and his crew got hammered, so no rides today.”
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Linc gave him his best you’re-an-idiot look. “How can you be so dense? Anybody can see the two of you belong together. Why can’t you?”
Rafe rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do but—”
“Save it. Whatever you do I hope you don’t end up breaking her heart.” Linc walked away.
Molly jumped out of the swing and ran to Rafe’s side. “Hi, Daddy.” He picked her up and she gave him a feather light kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, punkin . Having fun?”
“Yeah, but I’m hungry. I want some pizza.”
“I don’t think there’s going to be any today, Chickapen. No one has—”
“Attention everyone! There has been a delay in getting things ready, but rest assured we will be serving piping hot, delicious pies in just a few minutes, so don’t go anywhere.”
The sound of Jennifer’s voice over the bull horn she held in her hands surprised him. Behind her Grace and some of the other servers from the Bluebonnet were bustling about with sacks of flour and other ingredients. “Seems there will be pizza today.”
* * *
JC plunged her hands into a mound of dough, folding over the soft mass onto itself and pressing it down with her palms. As soon as she’d left the tent she found Grace and she had generously sent some of her staff over with supplies and extra hands to help her.
“Okay, enough kneading. Cover the dough and let it rise while you mix up some more dough.”
JC’s head snapped up to find Rafe standing at her side. She took in the white, ruffled apron tied around his waist and couldn’t help smiling. “I love the new look.”
Rafe tilted his head slightly to the side. “Did you think all I was good for was punching cows?”
She could think of a lot of things Rafe McCord would be good for and none of them had anything to do with cows or cooking. Like Rafe naked except for an apron playing peek-a-boo with paradise while feeding her a succulent slice with extra cheese, popped into JC’s head. Her body temperature blasted from normal to hot damn in the span of a few seconds. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m helping you make crust—the right way,” Rafe said slipping on a pair of plastic gloves. “Besides, I like working with my hands.”
He manipulated the dough with ease, pressing his palm into the mixture, plying the white mass into the shape his fingers dictated. Imagining how his hands could arouse her body, JC’s skin flushed hot. She grabbed one of the extra flyers advertising the event she’d had left and furiously fanned her face and neck. “The right way?” she asked thankful her voice sounded normal. “I know how to mix flour and water together.” She pointed to several covered bowls filled with dough.
“There’s more to a great crust than flour and water. Always take your time when handling the dough, letting it rise slowly, allowing the ingredients to meld for an exquisite burst of flavor on the tongue.”
The words rising and tongue used in the same sentence made her nipples hard. He poured a little olive oil onto the bottom of a pan, tilting it to coat the surface. Grabbing the hunk of dough, he dusted it with some flour and began pressing it into a circle on the oil covered pan.
“Why did you put oil on the pan?”
“Makes the crust extra crispy,” he said without taking his gaze from his work. “It lubricates the pan and makes the dough more pliable. You never want to have hard, chewy or stiff dough.”
Maybe not dough, but one thing in particular benefited from being hard and stiff. She glanced at his crotch. Would the man be that focused in bed?
She had to get a grip. This was about crust not foreplay. She’d never seen a man so serious about the crust business, but at the same time she didn’t need Mr. Tall, Dark and Hunky teaching her how to mash dough and slap it on a pan.
“While I’m preparing this crust, mix up some more dough and add some butter to the mix,” Rafe said. “Massage it in slowly. The butter will make it finger licking good.”
“Oh, that sounds delicious,” Grace said from the other side of the long work table. “Mind if I mix up the dough, JC?”
“Not at all. I appreciate the help.” Everyone had drawn her close since