“And then you woke up in the middle of the night and saw a black bear just outside the screen.You screamed so loud,” he chuckled.
Suddenly he fell silent.Was he remembering how much she screamed during their lovemaking?A wave of heat rushed through her.Not from the stove, but from the flood of memories she wasn’t ready to face.She focused on the rhythm of cooking, hoping the familiar motions would ground her.
“Do you still like blueberry jam?”she asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Her voice sounded hoarse.Aroused?
And how odd that she’d recently accepted a jar of home made blueberry jam from Sam.He’d offered over the years, but she’d declined and always accepted strawberry jam instead.This last time, she’d taken the blueberry.
“You remember I’m nuts about blueberry jam?”he said with a chuckle.
“Of course I remember.I remember everything.Why do you sound so surprised?”
She stared at the cooking eggs, not daring to look at him.She knew his look would be heated, intense.
“Kind of figured you went on with your life and put me out of your mind like I asked you to.”
His words hit her like a slap.Sharp, unexpected, undeserved.Her shoulders locked, tension radiating through her entire body.
“You mean like you forced me to.I told you I would wait for you,” she snapped.Her voice shook, not from weakness, but from years of hurt finally breaking loose.
She clutched the edge of the counter, refusing to meet his eyes, her hands tight around the butter knife.She wanted him to understand that she hadn’t chosen to move on, she’d only done what he’d forced upon her, even though it had broken her heart.
Chapter Six
The tension in the kitchen was palpable now.She could feel it.The air was charged with memories.
She heard him inhale slowly.He said nothing.
Good.She was not prepared to do battle.Not yet.
“Can you get the jam?It’s in the fridge.And the orange juice too, please.”
She forced her tone steady, clinging to the small task like a lifeline.This was not the time to rehash history.
His chair squeaked as he got up and did her bidding.
She shook her head and forced herself to try to remain calm.She still could not wrap her mind around that Axel was here.
But he was here and it felt as if they’d never been apart.
She could feel him all around her.His unique scent, his overwhelming presence, his body heat as he passed her and opened the fridge door.His nearness wrapped around her like a memory she hadn’t invited.
“You still like maple syrup, I see,” he said with a chuckle as he gazed into her fridge.
“Brady makes it from the sap from the sugar maple trees on his property.”
“Can’t wait to try it with pancakes.”
Jenna nodded.
He stood so close to her.She could smell him.
Male.Heat.Soap.
She inhaled him deeply, slowly.She had the urge to look at him as he reached into the fridge, but she didn’t dare.
And then he’d retrieved the orange juice and jam, then brought them to the table where he sat down again as if he just belonged here.As if he hadn’t been out of her life for so many years.
