Page 139 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

“What sort of baked good are you making this fine morning?”he asked.

“Cinnamon rolls,” Hallie replied coldly.

“Oh, then you’ll need to add more milk.Allow me...”

He reached across the counter to get the jar of milk, only a sliver of space away from touching her arm.Hallie was tempted to ‘accidentally’ allow the skin to skin contact.Just thinking about it made her heart race, and in turn made her angry at herself.

She walked over to the pantry on the other side of the kitchen, pretending she had to get something, but it was only in order to manage her pulse.

The sound of voices came in faintly through the window.When Hallie looked outside, it was Terry and her husband strolling down the garden rows.Apparently everyone had decided to wake up early and ruin her morning.

Still, there was something romantic about them, and Hallie was suddenly moved by their almost palpable closeness.She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but their smiling faces spoke volumes.

She couldn’t bring herself to feel bad about Terry and her husband getting along again, even if she couldn’t stand Terry.There was something so strong about a couple in love, as if they could overcome anything.

Hallie smiled, but then she remembered the reason Luke had come to see her.“So, what did Terry have to say for herself?”

Luke glanced up for a moment from his ministrations with the dough.“A lot, as usual.I’m afraid it’s not very good news...”

“Oh, what is she up to now?”

“Her usual blackmail tactics.She seems to have something on you.I don’t know what it is, but she threatened to reveal it to the whole family.”

“Why did she tell you this?”Hallie asked.

“She thinks I have a lot of influence on you,” he said with a rueful smile.“That I can convince you to drop the idea of settling on the ranch.”

“That conniving, blackmailing witch!”Hallie wanted to go out there and smack her sister, but of course it wouldn’t accomplish anything.“She couldn’t possibly have proof about our relationship, could she?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, his elegant hands busy sprinkling nutmeg and other spices onto the dough.“But she seemed pretty pleased with herself.”

“There’s no way I’m giving in to her,” Hallie said, “You can tell her that.I’m not talking to her, especially after...”Luke must have known what she meant because he grimaced slightly.

“You know,” he said, “as a royal prince I have many things to take care of, and here I am trying to maneuver between you and your family members.Maybe I should at least get some credit for trying?”

“Oh, I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time as a lowly peasant,” Hallie replied.

“I didn’t mean it like that...”

Hallie started mixing the icing for the cinnamon rolls to distract herself.She had a feeling this was going to be the worst Thanksgiving ever.

“Well, this dough is almost finished,” Luke said, beckoning her to come closer.“So now it’s time for the cinnamon.Would you like to do the honors?”

The magnetic aura surrounding him made it appear as if he was asking her not to just sprinkle a spice but to leap into a luscious ocean of delights.