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“Okay, so the noodles are green lentil noodles. Don’t freak out!” I added, holding up a hand.
“Wasn’t freaking out. You haven’t done me wrong yet.”
“Okay. So they really aren’t that different. Plus, they have more protein. For your manly muscles and such,” I added, watching as his eyes twinkled at the turn of phrase. “There are also some veggies mixed into the sauce.”
“You’ve taught me to love veggies.”
When it came to praise, for me, that was some of the best.
“And the cheese is half actual ricotta. And half cashew cheese.”
“Cashew cheese,” he repeated, considering.
“You won’t notice a difference at all,” I assured him. “Especially because I mixed it half and half. We might have to work up to full plant-based cheeses. They’re not the same. Anyone who says so is lying straight to your face. And likely to themselves. But when they’re mixed in, they’re really good.”
“Now, you wouldn’t be letting me down and not making garlic bread, would you?” he asked, and, God, the way his voice got deep and sexy when he was asking for something, yeah, it made me want to strip him naked right there. I could just imagine how that voice would sound when the demands he had were naughtier ones.
“Would I do something like that to you?” I shot back, reaching for the Italian bread. “It is store-bought, but we must make some sacrifices.”
“Babe, nothing you make could be considered a sacrifice.” He was killing me. My insides felt gooey with the praise. “You alright?” he asked a moment later, making me realize I had just been standing there, staring at him, Italian bread still half-raised in the air. “You’re flushed.”
Yeah, I would be. I felt warm all over.
“Cooking makes you hot.” And, apparently, so did he. Almost intolerably hot.
There was a second, just a breath really, where I thought something heated crossed his face as well. But it was gone before I could say with certainty that it had been there.
“I’ll crack the window,” he offered, turning to do so, standing there in front of it for a long minute as I finally shook myself out of my sex thoughts and finished making the garlic bread. “Miller is back in town,” he told me when he turned, still keeping most of a room between us.
“Is the job done?” I asked, brows furrowing, distinctly remembering him saying it wasn’t going as planned.
“No. But I’m pretty sure Jules would kill her if she missed Em’s birthday.”
“Did you finally decide on a gift?” I asked, knowing he had vetoed everything on Jules’ list because they were all ‘boring.’ I, for one, liked that Jules tended to put things on her kids’ wishlists that were somewhat educational or crafty or things they could work on and learn together. Lincoln did not agree.
Kids don’t want books for birthday presents. That is what the library is for.
“I did,” he agreed, smile wicked.
“Oh, God. What is it? You didn’t get her a critter, did you?” I asked, thinking of my sister’s already overworked schedule. The last thing she needed was something else to clean up after and remember to feed.
“You done with that?” he asked, jerking his head to the bread I was shaking some spices onto.
“Pretty much.”
“Come see,” he demanded, practically bouncing with his enthusiasm.
There was no way I wasn’t going to follow him out.
“You hate Jules and Kai, huh?” I asked a moment later, standing in his giant garage, looking at the massive box I wasn’t even sure how he managed to get home in one of his sporty cars.
“She is going to love it,” he informed me.
“Of course she is. It has a motor, music, and flashing lights,” I agreed, shaking my head at the electric bright pink Hummer he’d gotten my niece. “You’re going to be her favorite uncle. Short of someone buying her the golden retriever she’s been begging for, no one’s gift is going to come close.”
“I’d say I’m sorry for staging you up…”
“But you’re not sorry at all,” I finished, smiling back at the grin of his that was undeniably infectious.
“Not even a little bit,” he admitted. “What did you get her?”
“I got her a crystal growing kit and a geode breaking kit. Oh, and I found this really awesome board game called Herbal Adventure.”
“Herbal Adventure,” he repeated, pressing his lips together. “Is that a gift for your niece, or for you?”
“Hey,” I laughed, shoving his shoulder. “Okay. Maybe a bit of both. I love playing board games with her when I babysit.”
“You go over there a lot?”
“The time I have been here with you is probably the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. I like to drop over with some food on days when I know Jules is on her own because Kai is on a job. And I always give them at least one date night a month.”
