Page 121 of Take My Name

You’re gonna have to make it up to her now.

I finish making our omelets, put a couple slices of sourdough bread in the toaster, and add fresh fruit on the side.

“Somethin’ smells delicious in here.” Maisie nearly skips into the kitchen, looking adorable in my old resort T-shirt and distracting me from what I was doing.

“Are you tryin’ to kill me?” My gaze lowers down her body and when staring at her isn’t enough, I fist the fabric across her chest and yank her toward me.

She drags her teeth over her bottom lip and bats her eyelashes innocently.

“Wearin’ my clothes again, Mrs. Langston.”

Her breath hitches, eyes beaming at my words. “Now you’re tryin’ to killme.”

Smirking, I hover my mouth above hers, waiting for permission. “Am I allowed now?”

“Yes, brushed and flossed.”

“You used my flosser?” I arch a brow, amused.

“And rinse.”

“Fuck, that’s hot.” Before she can respond, I capture her lips and slide my tongue between them, exploring how fresh and clean she tastes.

I manage to break away and tell her to sit so we can eat.

“Mm…this is so good,” she says around a mouthful of omelet.

Odd as it sounds, I love watching her enjoy food. She doesn’t make eating a priority because of work, so I feel pride that she’s devouring it.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“You keep this up, I’m gonna gain like ten pounds.”

“So?”

“A week,” she adds, and I snort.

As we eat and chat, I tell her we’ll go feed the chickens after and she can finally meet them.

“After all the horror stories I’ve heard of your chickens, I’m scared. What if they pluck my eyes out?”

“They won’t.” Grabbing her empty plate and putting it on top of my own, I stand and bring them back to the kitchen.

“But what if they do?” She follows, standing next to me at the sink. “Will you still want me? How will I work if I can’t read my clients’ manuscripts?”

Amused at the unlikely possibility, I cup her chin and grin at her cute frowny face. “I will be madly in love with you with or without eyes. And I’ll quit my job so I can stay home and read all their books to you. But you’ll never have to worry about that because I’d let ’em attack me before they’d get to you.”

Her eyes water, and I worry I said something wrong. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she swallows. “That was unexpectedly sweet.”

“You’re surprised?”

“That’s the thing. I know you’d do those things, but I’m not deservin’ of that from you, so it gives me conflictin’ feelings.”

“Too bad you don’t get to determinewhat I do for you.”

She pouts, narrowing her eyes. “Have you always been this stubborn?”