Page 17 of Totally Off Limits

“Kitchen’s all yours.”

“Let’s cook together.”

“Only if you want to see how badly I suck at this.”

Mickey grinned, causing his ebony eyes to gleam. “I’d watch you do just about anything, Sierra Hayden.”

She believed that.

CHAPTER6

Mickey’s estimate of half an hour to dinner had been right on the money and the three of them were sitting down to a delicious meal, despite Sierra’s earlier efforts that had fallen short. While Mickey had put the beef in a mixing bowl and started pouring all manner of seasonings in, he had Sierra chopping half an onion, something she couldn’t mess up. Then he’d thrown that in the bowl along with an egg, a couple of slices of torn bread, and a generous helping of the Worcestershire sauce he’d found in the refrigerator. With that mixture, he made patties that he cooked to perfection. With all the ingredients he located around her kitchen, he made a gravy as well.

Now, sitting at the table while cutting up a patty for Mia, Sierra actually felt hungry.

This was not her mother’s type of meal…but that maybe made it all the more appetizing.

“I’m impressed, Mickey.”

“Don’t be.”

“Seriously, I am. I had no idea I had the makings for this meal.”

“You already had most of the meal made.”

“Not really.” It was true, yet Mickey just shook his head while buttering the potato she’d managed to overcook. Sierra said, “Where’d you learn to cook like that? Do you watch cooking shows or something?”

“Once in a while. But when I was a kid, I had to cook for my old man. I’d get home from school and have to have dinner made before he got home from work.”

“Wow. When did you start doing that?”

Raising his eyebrows before taking a helping of salad out of the bowl, he said, “Probably too early. Fourth or fifth grade.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I made simple stuff at first. You know…like biscuits and gravy, soup made out of ramen noodles, chili. I had a few dishes I made a lot, but by the time I was older, my dad started bitching about eating the same shi—stuffover and over, so I had to get creative.”

“It paid off.”

“I used to think I didn’t like cooking, but that was only ‘cause my dad didn’t actually appreciate it. Eating road food all the time made me feel like I was gonna die—so I try to eat homecooked whenever I can.”

“Will it be hard while you’re here in Winchester?”

“No. Johnny’s got a huge kitchen and, now that all the fun has died down, I can use it.”

“I bet the guys love having you around.”

“Not even. Theywantpizza and hot dogs. Don’t get me wrong. I love a good pizza—but I can’t eat that crap all the time.”

Mia’s food finally prepared, Sierra got started on fixing her own plate. “So you’re not staying in a hotel?”

“No. Johnny’s got a huge cabin west of here.Cabinmakes it sound small but it’s not. It’s probably as big as your parents’ place.”

“You forget. I was there for the wedding, remember?”

Mickey laughed. “Oh, yeah. But the interior’s bigger than it looks from the outside.”

As Sierra poured dressing on her salad, she asked, “Did you want a beer or something?”

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