He shrugged."I don't mind if you have friends over."
Should I push it and ask how he felt about male visitors?That would be an easy way to tell if he was jealous or not.But I couldn't seem to bring myself to do it.
"I came down here to tell you that you should feel at home here.I don't tell Tom who he can have over when he's living here.It's the same for you."
My eyes widened.So he viewed me the same as he did Tom.That was interesting and felt like cold water thrown on my overheated skin."Great."
He smiled, not realizing how I took that statement.
Then I had an awful realization.He viewed me like a younger sister.That's why he felt like he could walk around half naked and I wouldn't care.Because I'm supposed to see him as a big brother.The only problem was that I didn't.
He sat on a stool and grabbed another cookie.
I pulled out a glass and filled it with milk, then slid it across the counter toward him."There's nothing better than warm cookies and milk."
He sipped the milk."I think you might be right about that."
I wiped the counter that I'd already cleaned, needing something to do with my hands.My mind was still reeling over this attraction to him.
"How are you feeling about everything?"His voice was deep and gruff.
I glanced up to find his concerned gaze on me, and my mind went blank."Um about what?"
He raised a brow."The fire.Your bakery."
"Oh.right."Now I sounded like an idiot.Of course that's what he was talking about.Not the news that I was like a sister to him."I'm not happy about it.But I'm hopeful that I'll be back bigger than before.And maybe something else will come out of this.I'll build the catering side of my business with larger orders."
He nodded."I'm glad you're feeling good about things."
I smiled."The girls were just here, and I was in my happy place, baking cookies.And I might have had a little wine.I'm sure I'll feel differently tomorrow when reality sets in."
"You really love baking.I remember that you were always in the kitchen when I'd visit Tom when we were kids."
I smiled, not afraid to admit that."Baking makes me feel floaty and good inside."
"I didn't realize that baking could make you feel like that."He still held a cookie in his hand, and I couldn't resist, I leaned over and took a bite, my lips brushing against his fingers.I pulled away like the touch had burned me.
I licked my lips, eating the excess crumbs, wondering if I'd committed a blunder.That was definitely a flirty thing you'd do on a date or with your boyfriend, not your roommate.
He raised a brow, his gaze heated."You always steal people's cookies?"
I couldn't help but laugh at his attempt to lighten the mood.I felt immense relief that he hadn't made a big deal out of it.Hopefully, he'd assumed I was being playful, not flirty.In reality, I had no idea why I'd done that.It wasn't something I'd ever done with a man sampling my cookies before.
It was completely out of character.But there was something about living with this man in particular that was throwing me off my axis.My days were fairly regimented.I lived alone, went to bed early, woke up at dawn to bake, and worked at the shop until midafternoon.Then I took a short nap and caught up on some chores or went out with friends.
I didn't make it a habit to bite other people's cookies."Sorry, I don't know what came over me."
Instead of responding to my apology, he ate the rest of the cookie in one bite."You mind if I take a few of these to go?"
"Of course not."My voice was barely audible.My insides were warm and gooey, and it had nothing to do with the freshly baked cookie.
He'd eaten the rest of the cookie.The one I'd taken a bite out of.Did that mean he didn't think of me as a sister, or he did?
My heart was starting to ache from either the wine or the dilemma I'd gotten myself into.
Chapter6
Morgan
