She nodded with a satisfied smile that he’d agreed to join her. She really had missed him and intended to make the most of every single second they had together. “Don’t be long.”
He laughed at her serious and slightly stern tone. “Really? Giving me orders in my own office while you are still looking like that naughty Natasha Winters?”
Heading for the door, Tasha found a huge grin spreading across her facefor no reason beyond feeling she had arrived home, not necessarily in this house, but with this man, her man.
Chapter 3
Tasha opened her eyes and rolled over to drape herself across Jim only to find he wasn’t there. She glanced across at the clock and saw that it was half past nine, but as light wasn’t blazing through the open blinds she figured she hadn’t slept straight through to morning and it was night time still.
Wearing black, cropped leggings and a white strapless top she padded downstairs and made her way through to the family room at the back of the house. She still had no clue how many rooms in this house were actually used,reallyused. She found Jim wearing grey sweatpants and nothing else, watching sports on TV whilst drinking a bottle of beer. He immediately draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple gently when she dropped down to sit next to him.
“I wasn’t sure whether I should wake you or leave you to sleep straight through,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure what day it was when I woke up and saw it was half nine,” she admitted. “Have you eaten?”
“No, I was waiting for you. Are you hungry, honey?”
“Mmm, ravenous.” Tasha ran her hand across Jim’s bare chest, making him laugh.
“I meant food.” His tone carried mock outrage.
“So did I,” she replied with her own feigned horror.
“Then I apologise for making such an accusation, Miss Winters.” He grinned down at her, just glad that she was here with him again. “What do you want to eat, baby?”
“I don’t know, but it seems a bit late for anything heavy.” She was already making her way to the kitchen where she rummaged through the cupboards and fridge which is where she was when she felt him come up behind her.
“So? What have you found?”
“Omelette?” she replied with another question.
“Yeah, whatever, baby.” He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.
“You need to let me go, otherwise the eggs will end up all over the kitchen floor,” she told him with a smile, although her one hand holding his arm seemed to contradict her words which suggested he should release her.
“That would be real bad because I actually only ever want you on the kitchen floor.” He laughed as he looked down to the spot where they had rolled around a few weeks before when she’d first told him that she loved him.
She laughed too, but could feel heat and colour spreading across her face. “The very cold kitchen floor. However I am more than happy to make a return visit.”
“Before or after dinner?” He turned her to face him.
“I didn’t actually mean today.” She laughed. “But certainly not before I’ve eaten. Now go, before I fade away,” she ordered with a shoo of her hand.
“You are becoming rather bossy young lady.” Jim smacked her bottom playfully, causing her to wince, making him smile. “So let that sore ass be a reminder that I am the bossy one in this house.”
Tasha smiled across at him, her bossy, control freak and incredibly handsome boyfriend and rubbed her still sore rear. “Like that was ever in doubt, although I think you may have taken your role as the irate headmaster far too seriously.”
“I think I may be a method actor.” He laughed again as his eyes fixed on her hand that was still rubbing circles across her behind.
“Well, I am not a big fan of your method acting, Mr Maybury, so stick to running the studio,” she said as she began peeling and chopping vegetables.
“That’s not how it seemed to me. You seemed to be a very big fan of my methods, baby.” He grinned wolfishly, reaching forward for a piece of pepper that he flipped into his mouth.
“Go and watch your sports and drink your beer and leave me in the kitchen,” she ordered grinning back at him but felt slightly embarrassed that she had really liked his methods.
“And so it starts; the nagging, barking orders, getting all bossy and we haven’t even set a wedding date. But for the record I like you in my kitchen being all domesticated.”
Jim returned to his position in front of the TV as instructed while Tasha put some oil into a pan and turned the heat up before throwing vegetables in and pondered Jim’s comment. Was she becoming bossy and nagging? She hoped not. From what she knew of her boyfriend he didn’t like other people being in control, in charge, least of all his girlfriend and certainly not his wives. So, if she was becoming bossy did that mean that potentially her marriage was doomed before they had indeed set a date? She tried to push the thought to the back of her mind and continued tossing the vegetables before turning the heat down and whisking the eggs. She then laid the table in the kitchen before returning to the pan and added the eggs. She hadn’t really noticed Jim re-entering the kitchen and almost bumped into him as she turned to retrieve the spatula she’d been using.
