Would be so damn easy, except for the look of pure lust warring with absolute terror in her eyes.
I leaned down, studying every inch of her face, from her lips parted on panting breaths to the color high on her cheeks to that look in her eyes that stayed there until they fluttered shut the closer I got.
Instead of doing what my cock was begging me to—and what I was pretty sure at least seventy percent of Kenna wanted me to do as well—I bypassed her lips and pressed a wet, smacking kiss to her cheek, close enough to her mouth that my dick jumped a little behind my zipper.
Her eyes snapped open, the desire tamped down slightly. “You did not just do that.”
“’Fraid I did.”
“You’re a jerk,” she said, but her words lacked conviction.
“Not the first time you’ve called me that, and probably won’t be the last. You know I love goadin’ you.”
“What you love is havin’ those balls in your mouth, but keep those dirty beasts to yourself.”
I breathed out a laugh, relief and overwhelming desire swarming in my chest. I’d been so worried things wouldn’t still be easy with her. That I’d exaggerated our connection in my mind and reality wouldn’t come close to my memories. Turned out I didn’t have a damn thing to worry about.
The connection, the tension, the spark—it was all still there, only multiplied by a thousand.
I set Kenna on her feet and took a step back, brushing my hands together. “Time to get to work. What do you say we make this a little more interesting?”
“And how do you propose we do that?”
“Bet I can make more crusts than you.”
Kenna laughed. “You’re such a child. You do realize you’re in this predicament because of thelastbet you made me, right?” She plucked one of the peeled peaches from the bowl and took a bite, her lips wrapping around the juicy fruit. I’d never been more jealous of a piece of food in my life. “Are you sure you wanna go down that road again? I figured you’d be tired of me wiping the floor with you.”
I shook the dirty thoughts from my mind, rested my hands on the counter, and leaned toward her. “Something you should know by now…”
She cocked a brow, popping the last half of the peach into her mouth. “What’s that?”
I stared straight into her eyes, putting as much conviction into my tone as I could. “I’ll never be tired of you, Kenna.”
She stopped chewing, her eyes widening slightly as she stared at me. Her gaze tracked every inch of my face, as if tryingto get a read on me. As if weighing my sincerity. Good thing I was sincere as a motherfucker when it came to this. When it came to her.
Finally, she dropped her eyes, seeming to shake whatever thoughts she had right out of her head. She cleared her throat. “Name your terms.”
I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading. She was coming back to me. Slowly and reluctantly, but she was peeking out. The Kenna I knew and had fallen in love with was still there under the cynic she hid behind. I couldn’t wait to keep peeling back her layers.
CHAPTER SIX
HUDSON
I couldn’t lie—gettingwalloped by Kenna twice in as many days was hard on the ego. I’d thought I’d have a hand up in this particular competition—what since I’d baked approximately seventeen thousand pies in my lifetime—but it’d been a long time since I’d been home. Even longer since I’d baked a pie. And apparently Kenna hadn’t let her expertise in that area wane.
I glanced at her neatly laid-out pie tins in front of her, each with a perfectly formed and pinched crust, then narrowed my eyes on her. “Did you hustle me?”
She wiped her hands on the dish towel hanging over her shoulder. “I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.”
“Imeanyou just finished your sixth crust, and I’m barely on three. You get a job over at the shop that no one filled me in on?”
The corner of her mouth lifted. “Not technically, but I may have helped a time or two.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. When Marianne had her surgery and they’d needed someone immediately. They couldn’t train anyone fast enough to fill in while she was out for recovery. So, I jumped in. Started that day and worked for a couple weeks till they got thingssorted.” She shrugged like it was no big deal, but it was a hell of a big deal to me.
I’d never forget receiving the call that my momma had been in a serious car accident. I’d been stationed overseas, in Germany, unable to come home on leave. I hadn’t been able to do a damn thing but wait for updates from Lilah, angry at myself that I hadn’t been home to help either of them. And Kenna’d been here, ensuring things ran smoothly for my family.
