since I couldn’t have them finding out about this latest issue, I was stuck with him. Him and his too-seeing gaze. His nosiness to delve into my life.
Figuring it was the lesser of two evils, I heaved a sigh. Waved him back to the kitchen. A thought slid through my mind. The door. I stopped, turned, and went back to lock the damn thing.
He grabbed my arm, his grip firm without biting into my flesh. “You’re not bailing on me. Not again.” He glared down at me. His nostrils flared as the green of his eyes took on an eerie cast.
I held still under his touch. My gaze placid as I gazed back at him. “I’m locking the front door. The only reason you’re in here is because I forgot when I came in the first time.” I waited for him to let me go.
He stared at me, weighed my words. Finally, he nodded. “Then I’m glad you were forgetful. I was willing to break through the door to get to you in time.”
In a crazy way, that was sweet. I’d never been the person people rushed to help or protect. Mostly I liked it that way.
I shot him a smile as the wall around my heart developed a crack. “At least I know you’re good for it.” And this man said he didn’t know how to be a good friend. He was either lying to himself or very stupid.
He let go of my arm as he smiled. “I’m good for a lot more than that, cupcake.”
I turned away so he couldn’t see my stiff nipples pressing against the thin fabric of my shirt. I think I was legitimately going crazy. Maybe I should think about some medication. Or going to therapy. From being suicidal to aroused in less than thirty minutes? I made a mental note to start looking for some good therapists around here.
I turned the lock and moved back towards the kitchen doors. I stopped right beside him. Looked up into his emerald eyes. “If you come in here, I’m in charge. You touch nothing without my permission. You don’t taste or sample. You don’t breathe too hard in my cakes’ directions. Nothing. You get to sit in the corner and look pretty.” I jabbed my finger in his direction.
He raised his hands in surrender. “Yes, mistress. I understand, mistress.”
I rolled my lips in to keep them from twitching. The man wouldn’t know how to be submissive if it bit his dick. I glared at him for good measure. As we passed into the kitchen, I pointed to the high stool in the corner. “There. Sit.” I paused for a effect. Raised a single eyebrow. “Good boy.”
A low growl filtered from his throat. “Easy there, cupcake. We have to leave this kitchen eventually.” He sat on the stool, his arms crossed.
Ignoring that, I hit the button on the industrial mixer to stop its churning. The batter was going to be useless now. Moving the lever to lift the mechanical head, I grabbed a spoon and dipped it into the bowl. Gathering a small scoop, I tasted it. Shook my head.
“Hey. You get to sample, but I don’t?” Ryker whined from his corner spot.
“I’m the boss.” I grabbed a huge plastic scraper and emptied the beaten batter into the nearest trash can.
“I’m not sure how bakeries usually work, but I can’t imagine dumping product in the trash is really very cost effective,” he drawled.
I flipped him off.
He laughed.
“I let it go too long.” I kept my attention on the bowl, wishing I could pull the words back. I needed to keep him focused on the here. The now. Not the black hole of despair he’d found me in.
“A lot of things can go bad when you let them go too long.” His voice was quiet, serious.
I nodded. He wasn’t wrong. I washed the bowl and put it back on the stand. I got out the ingredients to start again.
“So, really, what are you working on today?”
Heaving a mental sigh of relief, I gave him the rundown for Natalie’s party tomorrow afternoon. I looked over when he said nothing. He was smiling at me.
“What?”
He shook his head. “You like her. This Natalie. Are you a Potterhead? What’s your house?”
I stared at him for a moment. “You’re a closet nerd, aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “I’m Slytherin house.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
He smiled. “Your house?”
“Ravenclaw.”
He smirked.
I rolled my eyes and smiled. Answered his original question. “I do like her. She reminds me