Page 29 of Merry Fake Bride

Wielding his bundled-up suit jacket, he catches the bottom of the tray and quickly sets it down on the nearest counter.

Before I can blink, Kairo takes my injured hand in his and guides me like a puppy over to the sink.

He places my burned fingers under a stream of pouring cold water, and it’s like time has frozen around me when I look up at him and our eyes meet.

Concern etches across his handsome face with more worry in his eyes than I deserve for such a small accident.

His warm fingers clasp lightly but firmly around my wrist and as the water pours, the fingers of his other hand tenderly uncurl my injured ones to ensure the cold water covers the maximum surface area.

And it’s nice.

His touch makes my heart race faster than the panic does and when I breathe deeply to calm myself, the subtle hint of spice and citrus from his aftershave rises to greet me.

For these few microseconds, nothing exists but him and me, and I can’t look away from those gorgeous, intense eyes.

But then panic rises inside me like a tidal wave controlled by shadows.

Alarm bells blare in the back of my mind as his gentle touch around my wrist warps into something painful and controlling.

We seem to remember my aversion to touch at the same moment because Kairo abruptly pulls away from me a fraction of a second before I flinch.

“Keep your hand under the water,” he says gently as I fight the urge to recoil with all my strength.

Instinctual reflex wars with desire in my mind, so I nod silently at him, unable to speak. “Can’t have you losing both hands now, can we?”

A sweet, amused sparkle glints in his eyes, then he steps away from me to the smoldering tray on the counter.

“Is your jacket okay?” I ask when I find my voice as my fingers turn numb under the ice water.

“You’re concerned about my jacket?”

“It looks expensive.”

“Fabric can be replaced. Don’t worry. What about your uhm…” He rubs at his chin and glances at me with adorable confusion. “Tarts?”

“Strudels,” I correct, peering past him. “Oh, thank goodness it’s just the parchment paper. The desserts themselves look fine.”

“Rather mouthwatering, if I do say so.” Kairo chuckles.

“Are you okay?” Faith’s screech from the doorway makes me jump and suddenly, Kairo is standing between me and Faith. “What happened?”

“Faith! I’m okay, I just burned myself on the tray. Actually, could you go and close up shop? I don’t want anyone to walk in here while it smells like this.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Faith gazes up with Kairo with her mouth open as if she’s never seen someone quite like him before.

As he turns back to me, I catch her saucer-like eyes behind his back and she mouths one thing.

‘WOW’.

Then she vanishes.

“How is your hand?” Kairo keeps his distance this time, but being a whole head taller than me, he easily peers over my shoulder.

“Numb,” I murmur, glancing back at my reddened fingers. “But it doesn’t look so bad. Thank you, by the way, for catching that tray. You’ve got some fast reflexes.”

“I wish I could spin some cool tale about martial arts or something, but I’m just occasionally good at catching things. Do you have any ointment or should I get a doctor?”

“That’s sweet.” I laugh softly while flexing my fingers under the water. “But if I called a doctor every time I burned myself while baking, I would be up to my eyeballs in mountains of debt. It’s just a hazard of the job.”