Page 21 of Finally
Only this man would share credit for a task he did himself while being harassed. “You really are you know.”
“I really am what?” Blue eyes landed on him.
“Sweet.” Gray leaned forward, picked up Jack’s hand, and kissed his wrist above the oven mitt.
“Okay, I’ll share the cake with you.”
Gray removed one mitt, then the other, and gently caressed Jack’s palms. “I know.” He kissed Jack’s knuckles and then released his hands. “Let’s cut into it and see if the inside is runny like a volcano.” He frowned. “Although, now that I think about it, lava is basically rock so it’s not particularly viscous.”
“What does that mean?” Jack picked up the forks and handed one to him.
“I’m saying lava is thick and chunky, not liquidy like water so calling this a lava cake isn’t particularly accurate.”
“You can file a lawsuit against the namer of the cake later. Right now, I want to eat it.”
“I don’t practice litigation.”
Fork on top of the cake, Jack glared at him. “Apparently you don’t practice sarcasm either.”
Gray threw his head back and laughed. “I love you like this.”
“Hangry?”
“Sassy.” When he had first met Jack, his confidence and fiery nature had shone through in most interactions. But over the years, those parts of him had dimmed, and the breakup with Jaime had nearly extinguished them. Gray was thrilled to see Jack’s true personality returning in the form of his flirtatious teasing. “I’ve missed this side of you.”
“Uh huh. Likely story.” Jack slid the fork through the cake, cut out a piece, and held it up to Gray.
“I mean it.” Gray curled his fingers around Jack’s wrist, leaned forward, and slid his mouth over the cake. “Mmm. Delicious.”
Jack gulped and coughed. “Good.” He lowered his gaze and tipped his chin toward the plate. “It worked. The lava’s flowing.”
“That’s three for three in baking class successes. We make a great team.”
***
Jack had expected Gray to stop at his own house to get his things before coming over for the evening, so he was surprised to see Gray’s car in his driveway as he pulled up. Even if Gray had hit every green light and risked a speeding ticket, he wouldn’t have had time to go to his place, pack a bag, and beat Jack home. He tried not to feel disappointed that Gray had been bantering for fun and not making an actual plan to spend the night in his bed with him. He opened the garage and drove in, waiting for Gray to pull into the empty spot before closing it.
“Hey, handsome,” Gray said as he opened Jack’s car door.
Jack looked over at him and smiled. Whether it was for a few hours or an entire night, he loved spending time with Gray and that would be his focus. “How did you get out of your car and to my door before I got my seatbelt off?”
“I ran. Need to make a good impression because I want to get lucky tonight.” Gray winked and then held his hand out. “Monsieur.”
“Did you pick up French when I wasn’t looking?” Jack said with a laugh. He unbuckled his seatbelt and put his hand in Gray’s.
“My skills are very limited.” Gray helped him out of the car but stayed close, so Jack’s chest pressed to his once he stood. “It’s pretty much monsieur, madame, and of course, voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir.” He sang the last one.
“‘Lady Marmalade’?” Jack asked, his heart pounding so hard he worried Gray would be able to feel it in his own chest.
“Uh huh.” Gray dipped down and brushed his lips over Jack’s. They’d shared dozens of kisses since the first one a week earlier and Jack got butterflies in his stomach every time. “How’s your French?”
“Nonexistent,” Jack said, his voice sounding sandpaper rough. He cleared his throat.
“Guess that means I’ll have to translate it for you.”
“The song lyrics?”
“Mmm hmm.” He slid his body against Jack’s, pressed his mouth to Jack’s ear, and whispered, “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?” He flicked his tongue against Jack’s earlobe.
