Page 49 of A Sudden Romance

CHAPTER 12

Handling a knife when acting like a lovesick teenager wasn’t smart. Iris paused her slicing motions to steal a glance at Sabastian cracking eggs.

He winked, a smile crinkling the corners of his lips. “How are the strawberries coming along?”

Her gaze flickered to his lips, now a warm berry color. Sensual. Would they taste like strawberries? She bit her lower lip to keep it from twitching. Focus. Strawberries.

“They are.” She faced the board, then lifted the knife to the half-sliced berry, her hand shaky. The blade connected with her index finger.

“Ouch.” It stung. She dropped the knife.

“Oh no!” Sabastian grasped her bleeding hand and led her to the sink. “I should’ve known better than to hand you a knife.”

She doubted it was a deep cut since it didn’t make her feel woozy, but she loved him fussing over her, his fingers massaging hers as he turned on the water to cleanse the injured finger. Using antibacterial soap, he washed it before reaching for the first aid box and pulling out a soft washcloth. Then he scooped her up and plopped her to sit on the counter.

With his arms around her, he seemed to forget her finger. His cheek brushed hers, her heartbeat stuttered, and she imagined his sharp inhale before his breath feathered over her. He drew away slowly—oh-so-deliciously slowly, the graze of his skin against hers leaving her woozy in a way no cut finger could.

Stepping back, he kept his hands on her hips as if to balance her. With his head still ducked, his spiky hair tickled her neck. The heat from his hands burned through her sweats as he adjusted his grip. Seconds passed before he let out a shuddering breath, raised his head, winked, and nodded to her finger. “I finally get to use the first aid box.”

He stepped back, reached for the cloth and her hand, and held it to the wound, applying pressure until the bleeding stopped.

“How are you feeling?” he asked when he assessed the damage.

“Never been better.”

A crooked grin crinkled up his cheeks. He didn’t wear his chef coat today, and his jeans brushed against her sweats, making her aware of how closely his legs bracketed hers. “Is that why you’re smiling?”

She nodded, the air crackling between them.

His hand lifted. His thumb swept across her cheek, leaving a trail of heat. His broad chest rose, then fell beneath his gray T-shirt.

Voices murmuring in the family room reminded her Mom and Dad were nearby. Saturday mornings, they usually worked out together.

Sabastian must have heard the voices too since he slid his hand from her cheek and stepped back. “Let’s get a Band-Aid.”

She swallowed. While she didn’t need attention from her family, she enjoyed it from Sabastian. Maybe she’d better stay still for a while. No way were her feet capable of standing. Not yet at least. “I–I’m a bit dizzier than I thought,” she confessed.

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