any meals?” I tease.
She giggles, and it’s the best sound in the world.
Setting her back a few inches, I take her hand as I rise. “Come.”
She seems lighter but quiet. I hope our mostly one-sided chat will help her know where things stand and lessen her anxiety.
“You’re so bossy,” she mumbles as we head for the great room.
I squeeze her hand. “Oh, sweetheart, you haven’t seen bossy yet. This is just my normal self.”
“Yikes.”
When we reach the kitchen, I release her hand, grab her hips, and lift her to sit on the counter next to the sink.
“Mace!”
I chuckle. “It’s so easy to startle you.”
It’s cute how she tugs on the T-shirt to make sure it’s fully under her bottom. She fidgets for a moment before crossing her arms.
Pressing against her knees, I circle her wrists and bring her hands down.
“Mace…” she murmurs.
I love her mild embarrassment. It’s adorable.
“I need clothes.”
“I’ve bought you clothes. A delivery already came while you were sleeping.”
“Can I put them on?”
“Nope. I like you like this. Slightly off kilter.”
She rolls her eyes.
I lift both brows. “What did I say about rolling your eyes, naughty girl?”
She sits taller. “You didn’t specify. You just said not to.”
“So sassy… Are you always going to be this sassy with me?”
“I don’t know. Are you always going to be this bossy with me?”
“Definitely. Eventually, I’m going to be ten times bossier. I’m taking it easy on you today.” I kiss her forehead and head for the fridge. If I don’t move away from her, things are going to get too intense.
My girl is mourning a huge loss. It’s not simple. If she’d found her father dead from a heart attack or a stroke, it might have been easier to swallow. But she found him dying from poisoning. Murdered. I’m surprised she didn’t have nightmares while she was napping.
She slept so long that I was able to get a lot of shit done around here, including stocking my fridge with foods that fit my plans for her. I gained a lot of information from reading her father’s letter. It made my life easier and gave me some reassurance that there’s a solid chance this woman is never leaving my side.
She doesn’t fully grasp that yet, but she will.
