of relief washed through him. “Staying in sounds amazing, and it just so happens I have a change of clothes in my gym bag. Be right back.”
He jogged down to his truck and grabbed the duffel stashed behind the seat, which contained a faded Metallica T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, along with some beat-up leather slides.
“Ah, much better,” he exclaimed when he emerged from her tiny bathroom. “Not that I didn’t enjoy trying to look nice for you...” His voice trailed off, and he winced.
Real smooth there, pal.
“Go ahead and wash your hands.” Her eyes sparkling with laughter, Lani pointed toward the sink, then carried the vase of carnations to the table. “These are beautiful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he mumbled as he scrubbed up. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bought anyone flowers, and the pleased smile on her face made him glad he’d given in to the impulse.
“So you ready to pitch in?” She picked up a bowl covered with plastic wrap and waved him toward a wooden cutting board. As he watched, she pulled off the wrap and tipped a large, smooth dough ball out onto the board. “Punch that down for me, and then knead it, okay?”
“Punch it down...?” Geo glanced over at her dubiously. “Like, punch it?”
“Yep.” She balled up her fist and slammed it firmly into her other palm. “Punch it.”
Still skeptical, he poked at the dough tentatively with his knuckles. “What does that do?” When he continued to hesitate, she stepped up next to him and gave the dough a quick, sharp jab right in the middle. It instantly deflated.
“See? Punch it.” She grinned at him, and for the first time, Geo noticed she had a smear of flour on her nose and down one cheek. Those pesky butterflies winged to life all over again.
He gulped. “So how do I knead it?” He pushed the dough around with his fingertips. “Like this?”
“No, like this.” She reached out and put her hands over his. “Squeeze it. Work it around.” She demonstrated the motion with him, her grip strong. “Put your back and forearms into it.”
Her body brushed against his, their fingers practically entwined. Her touch, and the bird’s-eye view of her full breasts squeezing together and releasing with her movements soon had him rock hard and aching. He pressed closer to the counter to hide it, teeth gritted, mentally ordering his cock to behave.
“That’s good.” She released him and wiped her sticky hands off on a towel. “You’ll do that for about ten minutes while I work on the salad dressing.”
Geo kneaded as if his life depended on it while Lani moved briskly around the small kitchen, measuring, whisking. When she bent over at one point to peer in the fridge, the sight of her rounded bottom in the air tightened his pants all over again. He snapped his gaze back to the dough.
Jesus, stop it. She’s having a baby, and you’ll eventually be leaving. Those two things do not go together.
He cleared his throat. “So what’re we making?”
“Mmm.” She leaned her hip against the counter next to him. “Pretzel monkey bread. Did you ever have that as a kid?”
“What? No, I don’t think so.”
She smiled. “It’s what we always made with my Lola—my grandma—when we visited her house. I’d do what you’re doing, knead the dough and roll it out, while my brother got to cut the pieces and put them in a baking soda bath.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s what makes them pretzel-y.” Now she grinned at him, her nose wrinkling. “God, when they’d first come out of the oven, they were so golden brown, so yummy. Tyler and I just couldn’t wait for them to cool off, so we’d burn our fingers and mouths eating them right away.” She sighed. “Those are some of my favorite childhood memories, cooking with my family.”
Geo stared down at the countertop, not quite sure what to say. His childhood dinners usually consisted of cold cereal he ate alone in front of the TV, and he couldn’t remember ever baking with anyone.
Then he shook himself impatiently. Who cared? This wasn’t about him.
“Geo?” Lani’s voice at his shoulder made him jump. “Everything okay?”
He blinked, suddenly realizing he was pummeling the dough. With a forced chuckle, he stepped away from it. “Yeah. I’m, uh, just making sure it’s done.”
“It is now.” She sounded amused, but her eyes searched his face briefly before she handed him a towel to wipe his hands. “Why don’t you get yourself a beer while