Chuckling under her breath, she poured me a glass of white wine, and then poured some for herself. “It’s Valentine’s Day, Daphne.” She sat down across from me, placing a cloth napkin over her lap.
“We are hardly each others’ valentines.”
“Maybe. If you can’t stomach the thought of eating a meal with me on Valentine’s Day, then just think of it as a thank you present.”
A thank you present somehow had worse implications than a romantic dinner. That would mean we were doing favors for each other now. But… I kind of was, wasn’t I? Agreeing to live with her wasn’t for my benefit.
As much as I disliked all of this, it was nice, seeing so much effort being put into a meal for me. She cooked. She set the table. She even made dessert. I couldn’t remember the last time someone did something like this for me. Then again, I rarely had anyone in my life important enough to eat dinner with.
My steak was cooked to perfection, with a zest of flavors mixed in with the butter. The tender, juicy meat all but melted in my mouth. The vegetables and mashed potatoes were just as savory.
“You may have missed your calling,” I said quietly, mostly to myself. She perked up when she heard me, her eyebrow raised as a silent question. “This is delicious. Why open a bakery when you can cook like this?”
Smiling, she brought her wineglass to her lips, taking a delicate sip before answering. “I wouldn’t be the one cooking if I owned a restaurant. People expect a chef with a reputation. At least at Blissful Bites, I can bake our products myself.”
Fair.
“Still,” I countered, sliding the last spoonful of mashed potatoes between my lips. The combination of salty, buttery, and savory danced together on my tongue. “This is the best dinner I’ve had in a while. I’m… impressed.”
Valentine’s Day or no, this surely was a special day, because I was giving Jade Rost a compliment. She played it off, trying not to grin too much as she stared out the window and sipped her wine. With her hair up, a grin on her face, and her delicious dinner in my belly, it felt like a rare moment, one where we were equals. We’d known each other for so long, but we hardly everspent time together like this, and not just because I actively tried to avoid her.
“Why were you mad?” Pausing, her eyes darted back to me, and I felt that even playing field starting to slip away as heat licked over my skin. “Is it because I’m here?”
“Not exactly. We should finish eating. I’m sure you’re tired.” I was. But it was nagging me, how upset she still seemed underneath the smiles and compliments. I had a reason to be annoyed. I couldn’t fathom why she would be. “Try the cake.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Fine. I’m angry because you shouldn’t have to do this at all.” She paused, her hands tightly clutching her wine glass, a whisper of fury slipping through the façade. “I… I was drunk when we got married. I forgot about the rules with my inheritance and getting a divorce. I didn’t want this for you. I fought my lawyers. I pissed off my parents. They refused to budge. All because my grandfather’s first wife ran off with his child fifty years ago.”
Why would she go through all that for me? She could’ve just stuck out the three months in silence like I was doing.
“You didn’t…” My voice faltered yet again with her staring at me. “I’m fine. You don’t have to kick a fuss over me.”
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s not like youwantto be here.”
Ouch. But accurate.
“My mom said I should just stay with you.” Jade's eyebrows lifted, and her eyes grew as curiosity replaced her anger. I wasn’t sure why I was telling her. We were about to spend three months together. Maybe it was better to clear the air between us. “Apparently, my brother ruined the family with his stupid investments. My inheritance and the bakery are the only things left. If my money gets split in our divorce, it will ruin us.”
“I’m not taking your money.”
“And if I leave, you lose yours.” Sighing, I ignored the potent scent of her pheromones, as impossible as that was. Did theyget stronger in the past minute? “Look, Jade. We may not be…anythingto each other. But I wouldn’t do that to you.”
She tilted her head to the side, her mouth curving into a teasing grin. “I wouldn’t say we’re not anything.”
“What does that mean?”
Her eyes dipped to my lips, my neck, and further down, making the heat grow deep inside me. “We’re scent matches, Daphne. Haven’t you realized by now?”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Chapter Nine
Ascent match. An Alpha and omega who can’t resist each other, an irresistible pull neither can ignore. Pheromones that are so compatible, you can’t be with anyone else once you’ve caught their scent.
“You’re joking.” I stood, desperate to calm my racing pulse, taking the saucer of cake with me. “Thank you for dinner. I’ll be in my room.”
She got up as well, stalking after me like a snake slinking to its prey. “Think about it. When you went into your first heat, I was there. You already hated me. You could’ve pushed me away. But you didn’t.”No. Stop it. She was just trying to confuse me, like she always did. With her advancing and driving me back until I hit the kitchen counters, it felt like she was about to devour me. “And ever since…” Gulping, I held myself together as she reached out, gently gliding her fingertips along a strand of my hair. I barely had enough time to put the saucer onto the counter before I almost dropped it. “I can’t get you out of my mind.”
