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“Hey, Blake! Mr. Muggles was being impatient for her dinner. She knocked over the sparkly thing and broke the vase. She zoomed so fast, but she had a throw rug attached to her. It wascraaazy!”
Blake glances down at the cat wrapped in a throw rug that he is holding so casually in his arms. “Okay, there’s a lot to unpack from that. First of all… your cat is a girl? But she’s called Mr. Muggles?”
Hailee grins. “That’s my fault. I was super young when I named her.”
The corner of Blake’s lips turns up. “You’re super young now.”
Hailee shrugs. “Yeah, but this was like twowholeyears ago.”
Blake chuckles. “Oh, right.Sooolong ago. Practically a lifetime.”
Hailee nods over exaggeratedly.“Exactly!”
I smile at Blake, raise a brow, then move to the kitchen for the dustpan and broom. He slowly removes the throw from Mr. Muggles’ back claws and gently places her on the floorboards. “There you go, girl. You’re okay now. Let’s go check on your mom. Hailee, you wanna grab the dinner?”
Hailee smiles wide, picking the plastic bags from the floor as I sweep up the scattered diamonds and then make my way for the broken glass, but Blake steps in and takes the broom from me. “You have no shoes on, and your toe is already bleeding. Go grab some antiseptic and bandages while I clean this up, and wait for me at the kitchen counter.”
I slump my shoulders and sigh. “Mr. Branson, you don’t have to clean up my mess. You’re a guest—”
“Okay, for starters… if we’re doing this, Zoey, youwillhave to call me Blake. No one is going to believe us if you call me Mr. Branson all the time. And second… you will do as you’re told when you’re injured. I don’t want you to hurt yourself further. So get the medical supplies and wait while I clean this up.”
My stomach flutters in giddy butterflies. There’s something about being told what to do by Blake that is both unnerving and alluring at the same time. He’s being so polite about it, but there is an air of alpha to him. It makes me want to jump over the sofa and drop to my knees before him—fuck the glass.
Swallowing the lump that is firmly caught in my throat, I hand him the dustpan and broom, then make my way into the kitchen for the first-aid kit.
Hailee places the food on the counter with the biggest smile and an almost whispered giggle.
“I’m sorry about all this, um… Blake.”
It feels weird saying his name to his face.
I’ve used his name before but never to his face.
It’s amazing how easily it rolls off the tongue.
He glances over at me, rolling his sleeves up his muscular arms.Goddamn, why is that singular move so fucking sexy?“You have nothing to be sorry for. It only makes the night more interesting. Fun fact is… I had no idea you and Hailee had a cat. See, we’re learning already, and the evening hasn’t even begun.”
I snort out a laugh. “Might not have a cat for much longer if she keeps this shit up.”
Blake smirks as Hailee widens her eyes. “Mom?”
I reach out, placing my hand on her arm. “I’m joking, baby.”
Hailee visibly relaxes as she starts placing the boxes on the bench. “You got us Raising Canes for dinner?Yes!I love their chicken fingers…” she takes a breath but then blurts out, “… and cupcakes? You got us cupcakes,” Hailee chimes.
Oh God, I love cupcakes. How did he know?
Hailee pulls out a kid’s combo and two three-finger combos, I’m assuming for Blake and me, and I can’t help but smile. “Three-finger combo, hey? I thought you’d be more of a four-finger kind of guy?”
As soon as I say it, I hear the sexual undertone, even though I didn’t mean it to come out that way. My eyes widen in shock as he stops sweeping and turns to face me. “I don’t know about you, but I tend to find that three fingers always gets the job done.” His eyes lock with mine, the energy in the room clearly shifting as we stare at each other.
I’m pretty sure he’s not talking about chicken fingers, and my thoughts are definitely not about Raising Canes right now. Oh good God! I clench my thighs together to ease the rising tension, the heat rushing through my body.
Hailee doesn’t bother to wait. She starts munching on her chicken fingers, a crunch filling the silent room as we snap our heads to look at her.
Widening my eyes, I pick up a chicken tender and shove it in my mouth to stop the anxiety flooding through me.
Blake chuckles to himself, then he steps up to me. “Okay, let me see it.”
