Page 77 of Simply Yours

“Jason, breathe,” she murmured, her tone coaxing, soothing. She reached across the counter, brushing her floured fingertips over the back of his tensed hand. “Close your eyes. Feel the dough.”

He stared at her, dubious.

She arched a brow, daring him.

With a dramatic sigh, he obeyed, squeezing his eyes shut and laying his hands over the mound of dough. A beat of silence passed. Then?—

“It feels like a lumpy butt.”

Caitlin snorted so hard she nearly doubled over. “What is it with you Baird men?” she laughed. “You guys are obsessed with women’s?—”

“Just me,” Jason interrupted smoothly.

“And Matthew.”

His eyes snapped open, narrowing. “He better not be obsessed withyour butt.”

Caitlin rolled her eyes. “He’snot, you caveman. He’s a friend. So relax, and get that look off your face.”

Jason muttered something unintelligible, still glaring at the dough as though it had personally betrayed him. “Luke’s not obsessed with any girls yet. He’s too young…” He trailed off, then caught the mischievous glint in Caitlin’s eye. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

She smirked. “Seriously?”

Jason’s face twisted in suspicion. “Is he?”

“I’m not blabbing,” Caitlin said, shaking her head. “Fine, we’ll do this differently. Close your eyes again. Feel the dough, the bread butt or whatever you’re calling it, and just roll the loaf gently, working it and?—”

She stopped abruptly at the sharppopthat echoed through the kitchen. One eye cracked open just in time to catch Jason’s wide, mischievous grin.

“…Did you justspankthe bread?” Caitlin demanded, utterly appalled.

Jason’s smirk deepened. “Mary Dough is a bad girl.” And to prove his point, he patted the jiggling loaf once more, watching it wobble precariously on the counter.

Caitlin’s jaw dropped. “You’redone,” she huffed, exasperation bleeding into her voice.

“This was just getting fun.” Jason pouted.

“You are apervert.”

“Nahh. I’m a red-blooded farm boy.”

“You justspankeda blob of sourdough.”

“Yeah.So?” He shrugged, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes—heknewexactly what he was doing.

“So?You do not spank the dough!”

“It jiggled the right way.”

Caitlin exhaled sharply, shaking her head as she worked the dough beneath her fingers. “Oh my gosh, you are hopeless.”

Jason, standing beside her at the counter, kneading his own lump of dough with questionable effort, gave her an innocent look—too innocent. “I’m listening to you and the dough…” he defended, voice laced with feigned sincerity.

Caitlin narrowed her eyes, barely holding back a grin. “Oh yeah? And what did I say? What didthe doughsay?”

Jason’s lips twitched with mischief as he turned slightly, sticking out his rear in an exaggerated pose. “You said to close my eyes and feel the dough—and the dough said, ‘check out these amazing buns…’”

He wiggled his hips, the denim of his jeans stretching over his toned backside, and Caitlin lost it. Laughter tore out of her, wild and unchecked, as she doubled over, gripping the edge of the counter for support. Jason winked at her, looking far too pleased with himself as he nudged her shoulder playfully.

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