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“Liar. Let’s hope I need bail and not a shovel.” Augusta folded her arms, a move that brought her cleavage front and center, and arched a brow as she looked around the kitchen. “Doesn’t look like you’ve started cooking anything.”
Busted. “Why bother when Teddy didn’t answer her phone?”
“Bull. I’m not doing this with you, Antonio. Go play your games somewhere else.”
“IT’s not a game,” I growled. “It’s my work. My career. This is how I take care of my kid.”
She waved off my words. “Don’t give me that crap, you know exactly what I mean. This little ploy is a game, not your work.” Augusta shook her head. “What is the point of all this, Antonio?”
“Other than Teddy, you’re the most honest with me and I need that.” It was the truth, even if it was only a part of it. I didn’t know why I was acting this way, couldn’t figure out my own damn motives. Mostly. “I just like being around you, Augusta.”
“No, you like sleeping with me, and we’re not doing that anymore.”
“A travesty,” I sighed sadly. “But even with your clothes on, I like being around you Augusta.”
My words caught her off guard and tension stiffened her body while she thought about my request. It was hard for most people to pass up the type of food I cooked for my channel, I saved the real show stoppers for my subscribers, but I let her take her time to think it through. No pressure. No persuasion. I knew I had her when her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
“Fine. You get two hours, Antonio. No more.”
“Three. I still have to set up lights and the camera.”
She folded her arms. “Two.”
It wasn’t nearly enough, but it was a good start. “I’ll take it.”
Gus
“That was easy.” Too easy, in fact. Antonio was up to something, and I didn’t know what. “Why?”
He shrugged and flashed that flirty smile that turned my insides to mashed potatoes. “Arguing with you would get me nowhere, but my food can tempt you to stay.” He moved around the kitchen to set up lights and position the camera while he spoke. “That’s my true super power.”
Maybe. “Two hours,” I repeated for my benefit as much as Antonio’s. This was me being neighborly, nothing more. “What will I be tasting?”
Something dirty was on the tip of his tongue, I could see the mischief in his eyes, but he managed to keep it to himself. “The episode is From Everyday to Gourmet.”
“Catchy.” I winced at the sarcasm in my tone. Bitchy wasn’t my default, but damn him, Antonio had cornered me by calling Megan and laying a massive guilt trip on me. I had no choice but to stay. To help.
As if he actually needed my help.
“Thanks,” he replied completely unaffected by my tone. “I thought so too.” He leaned across the counter between us until there was less than six inches of space between his face and mine, rested his chin in his hand so that his sun-kissed, tattooed forearms were on display. Tempting me. “So, Augusta, tell me. What’s your favorite thing to eat when you’re too tired to be creative?”
Good question. “Easy. Mac & cheese.”
He shuddered, his dark eyes horrified. “Not the powder stuff, I hope?”
I frowned, offended. “No. I am a real life adult, Antonio.”
He licked his lips, my gaze watched his pink tongue slide back and forth across his bottom lip and then the top lip. Holy hell. “Oh, alright.” He pushed back with a smile and another wink. “We’ll start with mac & cheese then.”
My brows furrowed in suspicion. “I thought you already had a shoot scheduled for today?”
He frowned in response, feigning confusion. “Did I say that?”
“Antonio,” I growled and pushed away from the counter. “No more games.”
“None, I swear.” He turned and moved around the kitchen gracefully, like a choreographed dancer while he grabbed what seemed like dozens of ingredients. When he finally stopped moving, he stood between two sets of ingredients.
I let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of stuff for basic Mac.”
“Who said anything about basic?” Before I could answer, he reached over and put one finger to my lips with a smile before he pointed to the camera.
The camera. Right.
Antonio stood tall and squared his shoulders as he fixed his Bad Boy Chef smile into place, the one I had watched for hours and hours as I cooked right alongside him.
“What I have for you today is two sets of ingredients. One for your everyday mac and cheese, and one for when you want to impress that special someone, or even a crowd. A friend of mine will make her own everyday mac, and then I’ll show you how to punch it up.”
I shook my head and as soon as he paused or stopped the camera, I pointed an accusing finger at him. “Forget it, Antonio. No way am I cooking and definitely not on camera.” The last thing I needed was the whole damn internet seeing my extra ten pounds which would probably look like twenty on camera.
