“Lovely.” His voice croaks.
I pull the bowl towards me, staring down at it.
How the hell did I fuck up a salad?
“What’s wrong with it?” I ask weakly. Hudson shakes his head, and I pin him with a glare.
“Don’t make me eat it,” I beg. “Just break it to me.”
“Ah.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Did you put in salt, by any chance?”
I nod. “You don’t like salt?”
He grimaces. “I love salt. But, um… that’s sugar, sweetheart.”
Oh, for the love of actual fuck.
Throwing up my hands, I turn to face them both. “Okay, so I can’t cook. I just wanted to do something nice for you, but I have no skills whatsoever. I can’t even do a salad right.”
My lip wobbles, and Hudson looks between me and the salad desperately.
“You know, it’s not that bad,” he says quickly. “I kind of like it.”
Sniffling, I wipe my nose. “No, you don’t. Nobody likes sugar on their salad, Hudson.”
“It’s growing on me.” Before I can stop him, he takes a huge piece of pepper and bites into it.
“Mmm. Cade,” he mumbles, “try it.”
Cade tugs at his collar as he eyes the bowl like something’s gonna crawl out and eat him.
“Try what?” Axel’s hand cups my neck in an already-familiar caress. I bite my lip, leaning into him as I watch Cade struggle. A hint of amusement starts to grow as Hudson slides the bowl forwards.
“Gabrielle made us a salad,” he tells Axel.
To his credit, Axel doesn’t bat an eyelid. “Thank you, little spoon.”
My amusement grows into choked back giggles when he spoons a big helping into a bowl. Hudson pulls a face at me when Ax turns away to grab a fork. Plopping himself down on a seat, he glances around, fork poised.
“You’re not eating?” he asks.
“Already ate,” Cade says smoothly.
We all watch as Axel takes a huge bite of a salad leaf. His eyebrows scrunch together as his chewing slows, eyes glancing askance down at the bowl.
It’s too much. My laughter erupts at the panicked look on his face.
“Stop,” I say, confiscating the fork. “Please. For everyone’s sake, back away from the salad. I think we can all agree that cooking is not my strong point.”
Axel protests half-heartedly as Hudson steps up behind me and slides his arms around my waist. “I’ll teach you,” he murmurs into my ear.
“I’m averythorough teacher.”
I have a feeling I might enjoy Hudson’s lessons.
“But right now, I have to get downstairs.”
Before he leaves, he presses a long, hot kiss to my neck. My toes actually curl as my head lolls to the side.
