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“They’re always popular. I need the eggs and cream cheese while you’re getting out the vegetables.” Her take-charge tone added to the discomfort in his pants.
Did she know how sexy she sounded when she told him what to do in the kitchen?
As he gathered her ingredients, prepped the dried beans, and organized his chopping area, his thoughts wandered to his favorite fantasy—making breakfast with the woman of his dreams after a night of pure orgasmic bliss. He would feed her bites of omelet in between nibbling fruit from her belly, and then he’d make love to her again.
The wiggle of her hips as she stirred the cheesecake filling mixture added to the realism of being inside her.
Mm-mm-mm.
“Did you say something?” Before he could avert his gaze from her sweet ass, she looked over her shoulder with a hint of surprise in her expressive eyes.
Heat flooded his face. He’d clearly hummed his appreciation out loud. “I was, um, just thinking about tonight’s desserts.”
2
Did he check out my butt?
A ripple winged its way through Laurel’s uterus for the umpteenth time in the last hour, catching her off guard. She barely smothered a squeak as she refocused her attention on the bowl in front of her.
Or is it wishful thinking? We’re friends. Neighbors. And I know I can always count on him if I need anything.
Beau was also her date for tonight.
She let that thought simmer as she transferred the last of the four dozen cheesecakes to the cooling racks on the counter. Obsessing about what to do if she happened to get caught under the mistletoe with him wasn’t helping her concentration. Since they were going as a couple, everyone—especially Robin and Jay—would expect them to kiss and hold hands like normal dating people. It was a necessity if she hoped to convince their hosts she was already taken.
“All the fruit and vegetables are washed, cut, and bagged, including the potato and taco toppings.” The knife clunked against the cutting board behind her, but she didn’t dare turn around to look at the man every single woman in town had pursued at one time or another. As a high school science teacher and the winningest football coach in Two Forks Hollow history, he appealed to nerd and jock lovers alike. Too bad that was her favorite combination. “Do you want me to work on the cheese next?”
She nodded and moved the empty tins to the dishwasher. “Sounds good. The lemon bars have to bake for another fifteen minutes, so I’ll mix the shortbread dough. The butter should be soft enough by now. Let me know when you’re ready for a lunch break. There’s white chili and vegetable soup in the fridge.”
“Are you hungry? I can check the beans and make lunch while you’re mixing up the last batch of cookies.” He headed for the fridge as she stepped toward it. His hands closed around her waist and he lifted her in the air, narrowly preventing a collision. He spun her around and set her on her feet, but not before she grabbed for his shoulders and held on for dear life.
The weightlessness spread to her heart for several beats, tempting her to tug him closer for a kiss that inspired the same feeling. Then his tongue darted out to wet his lips.
Kissing him is such a bad idea.
But I want to, damn it!
Then he took a step back, putting too much space between them for her to touch that sexy mouth with hers. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to almost plow you over. Um, lunch? I’m hungry.”
She swallowed a moan. Me too, Beau. Me too.
His arms dropped to his sides and his gaze swung past her face to a point somewhere behind her. “What do you want to eat?”
You.
The thought echoed in her head for several seconds before her brain caught up. “I… Whatever you’re having is good.”
A hint of pink colored his cheeks above the dark whiskers of his beard, and his dark eyes cut to hers for a few thumps of her pulse. They held more than his usual friendliness, but then he looked away again. “So…I was thinking maybe we should practice dancing together. And maybe handing hands. And kissing. Not like making out or anything. Just enough that we don’t feel awkward touching each other. You know, so we can convince Jay and Robin we’re on an actual date.”
Kissing. Touching.
She nodded before the possible consequences could take root in her brain. “Good idea.”
He jerked his gaze back to hers again, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. “Really?”
Had he expected her to refuse? No one in their right mind would. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a boyfriend and never dared to hope for.
Nodding again, she closed the space between them and tried to fill her lungs and brain with enough oxygen to be sure she wasn’t hallucinating—or still wallowing in wishful thinking.
