Page 297 of The Maxwell Brothers
I watched her intently while I took off one cuff link and then the other.
“Damn, I already want to jump you. But I won’t do any such thing. I have a mission for today. We’re baking, and you’ll forget about all your troubles.”
“Are you gonna make me take my pants off too, Liz?” I asked lazily.
"You can leave the pants on. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you won't mess those up.” She looked at me for a moment, then seemed to remember what we were doing. I smirked at her, and she blushed. “So, here are the ingredients. We’ll mix eggs, butter, and water in one bowl and the sugar, flour, and cocoa in another. If you give me a sheet of paper, I’ll tell you the exact measurements."
"What are we making?" I asked.
"Brownies. Sorry, do you like them? It didn't occur to me to ask. They're easy to make. That's why I chose them."
"I like brownies. And I like spending time with you."
She tipped her head back and sighed. “Hey, why are you making me melt? I was supposed to do that to you. I want you to focus completely on me and nothing else.”
I stepped closer, trapping her between my body and the counter, then drew my nose up and down her neck, lingering atthe nape and inhaling her delicious scent. I’d learned it was one of her sweet spots.
“You’ve got me, Liz.”
“I do?”
“Fuck yes. When I’m with you, there’s no space for anything else in my mind. Just you. Only you.”
Her breath caught. I brushed my thumb along her jaw, kissing her neck before taking a step back.
She cleared her throat. “I need pen and paper.”
“I’ll get you some.”
I grabbed the stack I kept in the TV console and handed it to her as she took out the scale from the basket she’d brought with her. Then she started writing on the paper.
I stood behind her, kissing her shoulders, then pushed her hair to one side and kissed the back of her neck too.
"Hmm, I don't see ‘kissing Liz’ anywhere in the instructions," she murmured.
"Then I'll add it to the list. A kiss for every single step," I said against her skin.
"That means we’re never going to be ready."
"I have no problem with that."
She kept her composure for a while, until I kissed the back of her neck using my tongue too. She pressed her thighs together, gasping before straightening up.
"All right, let's start measuring." She was adorable, trying to stick to her baking plan. I was totally into this woman.
"Why don't you do the first step, and I'll watch you. The best teachers lead by example."
"I'm going to measure cocoa.” She picked up the cup, filling it with cocoa.
“Want to measure it with a scale?” I asked. “Just to be sure.”
“Nah, this is enough.”
I was standing behind her, feathering my fingers up and down her arms. She shuddered at my touch. Suddenly, I was enjoying this baking thing.
"Thanks for coming today, Declan. It meant a lot to me to have you there, to be part of my decision."
"Anytime, Liz. I mean it. Whenever you need someone for anything, call me. I’m here for you—I always will be."
