Hisjaw ticked. Anger, I thought immediately. But it wasn’t. It was something else.And now it had me questioning every single time I’d seen it before. “And I likeit far too much when you remind me.”
Ilaughed a breathy, girly sound. I couldn’t help it. Now he was flirting withme? Opening up to me? Sharing his plans for the future with me?
“Wyatt,what are you doing?”
HisAdam’s apple bobbed up and down as he struggled to swallow. My eyes trackedevery second of it.
“I’mtrying not to kiss you, Kaya. I thought that was obvious.”
Nowit was my turn to nearly choke on my tongue. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You’rebeautiful.”
Istood up so quickly, I probably would have tipped my chair over had there beenroom. “Are you drunk?”
Heshook his head. “Did you hate it last night?”
No.Yes. No. I crossed my arms, hugging my body against the wave of embarrassmentthat washed over me. “It was a mistake,” I told my shoes.
Ididn’t have to see his face to know that he was smirking. “Hmm, you liked itthen.”
Myhead popped back up. “It doesn’t matter what I like, Wyatt. You’re my boss! Wework together. This is insane. And also, there are other reasons.” I couldn’tremember them off the top of my head, but I was certain they existed. Especiallynot with him looking at me the way he was, his eyes practically liquidchocolate as they sparkled and darkened, brightening all at once.
“Weshould try it again though.”
“Isthat a suggestion?”
“Acounterargument.” He stood up and leaned over, his hands planted on hisdesk—the desk that remained between us.
“It’scrazy. That’s what it is.” Crazy because I was thinking about it, because thatwicked expression on his face had me considering it, had me thinking that maybewe should try it again.
“It’snot that crazy, considering.”
Iraised one eyebrow at him, calling out his sweet-talking tactics. “Consideringwhat?”
“Consideringyou’re the most beautiful, fiery, fierce woman I have ever met. ConsideringI’ve wanted to kiss you since the day I met you. Considering the things I wantto do to you have only gotten decidedly more depraved over the years.”
Thiswas the part where I flailed around for a few seconds trying to catch my breathafter I mis-swallowed, the spit dangerously going down the wrong tube.Obviously, I was a sex goddess and why wouldn’t he want to do all manner ofwicked things to me? I bent over at the waist and desperately tried to wheezein enough air to prevent myself from dying on the spot.
“Havesome of my water.” Wyatt tried to pass me his glass, but I waved him off.
Ididn’t need saving. I needed for him to stop ripping the rug out fromunderneath me with crazy talk.
“You’retelling me you’ve liked me since the day we met?” My voice was hoarse, stillshaky from the ominous threat of more coughing.
Heshrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t think like is the right word to use. You can bedifficult. And a little self-righteous. And from day one you’ve made it clearthat we are in some kind of competition with each other and you’re willing tospill blood to win. But…”
Mynervous energy flatlined. And so did my patience. “You don’t like me, but youwant to have sex with me?”
“Geez,no!” He ran a hand over his jaw and wrapped it around his neck, hiding histattoos from me. His lips twitched, and I knew he wanted to smile. “God, Kaya,it’s not like that at all. You can be those things. But you can also beunreasonably kind and patient. You’re competitive with me, but your challengehas made me a better chef. I don’t know what I would have done without youduring this transition, during the kitchen takeover. You’ve done all that I’veasked of you and more. And I’ve demanded an insane amount from you. I like youa lot. As a person, as a friend, as a chef. But there are times I also want tostrangle you. And if I had to guess, I think you feel the same way about me.”
Hehit the nail on the head. I did like him sometimes. And I respected him as ahuman and a chef, although I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a friend. But Ialso wanted to strangle him a lot.
Likemore than was probably healthy.
“Youlike me and also hate me, and now you want to make out with me?” Was itpossible to get this conversation with subtitles? I felt like I was completelymissing something.
Hissmile was shy, self-deprecating, and irresistible all at once. I wanted tostrangle him right now. Because how was it fair that he could look like thatand make me feel like this by smiling?
