Page 14 of My Sweetest Temptation

He caught the pepperoni mid-air and stuffed it into his mouth. “Please, please, pretty please, Winter,” he shot back.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re such a dick”

“That’s right, baby,” he replied, leaning over to steal another slice and kissing my cheek. “But you like my dick.”

“That’s just... I don’t even know what that is,” I muttered. “That’s gross.” I paused, trying to decide how to respond. “Yeah, that’s just gross, Liam.”

He took a step back, laughing so loudly that I wouldn’t have been shocked if the other neighbors decided to come over and complain about the noise. Just as Liam was about to make a comeback, his phone repeatedly dinged with notifications.

“Oh, my God! I told you!” I placed my hands on my hips like a mother ready to scold a child. “If you’re going to stay and help, the phone needs to go.”

“Help?” he replied, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “No, baby girl. I only came here for the food.” He winked, answering his phone and strutting out of the kitchen.

Moments like these reminded me how effortlessly Liam could lighten my load, even for a day, just like Kara used to. It sometimes made me think of Kara and how I missed her like crazy. I often found myself wondering how she was doing and if she had found a way to deal with my supposed sudden death. It pained me to think of what must have gone through her mind after hearing the news.

I sometimes wondered if he could read my thoughts like he was looking into a crystal ball. Whatever the reason, I was not going to question it. I’d take it and be glad to have found a friend in Liam.

I spent the last two hours wide awake, gazing at the textured popcorn ceiling, my mind consumed by thoughts of my parents’ deaths and of Uncle Malik. He had been checking in monthly, but it was near the end of the month and I had yet to hear from him. I prayed that the men who killed my parents had not found him. “Please, Uncle Malik,” I whispered into the stillness of my room as if my words could somehow reach him. “Just let me know you’re okay.”

The alarm blared, and I turned to check the time—six a.m.

With a heavy sigh, I threw off the covers, and the cool air hit my skin, waking me up a little more. Stretching out the tension in my body, I chose a pair of dark blue jeans and a stylish off-the-shoulder cream sweater and then took a shower. After I was done, I entered the kitchen, where I flicked on my Bluetooth radio and connected it to my phone. I selected my favorite morning-mix playlist, and gathered flour, eggs, milk, and butter for pancake batter.

Just as I started measuring the flour, there was a knock at the door. I paused and set down the measuring cup and walked to the door. Standing on my tiptoes, I peeked through the peephole but didn’t see anything. I slid the chain off the lock, swung the door open, and stuck my head into the dimly lit hall. When I still didn’t see anyone, I shut the door and headed straight back to the kitchen and grabbed a few strips of thick-cut bacon from the refrigerator. I placed the bacon slices onto the hot skillet while I combined the ingredients for the pancake batter. Using a ladle, I carefully poured small circles of batter into the pan.

I stood in place and swung my hips to “Workin’ on a World” by Iris DeMent. I flipped the pancakes one last time and placed them alongside the crispy bacon.

After turning around to place the plate on the table, I let out a startled scream and threw the spatula at the intruder standing in my kitchen. He ducked just in time. “What the hell, Liam!” I exclaimed, gripping the counter behind me to steady myself. My heart was racing like I’d just spotted Michael Myers.

Liam burst into laughter, clearly enjoying that he almost gave me a heart attack. “Jesus, Winter. You scared the hell out of me!” he said, still laughing.

“Me?!” I gaped at him, my eyebrows shooting up. “How did you even get in here?”

“Your door was unlocked. I knocked a few times, but you were too busy shaking your ass to the music to hear me,” he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my smile. “Well, next time, knock louder or send me a text message.” I paused, glancing at the plate of pancakes and bacon. “Since you’re here, would you like to join me for breakfast?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” He smirked and pulled out a chair.

I sat across from him, my heart still racing a little as I picked up my fork. I pierced the pancake, and the moment it touched my tongue, the warm, buttery flavor exploded in my mouth, a comforting reminder of weekends spent in the kitchen with Mom, whipping up massive breakfasts just because we could. Cooking was her passion, but as the delicious memories washed over me, a familiar ache settled in my chest; missing her felt like a knife that twisted deeper and deeper. The pain threatened to overwhelm me, and I fought back the urge to curl up and cry. Thankfully, Liam seemed to sense the shift in my mood.

Clearing his throat, he said, “I actually came over for a reason, not just to eat your delicious food.”

“Okay, what’s up?” I asked, attempting to mask my discomfort.

“I was wondering if you’d be willing to teach my buddy’s niece how to play the violin. She’s been really wanting to get into music, and that’s the instrument she’s set her sights on. Do you think you’d have the time to teach her?”

I would love to!” I bounced in my seat, earning a chuckle from him.

“Cool,” he said casually, pushing up from the table and stretching his arms. He picked up his plate and juice glass, rinsing them in the sink.

Out of the blue, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and leaned down to plant a light, brotherly kiss on my head.

“Thanks, Winter. You’re the best. Seriously, breakfast was amazing. It’s on me for next time.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” I winked at him.

As he headed toward the door, he paused and turned back, that familiar playful grin lighting up his face. “Oh, and don’t forget to lock up when you leave!” he called out. “You never know what kind of crazies might just walk in.”

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