Page 256 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
She bites her lip. “Two weeks. That feels like a very long time.”
“At least the kitchen is functional. I’m happy to share my office with you if you need a place to escape every once in a while.”
Tatum’s eyes lift to mine, her expression playful. “I’m sorry, what was that? Did I just hear Lennox Hawthorne offering to help me?”
I roll my eyes. “You better get used to it. I have a feeling it’ll be happening a lot more frequently.”
She grins. “Does that mean I’ll get all the best asparagus?”
“I won that asparagus fair and square, Elliott. It’s not my fault you’re terrible at Rock, Paper, Scissors. I did offer to cook for you though. I think that was pretty nice.”
“I still think you cheated at Rock, Paper, Scissors.” She tucks her hands under her arms and shivers the tiniest bit. “And actually, you already cooked for me.”
“Sandwiches at Mom’s don’t count.”
“Those were delicious sandwiches, but I didn’t say they did. I ordered a couple of entrees from Hawthorne the other night. The filet mignon and the pork tenderloin.”
“Smart choices,” I say, sounding more chill than I feel. Tatum ate my food? Did she like it? Was she impressed?
Had I known I was preparing something for her, I would have taken extra care. “Those are two of my favorite dishes.”
“I guessed they probably were,” she says.
Nerves tighten my throat as I ask, “What did you think?”
She holds my gaze for a long moment. “Everything was perfect, Lennox.Of courseit was perfect.”
There is nothing but sincerity in her words, and the praise fills me with a sense of pleasure and satisfaction I’ve never experienced before. It’s always rewarding to know people enjoy what I create. But this feels different somehow—more meaningful.
I lift my hand and finger the edge of Tatum’s scarf—my scarf.It’s wound loosely around her throat, but she still looks cold, her nose tinged pink and her cheeks flushed. “Tatum, where is your coat?”
She shrugs. “I don’t have one.”
“You don’t have a coat? Any coat?”
“It doesn’t get cold like this in California. And you said yourself this weather is unusual for Spring. I figured I’d get something in time fornextwinter.”
I slide my hand down her arm and grab her hand, lacing her fingers through mine. “Come on,” I say as I tug her toward my office.
I leave her standing by my office door while I go inside and pull my black puffy jacket off the hook on the back of the door. I prop my phone up on the bookshelf and angle it toward the floor so we still have some light, without it shining right in our eyes. I hold out the jacket. “Here. Put this on.”
She makes no move to take it. “You promise you don’t need it?”
I look down at my heavy wool coat. “This one has me covered.”
“Right,” she says, looking a little flustered. “Of course it does.”
I open the jacket and motion for her to turn so she can put it on. “I hike in this one,” I say as she slips her hands inside. “It should keep you plenty warm.”
She turns back to face me, and I pick up the hem of the jacket to zip it up. It’s ridiculously big on her. Her hands don’t show through the sleeves, and it hangs well past her waist. But she looks cute in it anyway, and not just because I like the look of her in my clothes.
“Thanks,” she says softly. “Itiswarm.” She lifts a hand and reaches over to touch me, her hand sliding down the front of my chest, and my breath catches in my throat. I’ve never been so irritated to be wearing so many layers.
“I like this coat on you,” she says slowly, her fingers lingering over the buttons.
My heart races at the contact. This is . . . different.Gooddifferent. More intentional than any of the other times we’ve touched. Excluding the whole bear episode, but I’m not sure that counts because she was freaking out and I was comforting her.
Now I’m the one freaking out.
