Page 9 of Undercover Billionaire

She exhaled slowly. He was only a man – a mouth-watering, caramel covered, candy apple of a man…. Stop! She forced a severe gaze. "Mr. Alexander, about this morning..."

"Drake," The man interloped with a pointed look. "Would you talk to your One and Only like you talk to your accountant?"

He had a point. The ruse would be up the first time she called him Mr. Alexander in front of Cynthia. She needed to grow accustomed to his first name. "Drake, about this morning–"

"Yes, about this morning," he once again interrupted, "I want to apologize for my rash and inappropriate behavior. A gentleman should never enter a lady’s bedroom uninvited, especially when she might be wearing... bedroom attire." She parted her lips, as he continued, "You have obviously been frustrated by my actions, and for that I am truly sorry.” He stopped, and then seemingly as an afterthought added, “I also apologize for interrupting you a second time. You were saying..." He looked at her expectantly.

Kaitlyn's cheeks burned. The infernal man had done it again! Every time she planned to stand up in the name of decent women everywhere, he made it impossible. What could she say without sounding petulant? "Thank you. I think you covered everything,” she said primly.

A ghost of a smile played on his lips, but it vanished quickly. There was no time to dwell. In thirty-six hours, they would have to absorb a lifetime of knowledge about each other, details that normally took years to learn. She would have to convince Cynthia he had invaded her heart and dreams. After last night, the final task might not be too difficult – the rest, she wasn't so sure. Yet the sooner they got started, the more they could accomplish. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"True." He flexed his arms. "But first, how about a nice breakfast?"

She dragged her gaze away from corded arms. "You want me to cook?" If he expected her to be his personal chef just because she owned a bakery, he would be disappointed. She was far too busy to craft an extensive meal, and with her cousin’s imminent arrival, she’d be lucky to have time to eat.

Her cooking was not, however, what he had in mind. "Not at all. I like to cook. I used to do it all the time when I was a kid." His smile was genuine, wistful and almost boyish, as if he was remembering a sweetly nostalgic time. For some reason, it seemed like he didn't wear the expression often.

"That was a long time ago." He shook his head. "Since I’ve become an adult, I haven’t had time to cook. I pay someone to prepare my meals."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Pay someone? Actors must do a lot better than candy shop owners."

His smile vanished. When it reappeared seconds later, it seemed less sincere, more practiced. "I’m joking, of course. Actually, I can't afford streaming on what I earn, let alone a chef. I was referring to prepared meals, you know, frozen dinners."

Kaitlyn nodded, although the explanation seemed somehow insufficient. "Are you sure you want to do this?” Now if he told her he wanted wrestle a bear while watching football and driving a racecar, she would believe it. "You just don’t seem like a guy who would enjoy cooking, but you might very well be." She cocked her head playfully to the side. "Who knows? You might even surprise me."

"It's my specialty," he returned with a mischievous grin she couldn’t help but return. This man was going to be trouble, in all sorts of ways.

"Cooking?" she teased.

"No. Surprises." He winked. "But don’t worry. I’m pretty good at whipping something out of nothing. It’ll probably take me an hour to create my masterpiece, so feel free to go about your morning."

Leaving was a good idea. She needed to get away from this kitchen and this man, with his quick wit, roguish grin and all-too-charming smile. Her employees were tending to the store today, but it couldn’t hurt to check in and make sure everything was proceeding smoothly. And if she moved just a little quicker than normal, no one was there to notice.

Kaitlyn was delightful.

There was no better word to describe the vivacious woman, although there were many other words he could use: lovely, smart, spirited. Despite their short acquaintance, something had flared between them, something that demanded attention. She clearly sensed it too, although by how she repeatedly fled, it was obvious she didn’t want to feel it. Yet, it lurked between them, and would not be denied.

It deserved exploration.

He never imagined he’d skip work to be in a small-town apartment, cooking breakfast while pretending to be someone’s fake boyfriend. And if somehow he convinced himself of that possibility, he never thought he’d enjoy it this much. His work as an environmental lawyer was vital and meaningful, yet it was nice to create something so simple and yet so vital as sustenance. The urge to treat and surprise her rose, as the scent of sizzling potatoes filled the small kitchen. Yet it wasn’t nearly as strong as the desire to learn more about her. Fortunately, he had a whole week…

Or perhaps far longer.

Drake looked happy,content and strangely at home. As Kaitlyn strolled back into her apartment, her gaze snagged the confident man who roamed her kitchen like he belonged there. Then she stopped, staring at the sumptuous array of food spread on her small table. How had he done so much in so little time?

A few eggs and meager groceries had transformed into a full country breakfast, including fluffy yellow omelets with all the trimmings, golden brown toast with sweet cream butter and a juicy fresh fruit assortment. Steak cut potatoes sizzled on the stove, casting a mouth-watering scent, while thick slices of French toast cooked on the griddle.

It was a veritable feast, yet the most delicious fare had nothing to do with the food, but with the tantalizing man cooking it. He’d removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing muscular forearms and tanned skin. The shirt stretched taut against his broad chest, and the pants molded to his sturdy legs, as he moved with confidence and ease, master of his domain. A lock of hair fell across his forehead, above chiseled features. He was strength defined, handsome and so very striking.

She closed her eyes, opened them with newfound resolve. She couldn’t afford wandering thoughts. He was only here temporarily, and once Cynthia left, so would he. She forced herself into the room and retrieved two floral plates from the cupboard. "This looks great."

"Thank you." Drake turned off the heat and lifted the pan from the range. He brought it over and served the eggs with a bright orange spatula. "I figured we could use a little energy today. I know I’m not what you expected.”

She chuckled, yet for just a moment, she was glad he was here. "Let’s eat, and we’ll commence our learn-as-much-as-you-can-in-36-hours marathon."

He gave them each a healthy portion of the food, then held out her chair. Who said chivalry was dead? Ah yes, it had been her. Yet he was the perfect gentleman, and even waited for her to taste the food before he began. As expected, the scrumptious food practically melted in her mouth. The eggs were light and fluffy, the potatoes crisp and the fruit perfectly ripe. They ate in comfortable silence, and minutes passed before the taciturn camaraderie broke.

"This is delicious." She savored another tasty morsel, then another. Finally, she placed down her fork. “I couldn’t have another bite.”

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