Page 9 of Recipe for Romance (Applewood #2)

Unbothered by his calling out her audacity, Nicole shrugged.

The movement brought her attention back to the fact that they were still palming each other’s chests and she immediately dropped her hand.

No wonder the steward looked at her like that.

Aiden’s hand lingered a moment longer than necessary, but he eventually drew it back onto his lap.

The light caress of his fingers as they trailed away from her skin felt more intimate than any other touch she’d experienced.

She shivered, wanting more. It wasn’t until she saw Aiden with one stiff brow raised at her that Nicole finally realized she never answered his question and shook herself from her stupor.

“I didn’t,” she admitted. “You were clearly anxious, and you looked like you were minutes from redecorating the inside of this cabin with your dinner, so I figured a ginger ale was the best way to help settle your stomach.” The steward dropped their drinks on the table and passed the warm towel to Nicole.

After thanking him again, she rolled it and motioned for Aiden to lean forward, draping over the back of his neck.

“And this will help ease the tension in your shoulders.” Ignoring the fact that Aiden was staring at her like a science experiment, Nicole raised her glass to her lips only to immediately put it down again. “What’s that smell?”

Aiden blinked at her, his brows pulling together. “What smell?” The question was a reminder to Nicole that he wasn’t used to the hairpin turns her conversations typically made as her rapid-fire mind took over, but he would have to get used to it if they had any chance of working together.

“Boiled peanuts,” she announced. It was a distinct smell, one that lived in her memory from the first time her mother had made some for her dad’s chef friend from Louisiana.

Nicole sniffed her water glass, getting nothing before leaning over to Aiden.

He smelled like lemons and evergreen trees, a combination she had never thought to put together but that she now wanted all over her all the time.

Surreptitiously sniffing herself, Nicole found nothing and unbuckled her seat belt.

This was what her mind did, switched her thought train to different tracks rapidly, though in this case she was thankful for it.

Sitting next to Aiden, feeling the heat pouring off his body and onto hers, was a dangerous game she shouldn’t even think about playing.

Rummaging around the cabin, Nicole ignored Aiden’s raised brow and confused expression as she searched side pockets, behind cushions, and even poked her nose into the bedroom until she finally found the source of the smell she had hyperfixated on.

“Ah ha!” She pulled the bag of discarded peanut shells out from between two couch cushions and held it up triumphantly. “I knew I smelled something funky.”

Walking over to the galley, she tossed the bag into the trash, smiling apologetically at the steward before rejoining Aiden.

She hesitated at the table before deciding that it was best to sit across from him again.

It was much safer with a table between them, something solid to prevent her from crawling into his lap and begging him to take her.

It wasn’t his fault she was so worked up, well, not entirely.

He did look amazing in his suit, wrinkled as it was, and would look even better out of it, but she’d always had a high sex drive, and it had been so long since she’d gotten laid.

Most guys Nicole had dated had a hard time keeping up with her.

Her last boyfriend even told her that she was too much for him.

It was hard to hear, especially when she was used to being told that outside of the bedroom as well.

Scatterbrained was probably the politest way it had been put, but no matter how she was described, it was always as too much.

Sometimes Nicole would even literally have to bite her tongue from annoying whoever she happened to be next to with her inane chatter.

It was what she was doing at that very moment as she watched Aiden stare out the window at the darkening sky.

There were so many things Nicole wanted to ask him, so much she wanted to learn about the man behind the gruffness and the perma-scowl.

Her body practically vibrated with the need to talk, and just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore and opened her mouth to speak, Aiden closed his eyes, his breathing evening out.

He was either asleep or a phenomenal actor.

Either way, he was clearly tired and Nicole decided it was probably for the best that she leave him alone.

They would have plenty of time to get to know one another as they worked together.

For the first time since her dad had passed her off to Aiden, Nicole was actually excited to have a different mentor.

Being taught by Aiden wouldn’t do much as far as healing the rift between her and her dad was concerned, but it might bring about a whole lot of good in other ways.

Smiling, Nicole leaned back in her chair, very much looking forward to whatever those ways might be.