Page 21 of Do Me
“It’s getting stiff, so I think it’s close to being ready. You all done?”
“Yep. Bread is rising and the cobbler’s in the oven.” They had worked in a relaxed domesticity reminiscent of a married couple and it gave her pause.
“Hey.” Braxton touched her arm. “Where did you go?”
He had a way of looking at her with such caring that it both frightened and excited her. “I was just calculating cooking times. Did you say something?”
He shook his head and continued to scrutinize her as if he didn’t believe a word she’d said.
“Is it done?”
“Let’s see. I’ll be back with a couple of spoons.” He disappeared inside, came back in a flash and handed her a spoon. Opening the lid, he was poised to dip in his spoon when she stopped him.
“I think I should go first. I want to make sure it tastes good.” Londyn scooped out a small portion of the soft cream and brought it to her mouth. She had outdone herself this time and it was all she could do not to break out in a dance. Keeping her features neutral, she gestured for him to try it.
Braxton’s eyes widened and he groaned. “This is the best damn ice cream I’ve ever eaten.”
A wide grin spread across her face. “And it’s going to be even better with the peach cobbler.” She wiggled her eyebrows. They repacked it so it could harden and went back inside. Londyn took a seat at the bar.
“I see I’m going to have to up my cooking game with you.” He melted butter in a small bowl, added several herbs and brushed the mixture first over the vegetables, then the seafood. “Would you like some music?”
“I thought you’d never ask. I never cook without it.”
He washed and dried his hands. “You should’ve said something earlier. What do you want to hear?”
“R&B or jazz.”
“I have playlist with a mixture of both.” He picked up his phone and pressed several buttons. The sound of Maxwell’s voice flowed from hidden speakers. “Come dance with me.” He extended his hand and helped her off the stool.
Londyn wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, while he sang the words of “Fortunate” softly. As she listened to the lyrics, she agreed with the artist because she was fortunate that Braxton had come into her life. Even if things didn’t work out later, she now knew how it felt to have a man treat her as if she were a priceless jewel. When the song ended, he didn’t miss a beat as he swung her out and moved in rhythm to an up-tempo Boney James tune. “Where did you learn to dance so well?”
Laughing, he said, “I couldn’t go to all the school dances and get on that floor and make a fool of myself. The guysandthe girls would’ve teased me forever.”
She giggled. “You’re right. I remember how ruthless teens can be.”
“They are. My niece also keeps me up to date with the latest moves. Although, some of these new dances are too much for this old body. I don’t even know how they get their body parts to move like that.”
He demonstrated a move that contorted his body and looked like a broken Frankenstein. Londyn doubled over laughing until tears ran down her face. “Okay, I’m done,” she said, trying to catch her breath.
Braxton wasn’t any better. When they finally calmed down, he kissed her temple. “Maybe we should just listen to the music instead.”
“I think you might be right.” She wiped the lingering moisture from the corners of her eyes. She hadn’t had this much fun with a guy in… She stilled. She’d never laughed with a man this way or felt so comfortable with one, and definitely not in such a short time.
“How long does it take for the bread to cook?”
“About twenty or twenty-five minutes.” She checked to see how much it had risen. “It should be ready to bake in about ten minutes.” She glanced over at the oven timer. The cobbler still had another five minutes.
He angled his head. “Okay. I’m going to start the grill. Hopefully, we can have everything done close to the same time. How do you like your steak cooked?”
“Extra juicy with no pink.”
With a smile and shake of his head, he left her standing there.
They sat down to eat half an hour later. Braxton turned on the fireplace. The mouth-watering aromas from the meat, vegetables and bread had her stomach growling loud enough to shake the walls.
Braxton slanted her a glance. “Does that mean you’re hungry.”
“Starved.” Londyn rubbed her hands together. “Let’s get our eat on.” They filled their plates and sat at the table that Braxton had set with elegant white china that matched his gray theme, and candles. She wanted to save the steak for last, so she sampled the vegetable kabob first. The herbed butter brought out the flavors perfectly. “Mmm.” The lobster was just as good. She rotated her plate, cut into the steak and popped it into her mouth. Braxton sat watching her, seemingly waiting for her verdict. “Oh, my goodness.” She moaned and swooned in her chair.
