Page 64 of A Perfect Match
“Irrelevant?”Kru asks with a laugh.
“Yes!Like, sesame seeds and petrified mustard powder, but not even a whiff of paprika, oregano or, I don’t know, pepper?Who is this man?”
“You haven’t been cooking much either, I take it,” he muses.
“Well, it’s easy to avoid cooking when a chef opens up shop next to you,” I say.“Besides, Griff normally hires his meals out during the season, which just started.”
Kru lifts his brow.“Wow.Private chef level.That’s nice.”
“You ever wanted to go the private chef route?”I ask as he hands over the paprika.I get to measuring.
“I thought about it.Wouldn’t be a bad gig, honestly.But a restaurant was always the dream with my dad.”Kru smiles and crosses his arms as he watches me finish up the dishes that were waiting on the paprika.
“Your dad would be so proud of your place,” I tell him as I pass him the jar.“I know I never met him, but I just know he would be.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners again.He hooks his arm around my shoulders and smashes me against him in a hug.“Aw, thanks, Pipefitter.”
“No problem, Motley Kru.”
The laughter that rumbles through his chest feels like a balm.I slide my arms around his thick torso and nestle against him.God, this feels good.
“I should let you get back to cooking,” he says into the top of my head.
“Yeah.Don’t you have a restaurant that’s open right now?”I don’t let go of him though.
“Brady’s working on handling the slower hours solo to see how he does.That gives me a chance to take a quick break.I haven’t gotten any emergency calls yet, which I’m taking as a good sign.”
I squeeze my arms a little tighter around him.“Maybe you can just stay here until you get that emergency call then.”
He takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping my head back until our gazes lock.His caramel brown eyes are so deep, so mesmerizing.When he cocks a grin, I almost lose it.This man is too attractive.
I need him inside me.Again.
And my brother isn’t due home for at least another hour, so this all works out perfectly.
“Come on.What do you think?”I snake a hand between our bodies, seeking the front of his pants.I rub my hand over his bulge so he gets the message.He grunts, rocking his hips against my hand.
“Maven.You are insatiable.”He coaxes a sloppy, sexy kiss from my lips and then he grabs me by the hips, popping me onto the countertop.I wriggle my hips, pushing the cutting board off to the side.
“And you aren’t?”I retort.
He scans the kitchen, reaching for the butcher knife on the cutting board.He flips my apron off to the side and pins the hem to the cutting board with the knife with a loudTHWACK.His evil grin tells me all I need to know.
“That’s calledmise en place,” he says.“Everything needs to be in the correct place before beginning.All tools and ingredients within easy reach.”
“And my vagina is one of the ingredients?”I ask with a laugh.
“Correct.The absolute backbone of the dish.”
We both burst into laughter.My forehead drops to his shoulder as his hands snake along my waist under the apron, tugging at the waist of my leggings.His fingers skate hot and exploring along my bare waist, sending shivers along my spine.
“God, you’re a dream,” I murmur as his hands push up beneath my bra.“Just don’t cut this bra off, okay?It’s my favorite.”
“Heard,” he whispers, just as he covers my mouth with his.He kisses me slowly and carefully.Like he’s memorizing the experience and also savoring it.Every inch of my body is tingling when the kiss ends, and I clutch at the front of his shirt, drawing deep breaths.
“You are such a good kisser,” I admit.
“So are you,” he whispers into my ear before nibbling at my lobe.More electricity.I squeeze my legs together.Damn, he knows how to get me riled up in no time flat.
