Page 37 of Craving Their Omega

“Horrible,” Dominic says. “Absolutely awful.”

“You said you wanted to see what I would make!”

“I thought it was going to be something normal. Something humans eat.”

“I’m human,” I point out. “And I eat this all the time.”

He makes a face, but there’s something curious there too. He’s intrigued.

“I thought you were a baker,” Xavier points out. “Aren’t you supposed to make good food?”

“Well, baking and cooking are two different things.” I shoot a dirty look at the trash can that holds the failed breakfast I tried to make. “But this is good, I promise. The peanut butter adds this creamy richness and then the pickle brine cuts through the fat of it. You just have to trust me.” I give him my most winning smile, and he laughs.

“I can think of better things to pair with peanut butter,” Tristan says, speaking up for the first time. “Like jelly.”

“Jelly,” Dominic agrees. “Also acidic, also cuts through the fat.”

“Boring,” I say, grinning. “Played out. Uninspired.”

“Normal. A classic for a reason,” Dominic fires back.

His tone is light, and it’s incredible how we’re standing here in our shared kitchen, bantering over peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. Just a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn’t have even felt confident telling them what I like to eat, let alone making it for them. Maybe things are shifting, changing for the better between us.

At the very least, we’re learning how to get along now that we’re sharing space together. That’s something.

I place four sandwiches on the plates I was going to use for omelets and then look at each of the men in turn. “Are you going to try it?” I ask.

Surprisingly, Dominic is the one who steps up first. “Fine, all right. Can’t have it be said that I backed down from a fucking sandwich.” He takes it and takes a decisive bite. His face doesn’t change, but his shoulders move down from the almost defensive position they were in before. “Not as terrible as it could be,” is his verdict.

Xavier goes next, and he takes a smaller bite, chews and then swallows. “That’s… .interesting,” he allows. “Not bad.”

We all look at Tristan next, and it’s not really a surprise when he just turns and leaves the kitchen, not even touching his sandwich.

I go to put away the ingredients and finish cleaning up the mess of the kitchen, and then I head upstairs to change into something that doesn’t have bits of egg stuck to it and the scent of burnt vegetables clinging to the fabric.

When I come back down the stairs and go to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, the plate with Tristan’s sandwich is empty.

I smile to myself, hoping he tried it and at least didn’t hate it.

Chapter 14

Penelope

I glance up quickly from Tristan’s empty plate as Dominic comes striding into the kitchen, dressed in his usual work suit. He conveys power and authority, just by walking into the room, and I have to swallow hard to keep from staring at him.

“Are you ready to go?” he asks.

I see him like this at work all the time, but it’s different when it’s just us here at the house, and there’s no buffer of the boss/employee relationship to fall back on.

“Y-yes,” I manage to say without sounding like a complete idiot.

“We’re all riding together, aren’t we?” Xavier says. He comes walking in next, buttoning the cuffs on his shirt before shrugging into his jacket.

“May as well, since we’re going to the same place,” Dominic agrees.

“Jonas is bringing the car around,” Tristan says he walks past, not giving any of us a second look.

We head outside, just in time to see Jonas pull up the driveway and hop out to get the doors.

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