“You have to work.”
“Wanna come with me?” I offer, liking the idea of her in my space and spending the day with her.
“Oh.” Her eyes widen and drop to the ground. I lift her chin up and search her gaze.
“What is it?”
“Truth?”
“With me, always, Stella.”
“I can’t even boil water,” she blurts out. A bark of laughter escapes me because she has to be joking with me. But the way she is looking at me tells me otherwise, and I have to breathe in and calm down.
“Wait, are you serious?”
“Very. I’m terrible in the kitchen. The most I can be trusted with is a Crock-Pot, but even then…” She grimaces as if remembering something. “It can be hit and miss.”
“Really?” She nods. I pull her in closer to me. “I’ll teach you.” My voice sounds rougher than I meant it to, and one of her dark arched brows rises with sass.
“You’ll teach me?”
“Yup. I’ll teach you anything you wanna know,” I vow, and I know by the way she’s looking up at me that she doesn’t miss the heavy offer.
“Okay,” she finally says, breaking the silence. “Let me get ready really quick.” There is no hiding the excitement in her voice, and I find myself getting off on it. Loving that something as simple as her going to work with me would make her this happy.
“I could come back and pick you up,” I offer because I know women can take a while to get ready. Her smile reaches her eyes, and she shakes her head, her brown locks swaying back and forth with the movement.
“No need. I’ll be ready in less than ten,” she promises before rising to the tips of her toes, dropping a kiss on my cheek before running off to one of the two bedrooms in the cabin.
True to her word, and to my surprise, she walks out in less than ten minutes, freshly showered and changed. With her hand in mine, I lead the way out.
“I’m pretty sure there is a saying about watching a pot boil,” she teases with mischief in her eyes as she turns away from me, her gaze back on the pot of water in front of us, but I don’t care.
I started all the doughs and got some breads in the ovens, and she has been there helping any way she could. And she was good. We still have an hour before Tessa comes in, so, like promised, I am going to teach her how to boil water. We’re standing in front of the stove. A water-filled pot is on top, and my arms are wrapped around her waist.
“Hmm, I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind it never boiling if this is how I get to wait for it.” I let my nose nuzzle a spot on her neck. She moves her head, silently giving me more access to her soft skin.
“I think I have to agree,” she rasps, and I have to pull away. I’m uncomfortably hard and don’t want her to feel like I’m rubbing myself off on her. Stella turns and looks up at me, and I swear her gaze warms me up from the inside out.
“Thank you for today,” she says sincerely. With her hand splayed open on the middle of my chest, mine can’t help themselves from resting at her hips.
“You just gotta promise to keep the banana bread recipe a secret.” She pretends to zip her lips shut and tosses an imaginary key over her shoulder. I laugh and think she’s fucking perfect. Perfect for me.
“I have two employees in today. What do you wanna do?” Her surprise is evident.
“You want to hang out? More?”
“I wanna spend every moment with you,” I tell her wholeheartedly, and I know by the way she’s looking at me that she doesn’t know what to do with me.
“I have to unpack my stuff. It’s not a lot, but it needs to get done. Then I have to grocery shop and check in with work.” She shared she’s a graphic designer and works from home. I have a feeling she downplayed just how good she is.
“How about I drop you off after we have breakfast and then come back to take you out?
“Out?”
“What if I cook for you at my place?
“Eli…” She hesitates. I stroke the top of her hand, dying to push her. To plead and beg for her to spend more time with me. To give me a chance.
