Caden: Ride with Me

11. 11

Caden watched her for a moment, trying to decide if she was trying to pull something over on him then decided why not.

It smelled like apple pie, how bad could it be?

He tore a small chunk off the hotcake and used a knife from the drawer as she’d directed, to spread a small amount of the thick spread on to it. He watched her as he popped the bit into his mouth. Flavor exploded on his tongue.

“Like it?” she asked as she flipped another hot cake on the griddle then pulled more bacon from the pan and set it aside.

“I do. How have I never had this before?” He dipped more from the jar and spread it on the rest of the hotcake.

Olivia shrugged. “I grew up eating it, but I don’t know where it comes from. I get the idea it might be a southern thing. Maybe that’s why?” She served up another hot cake and poured more batter onto the pan. “Here, have some bacon too.” She moved the plate with the meat over so he could reach it.

Caden stared at it a moment then glanced up at her then decided to hold off. He’d let her finish cooking then sit down to eat with her.

Instead of eating more, he picked up his coffee mug, leaned back against the counter and took a sip, watching her. He let one corner of his mouth quirk up as he noticed how hot she was standing there in nothing but his shirt. He’d had other women wear his shirt before, but oddly, none of them stirred this feeling. He wondered what might have changed.

Before he had time to ponder the question for long, she finished cooking and turned to him.

“Didn’t you like it?” She motioned to his plate.

“I did, but I want to eat with you. Fix your plate and we’ll sit down.” He motioned to the table on the other side of the room.

She slid the plate stacked with hot cakes toward him.

“You first,” Olivia said as she reached for another plate then added bacon and two hot cakes to it. She took the jar of apple butter and carried it and her plate to the table before coming back to the counter for a fork and her coffee cup.

Caden topped off his cup, as it was now nearly empty then added bacon to his plate and carried it to the table to join her.

“That was amazing,” he said as he sat back a few minutes later, an empty plate on the table in front of him.

“Thank you. I think the company was at least as good as the food, but I do appreciate the complement.” Her smile lit her face, making Caden want to keep making her smile like that. She watched him for a moment, as if not sure what to make of his invitation, then tilted her head to one side.

“That sounds like fun. I’d like to go with you.”

“Good. I’ve got a couple things I need to do before then, but I’ll pick you up about two?”

“I can do that.”

Caden stood and took his plate to the sink. “You know, as much as I hate to ask. I’m going to need my shirt back to go.”

Olivia looked down at herself then back up at him, a coy smile curving her lips. “But what if I’m not ready to give it up?” She stood, smoothed her hands down the front of the shirt then brought them back to the buttons down the front. Slowly, one by one, she undid the buttons. “Are you sure you want it back now?” she asked as she turned back toward the bedroom.

The last thing Caden saw before she disappeared from view was Olivia slip the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Damn. Maybe he didn’t need to leave just yet.