Page 59 of A City of Smoke and Demons
‘I won’t say a thing.’
‘Stop looking at me, then.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Ezra,’ she said, turning around. ‘I can feel your eyes. You’re judging me silently, and I don’t like it.’
He held up his hands in mock surrender. ‘Alright, I’m sorry, but … can I please help you? Maddog won’t like it if you burn his kitchen and then his club down.’
Analise put her hands on her hips. She ached from head to toe after the training with Lira and ached even more seeing Ezra with such a spring in his step, the usual smart-arse comments falling from his lips. She had bruises in places she’d never had bruises before, her arse hurt from landing on it last night, and the muscles in her thighs felt like jelly.
‘Fine.’ Analise sighed. ‘Help me and then shut up.’
Ezra’s lips twitched. ‘That’s not how you ask.’
She ground her teeth. ‘Will you please help me cook eggs, oh lord of the fucking kitchen?’
Ezra’s grin was too bright for this early in the day. ‘That’s better, and yes, it would be my pleasure.’
Analise moved aside, letting him take the pan. He held his hand over it, testing the heat. ‘Do you want toast with these?’
‘Oh, I wasn’t going to, but sure.’
‘Tea?’ Ezra asked.
She nodded, then watched as he prepared toast and set it to cook in the wire holder over the flames, boiled the kettle and made tea, then, while it was brewing, turned his attention to the eggs.
‘It’s all about timing,’ he said, answering her unasked question. ‘Eggs are quickest, so they go on last. Toast and tea take about the same time.’
‘Right,’ Analise managed.
‘I’m putting these eggs in, but you’re going to flip them.’
‘No, I messed it up before,’ she protested.
His smile was soft, no amusement, no sarcasm or jokes lingering behind it. This time, it was genuine and warm. ‘But if you don’t practise, you’ll never get it. I won’t always be around to save your breakfast, you know.’
‘And here I was, considering hiring you as my personal chef,’ Analise quipped.
‘As you don’t have any money, I would have to decline. I don’t work for free.’ Ezra cracked three eggs into the pan, glancing at her. ‘Unless you’re planning on paying me in another way.’
Analise refused to be the one to look away. She could play this game as well and there was a part of her that liked it. She still wanted to kill him but she enjoyed the banter, his sharp comebacks and the way a dimple appeared in his cheek when he smirked at her. ‘We’d have to settle on some prices. I might have to pop down to the skin market and ask them what’s fair for a blow job these days.’
‘I guess it depends,’ Ezra said, not missing a beat, ‘on whether you use your teeth.’
She stepped closer, realising her mistake instantly, but she kept her expression smooth and ignored the twisting of her stomach. ‘Then I guess I need to ask. How do you feel about teeth? I’ve been told I can be a little rough.’
Ezra’s eyes dropped to her mouth. ‘Are we talking biting, or a little nibble?’
‘Wouldn’t you rather wait and find out?’
He raked his hand through his hair, and this time, his smile was slow, sensual. He lowered his head a little, enough that, if she wanted, she could push herself onto her toes and kiss him. Analise slipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his trousers; Ezra’s breath caught and the skin on his neck flushed pink.
‘By the way,’ she whispered. ‘The toast is on fire.’
‘Fuck.’ He ripped away from her.
The toast was a split second away from being charcoal. Analise chuckled, flipping the eggs. She didn’t mess them up this time, which made her grin. Ezra was muttering to himself; Analise’s smile grew at the colour in his cheeks. He wouldn’t look at her as he found two plates and set the charred toast on them. Analise plated the eggs, humming to herself, then poured herself a cup of tea and took a seat at the table.
