Page 47 of Merry Fake Bride

“How was the bath?”

“It was amazing.” Reaching the counter, I lean against it and use the furniture to try and hide myself.

As relaxed as I am, seeing Kairo built like a Greek god ignites old body insecurities, and I’m thankful this T-shirt is big on me. “I wouldn’t even call it a bath.”

“What would you call it?”

I shrug one shoulder. “Dunno, but it’s way too luxurious to be called a bath.”

“Have you warmed up?”

I nod, then I pause and grimace. “Sort of? I’m warm and I can feel the air is warm but I’m still cold like… here.”

Pushing off the counter, I press one hand to my breastbone. “It’s like I’ve swallowed a lot of ice cream or something.”

He nods knowingly and sets his phone aside, placing it face down on the counter. “I have the perfect cure. Are you allergic to dairy?”

“No.”

“Perfect.” From a fridge that’s somehow taller than he is, Kairo removes a carton of milk and pours it slowly into the silver pan.

Once he’s satisfied, he rummages in a top cupboard for a bar of chocolate that he deftly cuts up into slivers.

I watch him with quiet awe, from how his fingers move over the chocolate to how he holds the knife and cuts with smoothness I wouldn’t expect.

“Do you cook often?”

“I wouldn’t classify this as cooking.” He chuckles softly, and the sound sends tingles right through me. “But I make a mean hot chocolate at this time of year.”

“Only this time of year?”

He smirks. “Yup. As soon as the New Year bells ring, I lose all sense of confectionery and have to wait until next November. It’s a shame, really.”

“That must be really hard for you,” I say, flooding my tone with faux sympathy.

“You have no idea. A cold January without this?” He looks up at me from under his long lashes. “It’s terrible.”

I can’t look away.

He holds my gaze with such gentility that all I want to do is stare deep into his eyes.

It’s like being back at the bar we originally met at but without the alcohol to dull my senses.

Back then, he was a dream, but here, I’m sober and he’s very much real.

Once the chocolate is chopped, he adds it to the warm milk and I rest my chin on my upturned palm while he stirs lazily. “

Why did you stop and help me?”

Kairo looks at me over his shoulder and his brows briefly knit together, giving me a glimpse of that adorable swirl.

“Why did I pick you up?”

I nod.

“Do I need a reason to help you?”

“Given that you’re in the process of destroying my livelihood, yeah.” He winces and guilt stabs through my gut. “Sorry. But it’s kind of true.”