Page 41 of Turmoil's Target

Depths I find myself eager to explore, despite my better judgment.

I watch, equal parts captivated and turned on, as she moves around the kitchen with fluid grace—frying sausage links to golden brown perfection, sautéing mushrooms until tender, grilling tomato halves to a nice char.

The mouthwatering scent of the feast-to-be fills the air, making my stomach rumble in anticipation.

Damn, I could get used to this.

“Hope you’ve worked up an appetite,” Sera says as she plates up two heaping servings and carries them over to the breakfast bar. “Bon appétit!”

We dig in, and holy fuck is it good.

The flavors explode on my tongue—rich, savory, satisfying.

I practically inhale the first few bites, grunting in appreciation.

Sera watches me, a smug little smile playing about her lips. “Good?”

“Your Majesty, if you cook like this all the time, I might just have to wife you up.” The words slip out unthinkingly between mouthfuls of egg and sausage.

Her smile falters, eyes shuttering. “Don’t start.”

What the hell was I thinking?

She’s my target, and I’m just a convenient fuck to her, nothing more.

I force a cocky grin.

“Just joking. We both know I’m not the marrying kind anyway.” I stuff another forkful in my mouth to keep from saying something else stupid.

The tension broken, Sera digs into her own plate, humming contentedly.

We eat in companionable silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the food and the moment of peace.

Sera pauses, fork poised over her eggs, and looks at me thoughtfully. “You know, cooking has always been a passion of mine. Ever since I was a little girl.” Her voice takes on a wistful note. “It’s one of the things that calm me, centers me. No matter what chaos is going on in my life, I can always find peace in the kitchen. What about you?”

My mind immediately flashes to the roar of my bike beneath me, the rush of wind, the freedom of the open road.

But I can’t tell her that, not without revealing too much about my true nature.

I settle for a half-truth instead. “Riding around, I guess.” I shrug, keeping my tone casual. “I like to see the scenery, travel,check out the national parks. Just get away from it all for a while, you know?”

It’s utter bullshit, but Sera seems to buy it, nodding thoughtfully. “That sounds lovely, actually. Peaceful.”

A mischievous glint enters her eye. “We should go sometime. To a park, I mean. Go for a hike, get some fresh air...” She trails off suggestively.

An image rises unbidden in my mind—Sera in tiny shorts and a sports bra, all long legs and glistening skin as we trek through the wilderness.

I nearly choke on my toast.

“Yeah,” I manage hoarsely. “Yeah, that’d be good.”

She flashes me a playful grin, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction, then turns back to the stove to dish up the rest of the food.

“So tell me more about yourself, Abe. What’s your story?”

I hesitate, chewing slowly to buy myself time.

I can hardly give her my whole history.

---