Page 64 of Hooked On Them

Miles drifted toward the far wall where a series of my black-and-white photographs hung in simple frames. He stopped in front of one that was a tight shot of a lipstick-smeared wine glass balanced on the edge of a bathtub. In the fogged mirror behind it, the faint silhouette of a woman stood.

“Who took these?” His eyes were still fixed on the photograph.

“I did.”

His head turned, expression shifting into something I couldn’t quite read. “You’re good.”

“Try not to sound so surprised, Captain.” But underneath my sarcasm, a tiny flicker of pride sparked to life. The guy was an asshole, but he had taste.

Miles moved to another photo that was a high-contrast shot of Nora on the ice, her face captured in a moment of intense concentration as she demonstrated some skill that I had no clue about.

“When did you take this?” Miles’s fingers traced the edge of the frame, careful not to smudge the glass. The reverence in his touch made me want to snatch the photo right off the wall.

“A few days ago.” I met Nora’s eyes across the room, catching the slight curve of her lips as she watched him study her image.

Something shifted in the air between us into something more anticipatory. Miles looked from me to Nora, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his head.

“Come on.” I broke the moment, gesturing toward the stairs. “Let me show you the rest.”

“Now this looks more like what I expected,” Miles muttered as we stepped onto the second floor, and he took in the view of the river through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I headed for the refrigerator. “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll grab the cheesecake.”

“Need any help?” Nora followed me to the kitchen, and I couldn’t help but notice how naturally she moved through my space, like she belonged here.

“Just your company.” I pulled out a simple New York style cheesecake I’d picked up from the bakery down the street.

Nora’s eyes widened appreciatively. “I’m surprised there is a real cheesecake. That looks delicious.”

“Wait until you taste it.” I grabbed plates and forks, then tilted my head toward yet another staircase. “The best view is upstairs.”

I led them up the spiral staircase to my roof terrace. I popped on the string lights and turned on the electric heater that warmed the seating area. The city sprawled before us, a constellation of lights mirrored in the dark ribbon of the river.

“Okay, I hate to admit it, but this is impressive.” Miles’s shoulders finally relaxed a fraction.

“Coming from you, that’s practically a love letter.” I set the cheesecake and plates on the table that was nestled between comfortable outdoor seating.

Nora sank into one of the cushioned chairs with a little sigh of contentment that did uncomfortable things to my insides.

I busied myself with serving the cheesecake, very aware of the charged silence that had fallen over us. The knife sliced cleanly through creamy perfection, and I definitely wasn’t thinking about how Nora’s eyes followed my every movement.

She picked up her fork, and the soft clink of metal on ceramic broke the quiet. The city lights sparkled behind her like a backdrop designed specifically for this moment, and I wished I had my camera with me.

Then she took her first bite and let out a soft moan that shot straight through me, scrambling what few coherent thoughts I had left. “This is so good.”

The way her eyes fluttered closed made me grip my own fork a little tighter. Watching her savor that first taste with such uninhibited pleasure was doing dangerous things to my already questionable judgment.

“I know, right?” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her lips. “The bakery won’t tell me their secret, no matter how much I offer to invest.”

“Maybe you should offer to take photographs for them.” Miles was already halfway done with his slice.

“I’ve done that already, and it gets me one free cheesecake a week.” I patted my stomach. “That’s why I don’t have abs.”

“Abs are overrated anyway. Too much broccoli is required.” Nora did a little wiggle dance in her seat as she took another bite, and I couldn’t tell if it was because she was cold or because she was enjoying the cheesecake so much.

A tiny smudge of cheesecake lingered at the corner of her mouth, and the opportunity was too perfect to resist. “You’ve got something…” I leaned in, brushing my thumb slowly over the corner of her lips. I brought my thumb to my mouth and licked it clean, maintaining eye contact. “Delicious.”

Her eyes widened and the air between us crackled with electricity. I flicked my gaze toward Miles, expecting annoyance but found something else entirely. His jaw was tight, but his eyes were dark with an unmistakable heat.

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