Page 83 of Defend Her Heart

My gaze drops to her mouth and I tilt forward just a fraction. I’m giving her the time to pull back but when she doesn’t I move even closer. One more inch until I can taste those sweet lips again.

I drop my mouth to hers.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

My phone vibrates loudly on the table in between us, rattling the puzzle pieces surrounding it. Avery pulls back first, quickly, like she just remembered who I am and what we were about to do.

I lean back slowly, not because I want to but because part of me is stuck in the moment where shedidn’tmove and she almost let it happen. I drag a hand through my hair and exhale roughly. Somehow, I force my attention back to the puzzle.

“Aren’t you going to get that?”

Avery’s voice snaps me back to reality where my phone is still violently vibrating on the table. Picking it up, I see it’s an incoming call from Jefferson.

Of course it fucking is.

I hit the side of my phone, rejecting the call, and place it face down on the opposite side of the table. “It’s just Jefferson. It’s not important.”

She doesn’t say anything and she also doesn’t reach for another puzzle piece. I swear, it’s been one step forward and two steps back ever since we signed that marriage license. We’re both fighting something that feels inevitable, but the outside noise of everything else is rattling any progress we make.

I’m afraid she’s going to run off again and fight whatever is building between us, so in an attempt to keep her here with me, I suggest we switch gears. “I was going to attempt baking muffins for a quick grab-and-go snack for the week.”

This grabs her attention immediately.

“Youbake?”

I laugh quietly and push away from the table. The truth is, I had no intention of actually baking them but she doesn’t need to know that. “No, not really. Sadie usually spoils me, but she’s been busy so she sent over a recipe. She claims even a monkey could do it but the last time she sent me an easy recipe, the cookies were so flat they turned into more of a cookie cake.”

She stands and follows me into the kitchen.

“I mean, that doesn’t sound awful.”

Pulling out the ingredients we’ll need from the pantry, I set them on the island in front of her. “No, in theory that’s not so bad. It was the taste that was absolutely abhorrent.” I’m fumbling with the stand-up mixer I’ve used only three times before now when Avery steps in next to me.

“Here. Give it to me. You’ve been demoted to sous chef. I’ll bake, you hand me the ingredients when I need them.”

So that’s what we do. Avery calls out ingredients to me, and I hand them to her promptly. When she’s done with each step of the recipe, I clean up or put away the things we don’t need anymore. I know I’m not doing much, but working together with Avery to hopefully create something great is the highlight of my week.

After I’ve mashed the bananas, I hand them to Avery toadd to the mix. When she grabs the bowl, I notice the number on her watch has gone from the 80s to the high 90s which means her heart rate is rising, fast. Rushing around the island, I grab stools for both of us.

“Sit, Aves. You need to get off your feet.” I set one of the stools behind her and take a seat on my own.

She flashes me an appreciative smile and we continue working together, taking breaks every so often for her to drink some water or just to laugh about the mess I’m making doing the most menial tasks.

I’ve just finished putting the muffin liners into the muffin tins I didn’t even know I owned when I hear the mixer turn off. Avery turns to me with a crooked grin. “Okay, there’s one more thing we need.”

I set the stack of liners aside and turn, giving her my full attention. “What’s that?”

“I’m about to ask you a very important question. I need to know the type of man you’ve become and if staying with you is actually a good idea or not.”

My curiosity is at an all-time high but I’m also feeling a little nervous. What the heck is she going to ask me about muffins that will tell her the type of man I am? She turns in her stool and crosses one leg over the other. She places her hands on the tops of her thighs and then leans in closer.

“Chocolate chips or nuts?” Her eyebrow raises in question.

I don’t even hesitate. “Chocolate chips. Obviously.”

The most radiant smile spreads across her face, and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. Eliciting that type of reaction out of her is my new goal for each day. If I can make her feel joy or happiness and get her to smile like that, well, I’d go to sleep feeling accomplished every single night.

“That’s the correct answer.” Avery grabs the bag of chocolate chips and pours about half the bag into the big mixing bowl. When she’s done, she reaches in and pops one in her mouth.