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“What’s up?” I take a sip of my wine, enjoying watching him struggle.
“I’ve got a job for you.” He grabs a few onions and a knife.
“Oh, no. I won’t be cutting any onions, dear.”I smile sweetly at him, taking another sip of my wine.
He cocks his head. “Oh,dearthinks you will.” He pushes it closer to me, that familiar smirk on his lips. It heats something in me that it shouldn’t. He’s an asshole, what the old historical romance novels I like would call arake, the beast keeping me in this castle. I shouldn’t be looking at his full lips and wondering what they would feel like on mine.
“You’re supposed to be cooking for me.”
“And you’re supposed to be sitting at the table. Guess we all get to learn some lessons tonight.”
I narrow my eyes at him and take another sip before beginning to hop down. He anticipates what I’m about to do, before I can complete the action, and grabs my waist, pulling me gently off the counter and setting me down on my feet.
His touch shocks me, sending more of that heat billowing through me. I’m immediately reminded of this morning, of his fingers so close to my lips, of the way my pulse sped up, wanting him to touch them. Wanting to feel what he could arouse in me, no matter how wrong it is. No matter how much I shouldn’t want it.
I wait for him to take his hands off my waist, but he doesn’t. He looks down at me with those smoldering eyes, his fingers flexing on the curve of my waist, and his eyes drop to my lips.
I’ve kissed men before, and been kissed. Not being able to do much else, it was the best way to test any chemistry between them and I, and they always fell far short of what I wanted. What I hoped for.
Something tells me Adrik wouldn’t fall short.
That’s not a good enough reason for me moving closer to him, the scent of dry onions, cigarette smoke, and the soft hint of his cologne filling my nostrils as I loop my arms around his neck, going up on my tiptoes to press my mouth against his.
There’s no excuse.
But I do it anyway.
10
ADRIK
I’m surprised by Espie’s eagerness, by the soft, heated press of her mouth against mine, and I'm thinking this will be easier than I thought— seducing her— but then the radio switches to some alarm system, and she retracts from me as I cover my ears.
“The hell?” I walk over to it, fiddling with the stations that won’t work. Nothing seems to work on it, not even the volume. “Fuck. Shut up!” I yell, tapping the base of it until it stops, and jazz music begins again like nothing ever happened. I turn back to her, and she’s already cutting the onion.
Damn, maybe this won’t be so easy if she’s willing to lose a fight, just to avoid kissing me.
I step over to the stove and get to work, frying up some fresh herbs from a few of the plants dangling above me. Espie pushes the wood cutting board over to the stove with freshly chopped onions just as I’m pouring the red wine in the skillet.
“Thanks.” I nod her way, taking the cutting board without looking at her. I’m in the zone now. Plus, ignoring her a little will only make her more interested. And fuck, I need her to be interested if I’m gonna make this shit work— breaking our contract and all.
“What was that alarm?” she asks as I’m tossing russet potatoes into a pot.
“Dunno.” I shrug, pulling out one of the steaks from its casing and laying it into the pan of frying onions and wine.
“You cook a lot?”
“Moderately.”
“Who taught you?”
“My mom.”
“Oh.” I glance over my shoulder to see her frowning.
“Don’t look like that.”
“Like what?” She grins, a little tipsy, I can tell.
