Page 41 of Safe With Me

“Nah,” he said, his gaze traveling up the stairs behind him. “Since my cousin Emma started high school, she’s too busy to see Keely like she used to. She’s excited to have a girl to hang out with today.”

I spotted a white dot on his cheek when he nodded up the stairs.

“Wait,” I said, smothering a laugh as I came closer. “I think you have some flour on your face,” I said, reaching up to brush it off with my finger on instinct.

A shy smile danced across his mouth. His skin was smooth even with the prickle of short stubble. He wrapped his hand around my wrist and glanced at my finger, a laugh rumbling through his chest. Tingles from where his callused finger grazed my skin rushed up my arm.

“I’m sure there’s some in my hair too. I should have warned you before you came that you’ll be covered in flour when you leave. Keely and I are very messy chefs.”

Sure enough, I spied flour on his temple and the edge of his sleeve. I’d thought Mike in uniform was too attractive to handle. The sight of him in a threadbare white T-shirt and sweat shorts with flour all over him was as adorable as it was disarmingly sexy.

My body lit up again after I’d spent the last two hours talking it down. My eyes fell to where he kept hold of my wrist. He let it go after an awkward second and motioned for me to go in front of him.

I exhaled a relieved breath at not having to stare at his perfect ass for a flight of stairs.

“Hi, Layla!” Keely waved from Mike’s open apartment door.

“Lila,” Mike corrected. “And this is Keely.” Mike shook his head as he tugged on her ponytail.

“Is your name Delilah? I have a friend we call Lila, but her full name is Delilah.”

“Yep, but no one calls me Delilah unless I’m in trouble.” Keely giggled when I pressed my finger to my lips.

She had her brother’s blue eyes, but her petite features and chestnut hair reminded me of Jake’s wife, Peyton. Peyton had stopped by the office a few times to see Jake, but this was the first time I’d ever met Keely.

“We only made the dough, but now we can get into the fun stuff,” she said, rubbing her flour-covered hands together before grabbing my hand. “Come in,” she said and dragged me behind her.

I glanced back at Mike’s smirk as he followed us inside. One white-coated lock of hair fell in front of his eyes as he shut the door behind him.

I had the urge to run out into the rain to cool off.

“Mike and I made station bowls. We have mozzarella, sauce, pepperoni, and mushrooms. But you know that’s not the order.” I held in a laugh when she lifted a brow at me.

“I’ll follow your lead if that’s okay.”

I took a seat at Mike’s kitchen table, taking a quick scan of the space. The kitchen was a decent size for such a small apartment. He had a futon that I assumed doubled as a couch and bed, with a dresser against the wall and a small bathroom in the corner.

“It’s pretty bad outside,” Keely said, kneeling on the chair on the opposite side of the table. “I’m probably going to have to sleep over.”

“We’ll see, K,” Mike said, settling in the chair next to me.

“Mommy and Daddy have to smiggle with Daddy’s customers today.”

“They have tomingle,” Mike said, holding back a laugh.

“Whatever. They’ll be too tired to drive in the rain to get me, and you’ll be tired from all the baking.” Keely took a spoonful of marinara sauce and gingerly spread it over one of the circles of dough.

“She’s always pushing to sleep over. I have no idea why she loves the blow-up mattress so much.”

“Because that way, our day is longer,” she told him with a little eye roll.

“If I’m not careful, she’ll try to move in,” Mike whispered to me. “Come on.” He tapped my knee. “If you want to eat, you have to help.”

“That’s the deal,” Keely said with a slow nod.

“Well, okay then.” I moved one of the dough balls in front of me, sprinkling a little flour and flattening it out before I reached for the spoon of sauce.

“You work for my dad, right?” Keely asked.

---