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The house was quiet, which meant I’d caught the guys before they’d gotten up. That was exactly what I’d wanted—it meant I could surprise them. I hurried into the kitchen but stopped short when I realized I wasn’t alone. Kid was sitting in there, a tablet in his hands as he sipped his coffee. He regarded me with an expression of mild bemusement as if he weren’t quite sure what to say to me. I couldn’t blame him, what with how I’d treated him and the rest of his team.
“Good morning,” he said. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here so early.”
Kid looked good, all the guys did, really. His handsome boyishness was on full display, his gorgeous face cleanly shaved, his black hair slicked back, fresh from a shower. He had on a sleeveless white shirt that showed off his arms, long and powerful looking. There was something about him that I couldn’t resist, something that made me clench my thighs together, something that made me want to kiss him on the spot.
The time for making things right was now.
“Good morning!” I smiled back at him.
He gasped, and I smiled even bigger out of amusement. No doubt he was wondering what the hell was going on, why I wasn’t glaring or rolling my eyes at him for daring to speak to me.
“You…OK?”
“I’m just fine, thank you. That coffee smells wonderful. Is there any more of it?”
Kid’s mouth opened slightly. He looked around as if he thought a camera crew might be jumping out at any moment to tell him he was being pranked.
“There’s…uh, plenty. Made enough for everyone in the house. It’s over there. Help yourself.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled at him one more time as I made my way around the kitchen island in the center of the room and towards the coffee. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him watching me. When I glanced in his direction, however, he immediately looked away and returned his attention to his tablet.
I added a little milk to my coffee and, mug in hand took a look around the place. The guys had stocked up nicely—the fridge full of meat, dairy and produce, fresh fruit on the counter along with bread, bagels, and English muffins. I tried to think of something to make, the perfect idea occurring to me as soon as I noticed the big bottle of imported maple syrup in the condiment section.
Moments later, I had everything in hand for breakfast—French toast. I made the batter for the bread, then turned on the stove, allowing the pan to get nice and hot.
“Now, none of you guys are on some kind of special diet, are you?” I asked. “No vegans? No gluten-free people?”
He laughed. “Does what you saw in the fridge make it look like we’re vegans?” Kid smiled, letting me know he was only messing around. “No, we’re not picky. But wearebig eaters. So, whatever you make, make enough for twice as many people.”
“That’s certainly no problem,” I said. “You all were kind enough to get the place good and stocked yesterday.”
Kid narrowed his eyes, cocking his head in confusion. He didn’t say another word, however, turning his attention once again back to his tablet.
I went to work. A quick taste of the batter revealed that it needed a little more flavor, so I added extra cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Once those were mixed in, I dabbed my finger once more and touched my tongue.
Perfect.
The batter ready, I started dipping the bread, letting it soak for a few moments before plopping it onto the hot pan. After a few slices were made, I was in a good enough rhythm that I felt comfortable starting on the accompaniment to the meal—a delicious, fresh fruit salad.
I sliced up strawberries, banana, cantaloupe, and grapes then added some mandarins and berries, tossing everything into a big bowl and mixing it all together. It took very little effort, and by the time the salad was ready, so was the French toast. There was still plenty of batter, so I went ahead and made the entire loaf.
“What the hell is going on here?”
Hud appeared at the far entrance to the kitchen, Pyke there with him.
“Are you…making breakfast?” Pyke asked, confusion on his face.
“Good morning! Kid got the coffee going, so have some of that I while I get everything plated. I hope you guys like French toast.”
Hud and Pyke regarded one another with confusion before glancing over in Kid’s direction. Kid shook his head and shrugged, indicating that he was just as much in the dark as the rest of the guys.
“Let me ask you something, lass,” Hud said. “This wouldn’t happen to be, ah,poisonFrench toast, now would it?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not poisoned, I promise. And even if it were, it’s not like I’d tell you, now would I?” I added with a wink.
Hud laughed. “I suppose you’ve got a fair point there. But a man’s got to wonder after the way things have been the past few days—why are you making us breakfast?”
