Enough time for Luke to quirk his brow, as if to say “gotcha.”
Enough time for me to turn on my heel and bolt back into the house like an idiot.
Enough time to decide that I am indeed thirsty, and that I’m going to be needing both of these ciders for myself.
thirteen
I’m not going totell her that I picked up chopped wood in town.
Or that I’ll have to pop two painkillers for the sore muscles tomorrow.
Won’t even mention that it’s going to rain tonight and we’ll have to stay indoors.
Because all that matters is that I caught her watching.
fourteen
I think Luke’s fuckingwith me.
I’m aware that I did pull out all the stops with today’s dinner. Hell, even I’m impressed with how quickly I’ve been able to mimic Luisa’s aunt’s sancocho.
But does the man have to moan after every sip?
Or look me in the eyes as he softly blows on the steaming broth?
And the way he’s sucking on the boned meat is downright pornographic. He could probably teach a class in the art of doing that kind of work with one’s mouth.
“Why are you frowning at me, Daze?”
“I’m not,” I respond a bit too quickly.
He smirks. “If you say so.” He takes a spoonful of broth and yuca and then digs into his side of white rice and moans. Again.
“Is that really necessary?”
He wipes his mouth with a napkin, eyes looking far too amused for my liking. “Care to elaborate?”
I roll my eyes as I push my half-full bowl away. “I’ve shared hundreds of meals with you, and I have never heard you yipping and yapping so much in my life. A simple ‘compliments to the chef’ would suffice.”
He raises his hands in a placating manner. “My apologies. I wasn’t aware I was being so… vocal. But damn, Daisy. That is the best sancocho I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’ve been fed by a lot of Dominican and Puerto Rican moms while working in the MLB, so believe me when I say I know a thing or two about the subject.”
My manners get the best of me, so I simply nod and say thank you.
“Something on your mind, Daisy girl?” he drawls, running his finger down the condensation of his beer bottle.
I stand up and point at the smirk on his face. “Aha! That. Right there. What is that?”
He leans back in his stool. “My face.”
“Oh, no you don’t. You’ve been doing it all day. You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
He brings the bottle to his lips, speaking before he takes a long pull. “You’re going to have to be more specific for me.”
I wave around in his general direction. “You’re just more, more… seductive and grizzly, I guess.”
His brows furrow. “I’m a bear now?”
I release a frustrated breath as I dig my hands into my hair. “You know what? Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m the one who’s a bit off-kilter. After all, I am the crazy woman who ran away from her own wedding. I do seem to have a case stacked against my sanity.”
