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And dammit, I’m not prepared for this kind of sweetness. I’ve only known anger, pain, and ridicule for so long that it’s become normal to me. Messed up, I know, but that’s where I’m at in life. Crying over a cute apron because the man who bought it for me was trying to be nice. Because all he’s ever done is be sweet and respectful towards me, even when I treated him like he had the plague. He’s never made me feel uncomfortable; well, that’s not correct either, but the way he makes me uncomfortable has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the fact that I’ve been nursing a baby crush on him.
I rub my temples and shake my head. Why do I have to be such a neurotic nutcase? Why can’t I just be normal again and thank him like a normal woman would.
Because you’ll never be normal again. You’ll always be damaged.
I shake my head even harder to get rid of those nasty thoughts. I’ve worked really hard for well over a year now in therapy to try to change all of that. But sometimes it’s easier to believe them than I would like. But I am not letting those intrusive bitches get me down.
I literally just kissed a man who is sex on a stick. And I probably would’ve let him do very naughty things to me if he hadn’t had the decency to stop. And, oh boy, are his words going to be on repeat in my mind for the rest of eternity. But considering all the negative ones that are usually rolling around up there, these are very welcome. Well, as long as I’m not near anyone who could possibly figure out why I’m blushing so much.
I begin to unpack everything and set it up so that I can work on several things at once. He wasn’t kidding, his kitchen is triple the size of mine and absolutely gorgeous. All brand new, stainless steel appliances that don’t look to have been used very much. His fridge has double doors with the freezer on the bottom. The thing is just amazing! It even has a touch screen and seems to have the internet on it. I didn’t even know refrigerators could do that.
His stove though. Oh, my Lord, it is the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen. Four burners, two ovens and even this has a touch screen. It’s my dream stove, ya know, if I ever had like fifteen grand laying around. I run my fingertips over it lightly and sigh. It’s the prettiest stove I have ever seen.
Although, now that I’m thinking about it, it does seem kind of odd for a man who barely cooks to have all of this. This entire kitchen probably cost more than most people make in a year. Add in his garage, filled with things that look expensive and big, and with the glimpse I caught of his TV in the living room, he probably has two houses worth of stuff in here. The whole boys and their toys thing really rings true for him.
I guess it makes sense since he owns a security company. Especially with everything being as high tech as you can get. I should probably ask him how to work everything, just so I don’t accidentally have the fridge send an email or something.
I look around and realize I’m still alone after setting up everything and getting most of the ingredients I need together.
“Hey, Jake?” I call out, proud of how loud and steady my voice is.
“Sprite, I’m just changing, I’ll be there in a minute.” His voice carries from somewhere in the house.
Don’t think about him naked. Don’t think about him naked. “Okay,” I choke out past the saliva that’s pooling in my mouth.
Get a grip already, you perv! The poor man is just changing his clothes after working all day. He doesn’t need you imagining anything.
I take a seat at his table and realize I’m going to have to stand the whole night. Even his freaking table is gigantor sized. I feel like a toddler sitting here, barely being able to see over the top.
I stand, since it’s the only way I can work effectively and begin to cut up some garlic. I’m going to need to mince up more than a few cloves for everything I’m making. Might as well just do it all in one shot.
I put the knife down and I’m so grateful that I did when I hear footsteps and look towards him. Marrow is walking into the kitchen wearing a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants. I also notice he’s barefoot. I’m not prepared for the sight of him in low hanging gray sweatpants. My mind is definitely back in the gutter and I can’t seem to get it to behave. I’m mesmerized by the way his hips move, among other things as he walks towards me. I’m not even sure if I’m breathing currently because I sure as hell know that I’m not blinking.
He stops in front of me and waves his hand in front of my face. “You okay, Darlin’?”
I snap myself out of it, going bright red again, dammit. “Yup, yeah, I’m super.” Just kill me. Just let his robot-like appliances come to life and kill me. Anything would be better than constantly embarrassing myself in front of him.
I look up at his face; I won’t lie, it took all my will power to do it, and see him smirking at me. I narrow my eyes making him give me a full smile that is almost as lethal as those sweatpants. Jesus, it’s hot in here. Did I already turn on the oven?
“So, what do you need me to do. I’m all yours,” he says. And I know, I swear I know that he means that he’ll help me however I need it with all the cooking. But my damn hormones really go somewhere else with those words.
I stare at him blankly until his fridge begins to freaking talk, scaring the ever loving hell out of me, causing me to jump higher than a cat someone just frieghtened. “What was that?” I squeak. I can’t help it. Whose kitchen appliances actually talk?
His deep chuckle goes straight to my core. “Sorry, Sprite, I meant to show you how to work all of this. I like being able to control everything with my phone,” he states as he takes out his phone and begins showing me all of the different apps that he uses. Good Lord, why in the world would he need to be able to control his fridge from his phone?
I look at him like he has three heads. “Why do you even need all of this?” I shake my head. I’ll never understand men. They make no sense, except for the fact that they’ll waste money on anything.
He holds out his hand. “Here, gimme your phone.”
“Why?” I ask while handing him my phone without thought.
He begins to do whatever it is he’s planning on doing while muttering, “I’m going to set everything up for you on yours. That way you can control everything in here with the touch of a button.” He looks at me and sees my obviously dubious stare. “Trust me, you’ll enjoy some of these features. You can check the inside temperature of the oven and even see if it’s baking correctly or not. And if the temperature is too high, all you have to do is lower it on the app. You don’t even have to leave your seat. And if you set the timer, it will send you a notification that it’s done.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “All of this seems a bit excessive,” I wave my arm in the general direction of every robotic thing in here, “for someone who doesn’t really cook.”
He looks at with me a small smile. “Cadie, I can control this whole house with either my phone or laptop. I’m not a man who enjoys uncertainty. I lived like that growing up with a single mother despite how many jobs she worked. Money, food, clothes, basically everything was always tight. That’s why I worked so hard to make something of myself and my company. I like not having to worry about any of that.”
I give him a smile because wanting to control after not having it is something I can definitely understand. “That makes sense.” I nod my head. “I’m sure your mom is proud of what you’ve accomplished.”
