Page 10 of Stick Side
“Well, then.” She surveyed the tasks still at hand. “Do you think you could put the corn kernels, chickpeas, and coconut milk into that saucepan and bring it to a simmer for me?” She already had the ingredients pre-measured and ready on the counter.
Ben noticed. “Nice mise en place.”
Melody’s smile grew further still. “I’m impressed you know what ‘mise en place’ is.”
“What kind of heathens do you think I was raised by?” He winked to let her know he was teasing. Then he said, “Thanks,” as she pulled open a drawer and passed him a wooden spoon.
They worked in companionable silence, the only sounds in the kitchen her streaming music and the rhythmic sounds of food prep, until James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”started to play. Melody could usually be found singing along to songs she enjoyed, but it wasn’t her voice that dueted with Blunt’s dulcet tones.
Ben’s eyes locked on hers as he spoke-sang the lyrics. His voice was an instrument unto itself.
Melody shivered as his words reached her. He was just repeating the song’s lyrics, but with the way he was looking ather, she felt that he was deliberately imbuing them with a deeper meaning.
Was it her imagination, or was Ben telling her that he thoughtshewas beautiful, a veritable angel? He’d seen her with another man, but it was okay because he had a plan?
Their gazes held as waves of awareness raced along her spinal column. She bit her lower lip in momentary indecision before voicing her curiosity.
“Is there something you want to ask me, Ben?” Her voice was a little more breathy than usual, but some things couldn’t be helped.
“Yes,” Ben said, as he closed the distance between them and raised his arm to gently angle her chin upward so she couldn’t escape his gaze. “What is Cassidy to you?”
Tingles raced along her jawline at his touch. “Eric?”
The lines of Ben’s mouth tightened. “Yes. Eric Cassidy. What is he to you?”
“What is he to me?” she parroted dumbly.
This time, Ben’s lips twisted. “What’s the nature of your relationship?” he rephrased. “Are you a couple?”
She drew back in surprise. What?“No, Eric and I aren’t a couple.”
Ben inched closer. “So, there isn’t anything romantic between you?”
“No,” she clarified. And there never had been. Eric was a kind, caring, and handsome man. It was little surprise he’d sparked her romantic curiosity when they’d first met, but she’d still been raw over her breakup with Jeremy. Eric had also never said anything about seeing her as anything more than a friend, so any potential interest on her part had long since faded. She had a suspicion they worked best as friends anyway.
Melody could see the relief in Ben’s eyes, as well as the way pleasure caused his lips to quirk upward. She fancied that he wasso good looking that he could make even the darkest of scowls look good, but she liked the way a smile looked on him.
“Good,” Ben said simply as he gifted her with another warm smile. He ran his thumb along her jawline in a feather-light caress before turning to stir the contents of the saucepan.
She blinked her eyes and shuffled a few steps toward him, as though she were a puppet on strings, incapable of resisting his pull.
Ben was too tall for her to look over his shoulder, so she laid a soft hand on his back as she twisted around him to survey the sauce he was diligently stirring.
He shifted a little to reach for a clean spoon and used it to give the contents of the saucepan an expert stir before scooping a little onto the spoon. He cupped his hand underneath it to catch any drips before bringing it to his mouth to blow gently over the contents.
Ben torqued his body so their chests were mostly in line with each other’s. “Taste,” he said as he brought the spoon up to her lips.
Melody felt butterflies erupt in her stomach. His easy sensuality was so compelling she suspected he could be offering her poison and she would still feel inspired to take a bite.
She wondered what messages Ben could read in her countenance as she gave the contents of the spoon one last blow before allowing the offering to pass between her lips.
“Mmm . . .” Melody moaned. She fluttered her eyes closed and allowed the flavors to erupt on her tongue. Her senses were currently so alive that all the tastes and textures seemed more intense than usual.
“I envy that spoon right now,” Ben confessed, his voice a little more gravelly than it had been mere moments ago. He took his time withdrawing the utensil from her mouth but didn’t step away.
Melody’s eyes flared. She wasn’t used to men being so forward with her. She wasn’t used to men being interested in her at all, really.
She could feel her heart pounding double time in her chest.Is this what chemistry feels like?If so, it was the first time in her twenty-seven years she had ever truly experienced it.
