Page 65 of Hideaway Heart

“Yes, the Pier Inn.”

“Maybe you’ll take me there for dinner while I’m here. Arealdate this time.” I watched him pour the eggs over the diced ham, red bell pepper, and onion in the skillet, then shake the pan to distribute everything more evenly.

He pretended to consider it. “Nah, I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“I’m working for you.” After running a spatula beneath the edges, he sprinkled on some cheese. “Wouldn’t be proper.”

I laughed. “Oh,nowyou’re working for me? I’ll take care of that—you’re fired.”

“You wouldn’t dare fire me now.”

“Why not?”

He shook pepper on top of the omelet. “Because you like me. Just like I said you would.”

I shook my head. “You’re a smug, conceited pain in the ass, and I can’t wait until I’m rid of you.”

He smiled and gave the pan another shake. “But first you want me to take you to dinner.”

“Only because I have no other prospects.” I paused and conceded, “And I dosort oflike you.”

“Yeah?” He gave me a cocky, lopsided grin.

“Yeah. So will you take me to dinner?”

He carefully folded the omelet in half and then slid it onto a plate. “I’ll think about it.”

* * *

We ate breakfast sitting side by side at the kitchen counter, and I practically inhaled every single bite. Afterward, I told him I’d clean up since he’d done the cooking, but he wouldn’t let me do it alone. I loaded the dishwasher while he scrubbed the pans by hand, then I dried them and put them away while he wiped down the counters.

“So what’s the verdict?” he asked. “Are you impressed?”

“Totally. I have to admit, I didn’t quite believe you when you said you could cook, but that was delicious.” I wrapped my arms around his solid middle and rested my chin on his spine. Now that touching each other was okay, I couldn’t seem to stop. “Thank you.”

He rotated to face me and pulled me close. “What should we do today?”

“I don’t know. With this rain, it looks like we’re probably stuck inside.”

“What a shame.”

I smiled up at him. “I’ve got some ideas for how we might pass the time.”

“Such as?”

“We could play cards. Read books. Do some yoga. Watch a movie.”

He slipped his hands inside the sweatshirt I wore and rubbed the sides of my ribcage. “I have some ideas too.”

“Such as?”

“You could get naked. Sit on my face. Let me fuck you with my tongue.”

Arousal swooshed up my center, making my thighs tighten. “Is this before or after the movie?”

“How about during?”