Chapter 12
Kassie
I can hear his low chuckle as I close the door to my room.
I'd say the man is insufferable, but I can't. Is he bossy? Hell yes, but I kind of like it. Call me crazy, and plenty do, but it’s hot on him.
I do as he suggested, and strip out of my clothes, then step under the warm water of the shower. Slowly, the heat draws the cold from my bones.
I thought it would be a quick trip to the supermarket, and a couple of the smaller stores, but nothing in Brindlewood is ever a quick trip when the locals consider you a part time local, and haven’t seen you in a few months.
I lost count of how many times I repeated when my parents, and Max would be here.
I also lost track of how many times I was told to head home quickly, because the weather was about to turn, and they didn't want me to get stuck in it! If people didn't stop me to talk to me, I would have been home an hour earlier!
I can't help myself, I laugh because people!
Then, as I wash my body, I remember the easy way that Bennett, and I moved around one another to put the shopping away. It was like we’d been doing it together forever. Like it was just muscle memory.
The memory of his hands on my shoulders makes me hot all over for another reason.
I make myself turn off the shower, and dry off, before I give in to the need to flick the bean at the thought of his touch. I tell myself I don’t have the time for that, because Bennett is cooking dinner, and I don’t want him to wait too long to eat.
Even if I'd rather it was me he was eating!
I had a beanie on while I was out, and put a clip in my hair before I got in the shower, so I don’t need to dry it. All I have to do is dry my body, brush my hair, and put on some warm clothes.
As soon as I walk into my bedroom I know that Bennett turned up the thermostat on the heater, because it’s already warmer in my bedroom than it was before my shower.
Quickly I get dressed, and walk back out to the living room where I find Bennett in the same place on the couch that he was last night, with his feet up on the coffee table.
The difference tonight is that he’s reading something on his phone, and he's totally engrossed, which gives me a few minutes to study him without him noticing.
He hasn’t shaved since we got here, and you wouldn’t think that two days would create stubble that looks like it’s just long enough to be soft, and not prickle you all over. Either way, I can imagine the feel of it on my thighs.
I let out a low squeak, that lets him know I'm standing there.
Not wanting to get caught drinking him in, I walk towards the kitchen.
“Did you want a drink? I got all kinds today.”
“So I saw, but I'm good with my water, thank you.” His voice is like melted chocolate being spread over my body.
And now I'm imagining him licking melted chocolate off my body! My nipples tighten, and I squeeze my thighs together.
“Are you still cold? I can turn the heater up a bit more if you like? Or I can start the fire first?”
I jump at his words. It feels like he’s breathing them down my neck.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I need to check on dinner.”
“Yeah, of course.” I grab a glass from the cupboard to pour myself a drink. “Can I help with anything?” I ask once I'm done.
“Just get out the plates, and cutlery, please, everything else is under control.”
A man with shit under control, and in the kitchen no less. I feel like I might be dreaming.
“No dream, Angel.” I smile, cursing myself for speaking out loud. “How do you like your steak?”
“Medium, well,” I say without thinking. “Please.”
“Easy done,” he says with an easy smile. “Why don’t you sit down here while I finish up? We can sit in front of the TV again tonight if you want?”
“Sounds good.” There's nothing else to say is there? We’re not dating, we’re not sleeping together, we’re not even friends. He's cooking for me because I cooked last night, and we’re the only two here. It simply makes sense.
I sit there watching him move around the kitchen like he knows exactly what he's doing, while sipping my drink. I'm wishing I’d poured a shot of something into said drink now, but it is what is.
“Dinner is served,” he says with a flourish, and I look down at the plates to see he has in fact served up while I've been sitting here staring off into space.
“We don’t have to watch anything tonight if you don’t want to,” I say as we both settle into our respective sides of the couch.
“I'm putting on a movie we can watch together.”
“There you go being bossy again.”
“You have the choice, Angel, you can eat, then go do something else, or we can choose a movie together.”
“OK.”
“So, which is it going to be?”
“A movie, please,” I say, shoving a piece of steak in my mouth to stop me from saying anything else.
The only problem is, the steak is so damned good, I moan out loud.
I actually close my eyes, and moan around this piece of meat!