Page 22

“Not bad, for your first time.”

I heated with pleasure at the compliment and gave him a little nod. “Thanks. What I lack in skill, I make up for in enthusiasm.”

He smirked. “Is that true across the board?”

My body warmed at the implication and I lightly punched his shoulder. “Whatever,” I said, trying to sound dismissive.

“Hey now,” he said, picking up a pinch of flour and tossing it in my direction.

I was tempted to do the same, but I didn’t want to create too much of a mess to clean up, so I punched him again, more of a gentle shove with my fist than an actual punch. He grabbed my wrist to stop me, and as he did, heat seared through me, my breath hitching.

Ellis stepped a little closer, gaze dancing between my eyes and my lips. He swallowed and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. We stood like that for a long moment before his plush, full lips parted and his tongue darted out to wet the bottom one.

I was frozen in place, feelings warring inside of me—desire to be kissed and confusion because I’d thought he hated me and other feelings I couldn’t quite name. I let out a sharp little breath and moved in closer.

Before anything else could happen, Ellis’s phone, which was on the counter next to him, buzzed and began to ring loudly with tones from a horror movie. I guess I’m not the only one who keeps my ringer on these days. He released his grip on my wrist instantly and stepped back, blinking a few times as if he’d been in a daze. After another second, he snatched up his phone.

He swallowed again and backed away further. “Sorry, I don’t—” He held up his phone, the screen facing me. “I should take this.”

I didn’t say anything, just nodded silently. On the screen, the contact’s name was displayed. Eva. His ex.

Ellis stepped out of the kitchen and I tried not to listen to his conversation. “Eva? What the hell do you want? No, hold on.” A second later, the front door opened and closed and I couldn’t hear Ellis any longer.

I stood in the kitchen, my heart pounding hard, as I took deep breaths to calm myself. What had just happened? Was I really about to kiss Ellis, Lena’s older brother? The one who had clearly hated having me around since day one?

My stomach ached and I shook my head, trying to bring myself back down to Earth. All I could think about were Ellis’s lips, his scent, and the heat burning through me when he’d touched me.

Chapter Ten

Ellis

Eva’s voice was on the other end of the phone line and I heard exactly nothing she said. My mind was a hurricane of thoughts—Kieran’s mouth, his hazel eyes fixed on mine, the heat of his body when I’d gotten close, the flex of his wrist under my fingers, the scent of vanilla in the air. Kieran. So much Kieran.

What had I been thinking? I’d almost kissed him, for fuck’s sake. Not acceptable. Besides the fact that it would be too weird and awkward because we live together, Lena would probably flip a table if she found out. We had a pact after that one disaster with Jade that we wouldn’t date each other’s friends, and I’d held to my promise. I couldn’t very well break that promise now.

“Are you even listening to me, Ellis?” Eva asked.

I blinked a couple of times, bringing myself back to the moment. “Sorry. What?”

She sighed with exasperation. “So you weren’t listening. I guess I should’ve expected this,” she said bitterly.

“Eva, what do you want?”

She hesitated a moment before speaking again, and when she did, her voice was very small. “I need your help.”

I suppressed my own sigh. “Now’s not a good time. Can you text me or something? I need to go.” I really didn’t want to be a dick to her, but I also didn’t want to get roped into helping her with something either. Besides—cake. “Sorry.”

“Yeah. I’ll text. Thanks, Ellis.”

A moment later, the phone call ended. I shoved the phone into my pocket and took a deep, calming breath before shaking my arms out to rid myself of the building anxiety and frustration. You can do this.

I made my way back into the kitchen just in time to see Kieran pulling my cake out of the oven, thick black oven mitts on his hands, and sliding the pan onto a cooling rack.

“Sorry about that,” I said quietly.

He shrugged and waved away my apology. “No worries. Your cake is done, I think.”

I peered at it skeptically for a second. “Usually Lena pokes it with a toothpick to be sure.” I stepped beside him and pulled open the drawer she kept the toothpicks in before handing one to Kieran. As I did so, my phone chimed with an incoming text. I deliberately ignored it. “Here.”