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“I refuse to take no for an answer. Jewell specifically told me to stuff you into my car to guarantee you don’t try to get out of this. She’s worried about you,” Blake says as the two of us begin heading toward the elevator.
“Well, I guess if I’m being kidnapped...” I step onto the elevator and wait while Blake pushes the down button.
“It’s settled, then.”
We chat on the way down and I follow him to his car, promising myself I won’t stay late. I feel guilty about the pile of work waiting for me at home. Fifteen minutes later, we arrive. Blake calls out to Jewell. She calls back, and he leads me down the hallway into the family room.
When we enter, I freeze. Byron’s sitting on the couch, looking more than comfortable, a smile on his lips, with Jewell’s puppy biting at his toes. Justin’s next to him, appearing to be in uncle-idol heaven. The sight almost makes me take a step back.
I think for a moment about beating a quick retreat, but I can’t own up to how much this man affects me. If only I’d taken the time to talk to Jewell after that debacle of a dinner last week, to let her know that Byron’s the last man on Earth I want to spend more of my precious social time with. Too late now.
“Evening, darling,” Blake says. He walks to his wife and pulls her into his arms, kissing her as if he hasn’t seen her in months instead of hours.
“I missed you,” Jewell tells him, giggling when he pulls back.
His hand goes to her belly. “Our son or daughter has a good, solid kick.”
“Just like their mother,” she replies with a wink.
“I’m famished,” he says. His wicked smile makes me squirm where I stand.
“You two are disgusting, and you’re forgetting there are other people in the room,” Justin says, making a face.
Blake laughs before moving over and pulling Justin to his feet, giving him a hug. “Well, I’m hungry for real food, too.”
“You’re terrible.” Jewell pretends to huff. “But I guess I should feed you in spite of that.”
“You said your back was hurting not five minutes ago,” Byron breaks in as he stands, causing Blake to look concerned. “Let McKenzie and me get the food together while you rest for a few minutes.”
“You’re guests,” Jewell protests. “I can’t have you do that.”
“Of course you can. We’re family, aren’t we?” Byron points out.
“Let me give you a back rub and see if that helps,” Blake suggests as he begins pulling her toward the stairs.
“I have a bit of homework to do anyway, and I’d rather get it done before dinner so I can play the Xbox after,” Justin pipes in and dashes from the room.
Jewell looks at me. “If you’re sure you don’t mind...”
I certainly can’t beg my pregnant friend not to go and lie down, but, oh, how I want to. I want anything other than to be left alone with Byron, especially when doing something as domestic as cooking together. I should’ve tried harder to refuse Blake’s invitation to dinner.
“Go get some rest, Jewell. We’ll make sure you have a wonderful dinner,” I end up saying.
Blake leads Jewell away, and I stand awkwardly with Byron, the first time I’ve been alone with him since after dinner in the bistro last week. The Fates aren’t in my favor right now.
“After you, McKenzie,” Byron says as he holds out a hand, leaving me with no choice but to go along with him to the gourmet kitchen. “How was work today? I was solving a crisis on a job site,” he tells me as he rummages through the fridge and starts pulling items.
“It went smoothly,” I lie, and wait for him to tell me what to do. When all the dinner fixings are on the counter, he glances back at me.
“I’ll do the meat if you want to prepare the salad,” he says, unwrapping a package of steak.
I find a cutting board and begin dicing vegetables. Soon the two of us are moving around the kitchen, and though it’s large, Byron takes every opportunity to touch me. It’s just a slight brush here, our arms bumping there, but it’s enough to drive me batty. My nerves are raw by the time we’re finishing. If Jewell doesn’t show up soon, I’m calling a cab and getting the heck out of Dodge.
“It smells delicious,” Jewell says as she enters the room in the nick of time.
Her cheeks are glowing. My eyes narrow in suspicion. Was my friend’s back truly hurting, or had it all been a pretense to leave me alone with Byron... and maybe do something else forcertainaches of hers? Wait till I get Jewell alone for five minutes!
“Thank you, Jewell. We’ve been slaving away,” Byron says. He places the last of the food on the table and the four of us sit.
