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“Salmon and potatoes,” Atlas answers, standing next to me with his arms folded.
She places her hand on his biceps, and Atlas goes rigid. “Thankfully, you two are cooking because I’m not one for the kitchen.”
She smiles, and he peels her hand from his arm.
Without a word, Atlas grabs a plate from the cabinets, grabs a spatula, and removes the salmon, placing it on the plate. “Grab the red potatoes from the pantry.”
I nod and do what he says, then I stand next to him. Rachael watches us like a hawk as Atlas stands behind me to help me chop up the potatoes, whispering in my ear, “You should spend more nights at my place. This is heaven. I’d love to have you naked in my kitchen cooking for me.”
I shake my head. “I’m not much of a cook.”
“I can teach you. Every time you fuck up a meal, I’ll punish you with a spanking and orgasms. If you make the meal right, I’ll give you orgasms.”
“Seems like a win-win to me.” I giggle.
He kisses the side of my neck. “It is.”
Jasper walks into the room and looks at Rachel then back at us. “Atlas, I have to talk to you about something. “
Atlas kisses me. “Put some water in a pot and set it on the stove, then put the heat on medium-high.”
I nod. It’s just Rachael and I and she eyes me for far too long. I don’t know what to say to her. I’m sure from the way she carries herself, we don’t have anything in common except for Atlas, and I’m not going to even discuss him to her.
“Atlas is in love with you.”
Where did she get that idea? I frown. “No, he’s not,” I say too quickly.
“You’re in denial.” She takes a swig of her drink. “I’ve never seen him look at another woman the way he looks at you. And the way his face lights up with pure joy. He’s so in tune with you. Count yourself lucky. I hope someone looks at me the way he looks at you.”
Yeah, that’s the wine talking.
I was worried she wanted to sleep with Atlas, but she doesn’t give me the bitch vibe at all. Atlas and Jasper stroll into the kitchen, and Atlas grabs me by the waist, leans down, and whispers, “Jasper agreed to take over the cooking. Let’s go upstairs, I’m going to make love to you.”
He uses the wordloveand my heart flips in my chest.
I blush. “Okay.”
Atlas pours me a cup of coffee, and I grab the warm mug as the steam warms my cheeks. I love Atlas to the moon and back. He’s been good to me, and he makes my life so wonderful. He’s kind, attentive, and everything I want in a man. The past week had been bliss. We skied, told stories around the fireplace, and listened to holiday music. Atlas and Jasper cooked in the kitchen as Rachel and I played card games and spoke about fashion and her family.
This has been a great vacation and holiday, even though my mother is not around anymore. I try to swallow the lump forming in my throat. It’s hard, not receiving a phone call from her or making her favorite peanut butter glazed ham, which is gross, by the way, but she loved making it. My family is broken beyond repair, and I’m wondering if all the holidays are going to be like this. My father hadn’t reached out to me, he’s too busy with the new family he finally has. God, I despise him. He’s so controlling and manipulative. No wonder Mom wasn’t happy with him. If she were alive and healthy, she would’ve deserved someone who’d love her the right way.
He sips his mug and smiles, then his thick fingers stroke my back. “You okay, Boots?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. This has been one of the best holiday vacations I’ve had.”
He leans down and kisses my forehead. “Mine too.”
“I honestly thought the vacation was going to suck because my mother isn’t here. But we have to make the best of everything, you know? Even though it hurts like a bitch for her not to be here.”
He doesn’t respond but continues to stroke my back. My pulse jumps like a jackrabbit. He cups my cheeks and plants a kiss on top of my head.
The more I gaze into his eyes, the more I realize I’m deeply in love with him. I don’t know when I fell in love with him, and I don’t know how. It snuck up on me like a thief in the night. This arrogant man has showed me there is hope for us and the future.
I should say it and blurt it out, to get it over with. Or maybe I should keep it to myself. If I say it, then it’ll probably ruin the vacation. What if he doesn’t feel the way I do? What if he breaks my heart like Carter did? What if he wakes up one day or something terrible happens to me and he decides to leave me high and dry? The thoughts play in my head like a broken record. But, I don’t want to believe he’s like that. I don’t want to believe he’s going to dump me like moldy cheese.
“I love you.” My voice is shaky and light.
Our eyes meet, and his gaze narrows as shock colors his face, so I school my features and straighten my back. “I love the coffee you made me, I mean.” I take a sip and moan as if this is the best coffee I have ever tasted.
