Page 45 of In Search of a Husband
“Never met a fowl I hated more.” He picked up one of the discarded tarts and took a large bite.
She turned toward him fully, crossing her arms and fighting off a laugh. “I was missing something from that batch. Sour milk, I believe.”
He nodded, wriggling his eyebrows as he struggled to chew the thick crust.
“How long have ye beenattemptingto bake for?”
She grabbed a handful of flour and tossed it at his shirt. Instead of driving him away, it drew him closer.
“Since the girls went to bed.”
He checked the timepiece in his vest, then snapped it shut. “That was nearly six hours ago if they went to bed when they were supposed to.”
“They miss their parents. And I thought…”
He stood beside her, his large hands braced on the flour-covered work surface. Kate had always been the tall friend, and she had towered over her brothers. Most days, she hated her height and how it made her less dainty or whatever it was that London debutantes were praised for. So to stand beside this gentle giant, there was comfort there.
And she felt at ease.
“They were terrible today, Gabriel, and I don’t know what I’m doing. I thought, if I could bake them a treat like their mother would have, it would help. However silly that is…”
Her voice trailed off as his hand reached out and bumped under her chin, drawing her attention up to his eyes. Fierce eyes, yet patient and warm.
She could fall into them and the wave of peace that washed over her after such a long day. Knowing that if she fell, he would be there in the doorway, waiting to help. Even if he didn’t say as much. Even though his world seemed far busier than hers.
“Can I show ye the secret to good shortbread?”
She licked her lips, her attention still drawn to his handsome face. Her chest felt full, and suddenly she was a little dizzy and warm. Perhaps it was because she had been baking for so long.
“You know how to bake?”
“I ken how to make shortbread. Their mother learned from mine.”
She attempted to speak, but the words stuck. She cleared her throat and decided instead to nod. She didn’t trust herself not to muck things up further.
When he dropped his hand, she was sorry for the absence of his touch. Though it was for the best. She had given in once, and it hadlanded her here in this kitchen, alone with him. To fall into his embrace, to kiss him, to do anything other than mind to the girls’ education would go against her original intentions.
But that warring sense of following her heart or being cruel to herself was louder than ever standing beside Gabriel.
Kate couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to touch him freely, to fall into his arms, to lie there as his hands roamed over her body…
She felt the heat of her flushed cheeks and shook her head, forgetting about her flour-covered fingers.
“Wait,” he commanded as she stepped away, his voice ragged.
Kate grabbed the bowl of apple filling, best to keep her hands occupied since her mind couldn’t behave itself. The more space between them…
“What did I just eat?”
“A tart.”
Right, she set the bowl down and grabbed a plate of hard cookies, then tossed one at his chest. It predictably bounced off and skidded across the stone floor toward Oscar. The dog raised its head and smelled the cookie, then plopped its head back down to snooze.
Gabriel tilted his head, challenge blazing in his eyes. She crossed her arms, lifting her nose. Kate never said she was excellent at baking, but she enjoyed it. And tonight’s baking was more out of necessity than for pleasure.
He lifted a burned cookie in his hand, squaring off against her.
“Don’t you dare, Gabriel MacInnes!”
