“To get you food.”
Jace turns around and tugs on my hand. I let him lead me through the store to the front door. “It’s not that big of a deal. I can just eat when I go home later.”
He doesn’t bother to look at me as he pulls open the door and guides me through. “This isn’t up for debate, Will. You’re going to run yourself into the ground that much faster if you’re starving yourself.”
My arm stretches and pulls on my shoulder as the space between us grows from his long strides. Jace glances over his shoulder and realizes I’m struggling to keep up. He shortens his strides and falls into step beside me, at a comfortable speed for my shorter legs.
“What are you hungry for?”
My stomach growls just as I’m about to protest again. My lips purse, and Jace turns to look at me, his eyebrow arching as if he’s daring me to argue. “Hm… I don’t know. I’m not picky.”
He snorts, shaking his head. “Yes, you are.” The corners of his lips tip up just a little. “You have a habit of thinking things that have any spice are spicy.”
“I mean, if it makes my tongue feel like it’s burning, I think it’s safe to say it’s spicy.”
Jace lets out a soft laugh, his fingers squeezing mine. “I have an idea of what you might like.” We reach the corner of the street and he pulls me onto the road to walk across before any carscome. He stops short beside his truck parked along the curb. “The diner is closed. Are you okay with going back to my house?”
My eyes widen slightly as I stare at him for a moment. “Yeah,” I admit, half shaking my head. “You don’t have to cook for me, though.”
The smile that cracks his face could stop traffic. He rolls his eyes as he pulls open the passenger’s side door. “Get in the truck, kid. It’s not really cooking.”
“Then what is it?” I ask, my eyebrows tugging together.
“Guess you’ll have to get in the truck to find out,” he says, enunciating theget in the truckpart. He tilts his head to the side, lifting his eyebrows as he holds the door open. “What’s it gonna be?”
Fixing my gaze on his, I don’t make a move at first. Jace stares back at me with a burning intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. His gaze is unwavering, his body as still as a statue, as he keeps his hand firmly planted on the door.
I’m the one who breaks first.
My chest expands as I suck in a deep breath and let out an exasperated sigh as I climb into the truck. Jace chuckles softly and bites back his grin as his eyes meet mine once more before he closes the door.
Damn him and the effect he has on me.
And damn me for giving in to it.
Jace’s house is just as I remember it from when we were younger, except some of the family photos are missing. It looks like his parents picked and chose what they took with them and left the rest for Jace after he bought the place.
“I’m glad you were able to work something out with your parents to keep the house,” I say as I kick off my shoes at the front door and crouch down to pet Dr. Grey. She’s like a dog with the way she greets us at the door.
“Yeah, me too.” Jace glances down at me with a ghost of a smile on his lips, just as a small warm body presses against my back. “There’s Snoop,” he says softly.
The white and grey cat steps around to the front of me and both cats push up against my legs, purring loudly as they volley for my attention. “Oh my, I didn’t know they were both so friendly.”
Jace’s mouth twitches as his gaze is warm on mine. “She hides from most people.” He motions for me to follow him after a moment. “Come on,” he says, as he begins to walk down the hall.
I stand upright, smiling down at the cats before I head into the kitchen after him. Jace walks over to the fridge and I stop to lean back against the counter. He pulls a carton of eggs and milk from the fridge and sets them down on the counter. He walks over to me, stopping directly beside me to pull open one of the cabinets.
“I always planned on coming back to the Hollow, and I knew I couldn’t let my parents sell the house when they said they were moving. I don’t think I could have lived in the same town with someone else living in the home I grew up in.”
“I get that.” Jace’s arm brushes against mine as he pulls down a bowl and sets it on the counter. “Can I help you?”
“Nope,” he says, popping thePas he shakes his head. “I can’t have you messing them up.”
I cut my eyes at him, glaring at the back of his head while he pulls out a skillet, turns on the stove, and grabs a bag of pancake mix. “I know how to make pancakes.”
He grabs a whisk and pushes it into the bowl before handing it to me. “Without burning them?”
“Most times,” I admit, shrugging, a sheepish grin tugging on my lips as he gets the measuring tools. He grabs the bag of mix, the eggs, and milk and walks over to stand beside me. He hands me the flour and a measuring cup as he lifts a conspicuous eyebrow. “Okay, I haven’t made them in a long time.”
