Two to Tangle (A Tangle Valley Romance #2) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,44

her clothes off. None of that is the point.” She realized she’d gotten a little loud.

Joey blinked. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but you’re wielding that knife like it’s your third hand, and maybe we could set it back down now for the safety of all.”

Gabriella looked at the knife and let it fall onto her cutting board with a thud. She placed her hands on her hips. “Sorry. I just have a lot of opinions on the topic.”

“I see that. I think you could have less. Maybe stop trying to have it all figured out. That advice comes from someone who desperately did that once, only to crash and burn.”

“You sound like Ryan. She wants us to think about it less.”

“Is that an awful idea?”

Gabriella raised her knife and sliced clean through a red pepper in a whoosh. “Maybe not.”

“Good.” Joey pointed to the overwhelming piles of chopped vegetables. “I’m going to leave you now before the army you must be expecting arrives or I’m accidentally cleaved to death as you process your emotions via vegetable.”

“Well, at least come back later, and I’ll make it up to you with some amazing lasagna fritti. I cook my best when I’m conflicted. Knock your blond locks off.”

Joey brightened. “Suddenly, I’m feeling much better and balder.” She glanced up the hill with an exaggerated gasp. “Would you look at that? A pickup truck approaches. Must be time for someone’s workday to begin. I wonder who. Ta-ta.”

“Ta-ta?” Gabriella called as the truck drew closer. “Since when do you say ta-ta?”

“Since you canoodled with an Otter. I’ll be back in a couple of hours for that fritti.”

Gabriella swore quietly at her friend, who was enjoying this struggle way too much. As Ryan’s truck passed by en route to Tangled, Gabriella made sure to focus on the work in front of her. Not on its beautiful driver. What was next? Oh, yes, spices—and weren’t they a lot of fun? A spice party indeed. Captivating. Toss a little oregano here. “Shazam,” she called out. A bit of garlic there. “Wham.” Basil, next. “Whoopah.” All intuitive, no measurements needed. When she looked up, the truck had passed and she could breathe again. That was, until she remembered the heat level of that kiss the night before, how everything in her had woken up and reached for Ryan in the most primal form of yearning. Her knees felt it now, as communicated by their Jell-O-like state. She closed her eyes for just a moment and let her memory transport her. She remembered Ryan’s fingertips touching her cheek. Ryan’s hands cradling her face. Ryan’s tongue exploring—

“What are you thinking about?”

Gabriella’s eyes flew open, and her hand fluttered to her heart. Ryan stood in front of her looking like a jeans model. “Jesus in overalls!”

Ryan quirked an amused eyebrow. “Really? Did he wear those?”

“Listen, I don’t know. It’s the kind of thing that flies out of my mouth when someone terrifies me. They never make sense.” She exhaled slowly and felt the traitorous smile tug at the corners her mouth because Ryan was standing in front of her, and, God, she was happy to see Ryan. Too happy, but she refused to police herself right now. She couldn’t after that sizzling flashback that still had her lower body awake and paying too close attention.

“Hi back. How is your morning going?” Ryan asked. She was sunny today, which was nice, but all she wanted was for Ryan to take her in the back of Jolene before the world arrived.

“Oh, standard. Meat, veggies, knives. All the rage.”

“Well, I don’t want to interrupt, but I brought you this.” She set a coffee cup from the Biscuit in the service window. “Clementine says you take your coffee with two creams and two sugars.”

She stared at the coffee cup, touched. “Clementine is right, and you’re thoughtful.”

“Have a good day, Gabriella. I’m off to work.”

“Wait.” She craned her head through the window. “That’s it? You just stopped by to smile and drop off coffee?” There was no mention of the night before, no poring over details, or what they should do about the fact that everything felt different now.

“Exactly,” Ryan said over her shoulder, showing off those damned dimples. “Stop by when you’re done, and see what you think of the floors. They should be finished by this afternoon.”

“I will do that.” Excitement sparked…for a lot of reasons. She let herself revel in every single one of them for a change. “Oh, and