Page 22 of Claimed By my Frenemy

“So what?” Theo prompts, and my eyes fly back up to his face.

“So… in shape,” I finish lamely, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks.

Theo chuckles, the sound warm and rich. “I make time to work out. It’s a good way to relieve stress, especially when the stress is your neighbor who won’t sell.”

I glare at him. “Don’t bring that up. Just don’t.”

Theo runs his tongue across his teeth and shrugs. I turn back to the stove, pouring the beaten eggs into the hot skillet. “Well, you could add cooking to your stress relief activities. It’s actually quite therapeutic. Have you ever tried it?”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Theo says, moving closer to peer over my shoulder. “That smells amazing already.”

I can feel the heat of his body close to me, and I want him to wrap his arms around me and kiss me like he did the other day. It takes all my self-control not to do it myself.

There’s a hint of sweat on him, but under that, there’s something even stronger- a poignant aftershave or cologne smell that I want to bury my nose in.

I stiffen, waiting for him to make a move, either closer to me or away from me. He brushes my elbow, and then, he’s on the other side of the counter again. I let out a long, low breath and try to get back to the teasing banter we were exchanging before.

“Just wait, and you’ll see. Patience goes a long way.”

“Is that your motto for life?”

I smile, sprinkling the chopped peppers and cheese over the eggs. “Maybe it is. You have to put in the effort for things to turn out right.”

Theo leans against the counter again. I know because I can’t help but glance at him out of the corner of my eye, watching me with a thoughtful expression. “I guess I’ve always been more about quick results. Maybe I need to rethink that.”

I pick at the edge of the omelet with the spatula, trying to see if it’s ready to flip or not. “Maybe you do. Or maybe you just need to learn that some things are worth the wait. You can’t just have everything you want when you want it because you have money.”

I wince after saying it. That was a bit harsh, but it’s how I’ve felt ever since Theo first showed up on my doorstep with his offer. I felt like he was used to getting what he wanted, and he expected me to bend over and say “yes, sir” just because he could pay me cash.

I flip the omelet, pleased with how it’s turning out so far. Then, I sneak a glance at Theo. I can feel Theo’s gaze on me, more intense now. I can’t quite read his expression, but there’s something there. I just don’t know him well enough to understand what.

“You’re thinking. That’s a dangerous thing,” I comment, trying to be playful instead of critical.

Theo smiles, and I like the way it makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. “Oh, I think I’m pretty dangerous no matter what I’m doing.”

I slide the finished omelet onto a plate and hand it to him. “Here, try this. And be honest. If it’s terrible, I’ll know you’re just trying to be nice.”

Theo takes a bite, and his eyes widen. “This is really good, Mia. I mean, really good. I think that cheese you added did the trick.”

I smile, feeling a warmth spread through me at his praise. “Thanks. It’s just an omelet, though. I didn’t make, like, crème brûlée or something.”

“Well, my eggs don’t taste like this. So, you either bought better eggs than me or you know how to cook better than me.”

I’m working on my omelet now, so I can hide my smile from Theo pretty easily. Maybe it’s a mistake. Maybe it’s something I should stop, but I feel as comfortable with him right now as I did before when we dated.

I’m definitely the most comfortable around him I’ve been since he showed up on my doorstep.

“I guess I should stop eating if I want to be able to eat with you.”

“If you’re hungry, go ahead. That is the only bad thing about making omelets. They’re only ready one at a time.”

But when I half-turn and glance at Theo, he’s stopped eating and is watching me again. I feel a prickle down my spine at the thought of his eyes on me. Is he looking at my ass? Or am I imagining things?

When mine is ready, I nod toward the dining room table, and we both take our plates in there.

“Can I get you anything else?” I ask as we settle into our chairs. He sits at the head of the table, and I sit on his left.

“No, this looks great.”

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