Page 213 of Torrid Passion
“All right. Say the word if anything changes.”
“I will,” she smiles warmly.
Since we’re already in mid-November, the evenings are a little cooler now.
“And, thanks for the compliment. It wasn’t a smashing success the first time around. I had to practice,” I smile.
“When did you find the time? You got back from New York this morning.”
“I got backyesterdaymorning,” I correct.
“What?” Her eyes widen. “I swear you told me you were coming back today. Did I get it wrong?”
“I needed to get back early.”
“You didn’t want to see me?” Hurt morphs her beautiful features.
I reach out and tap the tip of her nose. “Are you kidding me? Do you know how hard it was for me to be in the same city as my girl and not see her?”
“I don’t get it.”
“I told you. I have a lot of things planned for tonight. I needed time to prepare. I only had last night to master this dish. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, right? I scrapped two batches before I got it right,” I chuckle. “Rod, Beckett and my cousins were my guinea pigs. It took a bit of practice, but in the end, I got the thumbs-up from my boys. I was pleased. I wanted everything to be perfect and I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well, in that case, you’re forgiven,” she says, lifting her chin with a touch of insolence.
“I’m relieved your grace would see it that way,” I mock.
“She does,” Kyla says with a cheeky smile. “Seriously, you’re amazing.”
I reach out and caress her cheek. “Anything for you, gorgeous.”
There’s so much warmth in her eyes.
“Well, you aced it,” she says. “I hope you know you’re going to have to prepare this meal for me again.”
“My girlfriend is so demanding,” I chuckle.
“What did you expect? My boyfriend treats me like a queen.”
You got that right.“I aim to please,” I nod. “How was dessert?”
“Cheesecake from the best shop in LA? What’s there not to love?” she says. “Keep this up and I may never leave.”
I cock an eyebrow.
Her face twists in a grimace. “That came out wrong.”
I allow for a pregnant pause. She looks almost terrified.What’s that about?“What are you saying? You wouldn’t want to stay here with me?”
“That was presumptuous of me,” she lets out a nervous laugh. “It’s not like I can impose myself in your bad boy bachelor pad.”
I see.
“What if I wanted to keep you here… with me?”
She knits her eyebrows in confusion. “Wh—what are you talking about?”
“Wait here.”
