Page 11 of Burning Love (Looking For Love #7)

SO FULL OF YOURSELF

“ G ood thing you’re cooking, though I said I would. I’m not so great on the grill.”

“I can put out any fire you start,” he said. “Even in the oven.”

The smoke coming off the grill was fabulous smelling.

Talia squinted her eyes at him. “That wasn’t my fault.”

“Are we always going to debate it?”

She snorted. “Probably.”

He lifted the lid of the grill, looked at the complicated watch on his wrist, then flipped the steaks over and shut the top.

“You time your meat?”

He laughed. “I’m not sure if that is a joke or not, but it sounded like one.”

She grinned. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

Did her body just heat up some more?

She hadn’t thought it was possible with the way she’d been feeling since she’d put her arms around his waist and held on for the ride.

Not the ride she was looking for, but she wasn’t quite ready for that either.

“I always watch the time on steaks,” he said. “So they are cooked perfectly.”

“Is it true that you take turns cooking at the firehouse, and if so, what’s your specialty?”

“We do but not always. Sometimes people bring their own food in and everyone fends for themselves.”

“And your specialty? Or don’t you have one? I need to know these things. I’ve never had a man cook for me before.”

“They were too young to know how to operate an oven?”

“Very funny,” she said, moving over and poking his shoulder with her finger.

He reached out and yanked her to his body.

It was as if he knew she wanted that move.

His mouth slanted across hers again. Hers opened, their tongues tangling for a short period, and then he stepped back as if he hadn’t just fanned the smoke coming off her body to ignite the flames.

“Do you want to get the salad that you made?”

“What?”

“You’ve got a glazed look in your eyes. I like knowing I put it there.”

She shook her head like a dog. “You’re so full of yourself.”

His laugh chased her through the house while she opened the fridge and grabbed the bowl of pasta salad she’d made after he’d given her a tour of his house.

Talia returned to the patio where they were going to eat at a small table with an umbrella up to shade them.

“I think you like men who are full of themselves.”

“Actually, I don’t,” she said. “I’ve lived with six of them. It’s tiresome.”

He frowned. “Then you and I might have a problem.”

“Nope. I also know how to handle them since I have lived with them for so long.”

“Handle, huh?”

She smirked. “I think you like a woman that knows how to handle you.”

He laughed, but it was forced. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“I guess we’ll have to find out.”

“We will,” he said. “And the steaks should be done.”

She grabbed the plates and handed them over; he put a steak on each one. She’d never eat the whole thing and she’d told him that when they picked them up at the store on the way here.

She ran into the house and got another plate to put her half on it for him later. No reason to have it sitting on her dish.

“Are you going to be busy this week? I’m not being clingy, just talking. I’m so used to loud meals, the silence is kind of uneasy.”

“Do you talk to yourself when you eat alone?”

“I play music or the TV is on. It comes from living in a house full of noise. Though I’ve got a sibling that loves the silence now.”

“I didn’t have that,” he said.

“Now that it’s just my mom and me, we talk when we eat together. I’m not always sure I want that either, but it’s nice too.”

“Because she’s nosy?” he asked.

“Yep. But she talks about my siblings too. For years I always felt like the failure and those conversations were to remind or nudge me to make some decisions in life. Instead they were more about companionship for her.”

“Seems you’re making decisions fine now. Are you going to tell her about this?”

His hand was going back and forth between them.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “We don’t even know what this is. You were upfront and told me it was going to be casual.”

“Nothing about you is casual. I can tell right away.”

Her smile lifted high. “I don’t think so, but I’m not clingy nor do I have high expectations of things.”

He stopped chewing, his dark brown eyes watching her face. “I’m trying to figure out if that is an insult or not.”

“You know, Jace. You make it hard for someone to talk to you. You say you’re not committing to anything. I bet you do that all the time so you don’t ever have a woman come back and say you led them on.”

“Yep.”

“You’re old enough that I’m going to assume someone burned you and we’ll let it go at that. We aren’t anywhere near a place that you’d tell me more.”

“Nope,” he said, grinning.

It gave her hope that maybe he could move past it though. That he wasn’t just a jerk.

Then she asked herself why she’d try to change someone who might not want to change.

“You didn’t have to agree so easily,” she said, closing one eye at him.

“I don’t play games,” he said seriously.

“Neither do I.” Her smile was gone.

She didn’t think he was insulting her either and she had to wonder what was going on here.

“I thought we were going to see where things led?” he asked.

“We are. It’s leading us to a perfectly cooked steak, a few scorching kisses, and an uncomfortable conversation.”

He laughed. “You’ve got a good personality. Most women would be getting pissy right about now.”

“And what did I say about me not being like most women?”

He nodded and went back to his dinner.

She cleared her throat.

“That silence didn’t even last a full minute. My mother taught me not to talk with my mouth full.”

“I bet you were close with your mother, right? Or not after you found out about your father?” He held her stare and chewed slowly as if he was doing it so he didn’t talk. “And you don’t have to answer that.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

And that was most likely who burned him.

Poop!

She knew what it was like to carry around the burden of losing her father. Or never having one in her life.

He hadn’t in his teen years either.

Then probably felt betrayed by the only parent he had.

She’d be devastated if her mother lied that deeply to her.

“Let’s lighten things up. If you’re interested in seeing me again, I’d like that.”

“I don’t see a reason not to.”

“Oh jeez. Thank you for gracing me with your presence.”

He laughed. “You’re welcome.”

“Next Sunday I’ve got a dinner thing with Elias.”

“Are you going to drink beer? Do you?”

“It’s not my favorite thing to drink, but he did make a few I liked. I might have one.”

She and her mother were going to have dinner with Elias and Phoebe. Since he was the only other sibling close by, her mother still had to get her visits in when she could.

Talia felt it had more to do with her mother snooping around Elias’s relationship that he’d had for about seven months now.

“It’s some good shit,” he said.

“I’ll let him know you said that.”

“You’re going to tell your brother about me?”

“Nope. Not yet. Or maybe not at all. I’m not sure. My mother will figure it out at some point, but for now, I’m keeping a lid on it. As we said before, we don’t know where things are going to go.”

“I know how I’d like them too.” He was wiggling his eyebrows.

“And I have to decide if I want to be added to that growing list of conquests of yours.”

“It’s not as high as you think.”

“I believe it’s higher than I think but not as high as it could be.”

She’d never dealt with this before either.

She wouldn’t say she hadn’t ever been jealous in her life, but not over a woman with a guy she might like.

“I’m not buying that you haven’t been with other men. You’re way too hot for that.”

“I have been. I’ve been in four relationships. Or what I’d call relationships. Something that lasted more than five months.”

“That’s it, nothing else? You’ve slept with four men?”

“Are we giving numbers? I can if you want to share.”

“We’re good,” he said.

“That’s what I thought.”

She’d only slept with two other men. She didn’t think six was that high of a number since she lost her virginity at seventeen with her first boyfriend in high school.

One guy a year on average wasn’t the end of the world, but it’d been about seven months since she’d slept with anyone. The last guy she dated was only for two months and he wasn’t a relationship in her eyes looking back.

She’d hoped for more, but it hadn’t happened. In the end, he wanted her name more than he wanted her.

Guess she could admit she’d been burned too.

They got through dinner with more of a light conversation. She helped Jace clean up and then decided to go home before her mother started to text her wondering what was going on.

She’d left while her mother was out, but she’d be back by now and Talia always let her know what was going on and if she’d be home.

“You’re looking ready to bolt,” he said.

“I didn’t tell my mother I’d be out tonight.”

“At twenty-four you have to tell her your plans?”

“I live in the house and it’s a courtesy.”

“I’m sure you could afford to live on your own, or don’t you want to?”

“I’ve wanted to for years.”

There was no reason to tell Jace that she’d wanted West to let her live in their old ranch home her brother had restored and kept for him to stay in. Her brothers supported her enough in life and she didn’t want anyone to know she almost expected it years ago.

She matured and knew it meant more when she earned it.

Guess she learned something.

“But you haven’t moved out?”

“Now I’m traveling some for work and until I can figure it all out, it’s best to stay where I am. My mother gives me more space than I thought she would.”

Because her mother didn’t want to push her out.

“I’m sure you’ve got a sweet setup too.”

“I do. Plenty enough space for me. It’s working out. I’ll figure the rest out as I go.”

“And you’re ready to go now,” he said, leaning against the counter in the kitchen, looking ultra sexy with his ankles crossed, his hands behind him on the granite, his eyes watching her every move.

“I am,” she said, walking closer to him. “If you give me a kiss goodbye.”

He tugged her forward. Not as fast as he’d done before, but a nice smooth motion that told her he had some game.

Her arms went up and over his head and behind his neck, her mouth on his, their kiss hotter than the other two. She hadn’t thought it was possible.

She broke free of him and stepped back, fanned her face, and took a few deep breaths.

“Do you need some air?” he asked.

“Nope,” she lied. “I’m good now. Talk to you soon, Jace.”

Talia strutted out his front door knowing his eyes were on her ass and legs since she’d changed back into her shorts.

She wanted to feel as if she got somewhat of an upper hand on him to end the night.