The moment our eyes lock, a slow, sexy grin spreads across his handsome features, as he blatantly looks me over from head to toe.
I’m sure I’m a hot mess. My hair is barely contained in a top knot, I’ve put on an old cozy burnt-orange cardigan, and I’m wearing my large blue light glasses to take away some of the glare from my computer screens. My eyes are so dry, I’m blinking like crazy to bring some moisture back.
“Hey, sweetheart. Hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No,” I say on a yawn, stretching my body fully. “I’m at a good stopping place for the day.”
“Have you eaten?” Mark asks, cocking his head to the side to study me.
“Not since…” I glance at my watch. “Shit… Breakfast, I think?”
Brow raised, he asks, “Do you make a habit of skipping meals?”
“Only when I get locked into a project,” I admit. Which is way more often than I’ll ever concede to him. When I’m on a roll, nothing gets in my way.
“Do you like pot roast, potatoes, and carrots?”
“I like anything I don’t have to cook,” I admit, suddenly ravenous for anything I can get my hands on. I’d thought about making something earlier, but obviously, I got sidetracked.
“Well, you’re in luck. I brought you something for dinner,” he says, handing me a container of food I didn’t realize he’d been holding.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you,” I mutter, reaching for the dish.
“The bar is fairly low if you’re impressed with leftovers,” Mark deadpans. “Mind if I come in?”
“God, where are my manners? Of course. Wait…” I stop, glancing toward his house. “Where are the boys?”
Waggling his brows, he smirks. “At home…” He pauses dramatically, then adds, “With their dad. They left a few minutes ago. Since I haven’t heard from you today, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced.”
My stomach rumbles when I take the top of the Tupperware container off and lay it on the kitchen counter. “You’re always welcome, Lancaster. Especially if you come bearing gifts as delightful as this.”
“Somebody’s gotta make sure you’re fed… Apparently.” He smirks, then a wicked grin quickly appears. “I’ll happily volunteer as tribute if it means making you smile like that more often.”
Leaning in, he quickly kisses me on the lips.
If I weren’t suddenly starving for actual food, I’d consider getting lost in him for a while. When I pull back and glance at the steaming pot roast, he points to the tub. “Eat.”
Since it’s still warm, I do as I’m told. Pulling a fork from my drawer, I stab a piece of meat with it. It’s so tender, it falls apart effortlessly. Popping it into my mouth, I moan in satisfaction. “Mmm… Mark. This is wonderful. Did you spend all day slow-roasting it? It’s utter perfection.”
“Nope…” He grins with delight. “I’ve got a magical pot that cooks it in minutes.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“An InstaPot. Ever heard of it?” Mark waggles his brows adorably.
“Yes,” I scoff, then admit after taking another bite. “But never knew it could cook a roast like this. I thought you could only get food to taste this savory from cooking it all day in a crockpot.”
“My daughters gave me the gadget a few years ago, and it revolutionized my meal planning. Even though it’s only me most nights, I still use it regularly.”
“I never think that far in advance,” I admit.
“Hey, perpetual bachelor here… I get that more than you’ll ever know, trust me.”
“You and I are on the same page, Lancaster. Though it’s easier to get takeout than cook for one… Unless you’re in this small town. Then, your options are quite limited.”
“Seaside is much better than it was when we were kids.” Mark shrugs as he brushes a piece of hair back from my face while I take another hearty bite.
“No kidding,” I snicker. “There’s something to be said about living in big cities. New York had every kind of takeout imaginable. God, I remember there was this one Italian restaurant right around the corner from my dorm that served six different kinds of homemade pasta, with twelve different kinds of sauce. It always hit the spot when I needed it most. I’d even make the trek from my apartment on the Upper West Side years after graduation, when I craved it.”
