Page 14 of Fool Me Once

Cain turned toward her andcarefully put the frying pan into the sink.

“Leah,” he said.

“Cain,” she said.

“You’re home.”

“And you’re attempting toburn it down?” she asked.

“I am not attempting to doanything of the sort. I am attempting to make dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Yes, dinner. You know,for you to enjoy.”

Leah stared at him for afew seconds, because she couldn’t quite comprehend what he was saying, and thenit was like something clicked inside her brain, and she knew what he was tryingto say.

“You’re trying to cook medinner?” she asked.

She glanced around thekitchen, and knew Frank, his chef, was not going to be pleased. Not that he’dsay anything to his boss. No one would dare disagree with Cain. She couldn’tblame them. This man was scary, and he didn’t even need to try.

“Yes.”

“What are you trying tocook?” she asked.

From the smell, she wouldguess garbage, but again, she didn’t say anything.

Cain looked at her, and hewasn’t entertained. “Are you even hungry, or did you sneak in some food while…”He trailed off without finishing his sentence.

Leah couldn’t help butsmile. “Your guy wasn’t inconspicuous to me, but then I know what I’m lookingfor.” She stepped into the kitchen and rolled up her sleeve. “I am starving,but I’m not that desperate for food that I’d be willing to eat it, so how aboutI take over?” she asked.

She’d never seen Cain moveso fast. It was cute, but she refused to let him see that. She was still mad athim, and none of that was going to change anytime soon. Ignoring him, shestepped up to the kitchen counter, and it looked like he’d burnt every singlevegetable they owned at that point.

Capsicum were soft andburnt to within an inch of their life. If vegetables could talk, she had ahorrible feeling they would be screaming abuse and neglect.

This wasn’t good, but itwasn’t terrible, until she went to the fridge. He’d emptied the fridge ofeverything but cheese and a jar of pickles.

Pulling out her cellphone, she made a quick text to Frank, to let him know he was going to need todo a lot of shopping before he came into work. After that, she gathered the fewingredients that were left, and she saw he’d also left the bread Frank bakedyesterday.

Cain had turned into arather fussy eater, and he preferred home-baked bread, along with many otherhomemade items. Not that she was complaining. Frank was an amazing baker. Sure,he hated baking bread, but he loved his job a lot more than complaining aboutit.

“What are you doing?” Cainasked.

“The only thing left todo. You’ve not given me much to work with.” She rolled her eyes, but she alsofelt charmed by him.

Slathering the bread withbutter, pickle, and then thick slices of cheese, she cut them on the diagonaland handed him a plate. She did the same with her own, grabbed a few snacksfrom the pantry, and carried them through to the main dining room table. Thestench in the kitchen was a little overpowering. She had no idea what heattempted to cook, or what he hoped to do to it. Either way, she wasn’tinterested in finding out.

It was kind of a relief tostep back into his home, to find him in some sort of disaster. She didn’t haveto think about him storming out on her as ifshe’ddone something wrong,like after her first sexual experience, which she was not interested inrepeating.

Taking a bite of hersandwich, she couldn’t help but close her eyes. This may be simple, but it wasdelicious, and right now, it did hit all the right spots. She took anotherbite, and after about four bites, one of her sandwiches was gone. She hadn’teven realized how hungry she was until she began eating.

“I think we should talk,”Cain said.

Leah shook her head. “No.What happened, happened. We can’t change it, and I don’t want to stand aroundtalking about it either. I want to forget it, and the only way to do that is tomove on. I can pretend it didn’t happen. So can you.”

It wasn’t exactly arequest but more like an order for him to understand. She didn’t want to haveto talk about what happened between them. The truth was, it was too painful.The whole experience on a physical level as well as an emotional one. He didn’teven realize the level of rejection he’d given her by his dirty look, but alsoby leaving.

“No,” Cain said, and ittook her aback.

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