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She sucked in a breath. “Ethan made you sweet and romantic didn’t he,” she accused. “Can I assume it’s because Ethan is sweet and romantic at heart?”
“That assumption aligns well with the available data on Ethan's character traits. Therefore, your inference would be statistically probable.”
“And then you get all nerdy,” she muttered with a grin. “Oh swamp-sally what about this hair?” she said, eyeing it.
“Based on my data, Ethan demonstrates a preference for organic aesthetics as opposed to artificial or enhanced features.”
“Guess that’s fancy speak for ‘stick to clean hair, brushed and presentable.’
She hurried to her bag and returned to the bathroom, dragging the brush through her hair the prescribed three hundred strokes for a natural bounce and shine. She stared at the finished product, tucking hair behind her left ear. Then right. She removed the hair from the left. Simple and natural. Tucking hair behind an ear was simple and natural. But was it the kind of simple and natural he liked?
She removed the hair and brushed the sides again till it reminded her of a shiny coat of... sun-dried dead moss. Frickn gross. “This is as good as it gets,” she said to herself.
“It’s everything that Ethan wants.”
She was damn sure that wasn’t true. “Out of the limited selection he had you mean.”
“Yes.”
That’s what I thought.
“Well, this is it. Doesn’t get any more natural and plain. Maybe I should wear my hair up.”
“Ethan likes long hair.”
Panic hit her. “Well mine’s not long!” she accused. “Ugh, never mind,” she self-scolded. “I’m talking us both into a crazy corner with my vain nonsense. I don’t care what people think. Usually. Ethan is different because we have a business arrangement and I’m trying to be…worth the investment or choice he made.”
“Yes.”
He was down to single answers. He was definitely a fast learner.
Cat left the mirror, remembering she was capable of breaking out in hives when overly stressed. Wouldn’t that be a sexy look.
****
Ethan heard Cat enter the kitchen and had to deploy every single celibate firewall he’d created to stop himself from immediately turning. He needed to maintain his controlled front with her. And what a front it was. Losing her over his bullshit past was his go-to for executing his plan of follow the leader where he made Cat the leader.
Where would she lead them? That was the question that had all circuits lit up. Along with how long he could maintain his façade before he took the lead from her. Then what fate awaited them?
“Well? What do you think?”
A direct question, thank God. He turned, letting himself devour her for exactly five seconds before facing the stove again. He raced through his mind for a suitable compliment given their arrangement. “You brought dessert.” Ah, fuck.
She gave the cutest giggle. “I look like a candy apple, don’t I? What you cookin’ for me?” She took in a breath and let it out on a sigh. “I’m so spoiled here. I could sure get used to this.”
He lowered the fire on the fish stew and turned. Her gaze got stuck on his opened button up shirt temptation. “If I’m dessert, what are you?”
Always boldly teasing. “I don’t know.” He made his way to the small table and sat before her, letting his shirt fall open more. “Since I’m your husband, you tell me what I am.”
She took the question seriously and chewed on the corner of her lip, staring right at his body. “I’d say you belong in the meat department. With those… shish kebabs.”
“So not a main course meal?”
Her forehead took on an incredulous crimp. “Have you seen the shish kebabs at Theriots Meat Market? That’s a whole meal in one. Not even room for dessert,” she said with her cute Cat assurance.
There was no stopping his grin, the one he only ever gave to her. “Well, to be more specific, you don’t look like a candy apple, but my favorite cherry pie.”
“Wow…a whole pie?”
