Page 14 of Screwing With The Scrooge

I see him try to hide his disgusted look, but he nods, pulling down two mugs and filling them with milk. He puts the cups in the microwave and then grabs the container of hot chocolate mix.

“Oh, you got the good stuff, too,” I say as I take in the Ghirardelli label.

He ignores me as he opens the container and grabs two spoons, but I could swear that he looks happy that I approve of his hot chocolate choice.

He moves stiffly around the kitchen like maybe he doesn’t spend a lot of time in this room and isn’t comfortable. The microwave beeps, and he grabs the cups, topping them off with heaping spoonfuls of the chocolate mix.

“Looks good,” I compliment as he passes me a cup.

I take a small sip, meeting his eyes and he sighs as he lifts his own cup to his lips and shudders through a drink.

“Admit it! You hate it,” I say with a laugh, and he grimaces.

“It’s too sweet,” he complains, and I giggle.

“Well, I’m touched that you got it for me. It means a lot that you were thinking of me.”

He ducks his head, but I can see the blush spreading down his neck as he turns to the stove and grabs a few pots.

“Are you sure that I can’t do anything?” I ask him as I take another drink of hot chocolate.

“No, I’ve got it.”

I watch as he fills up a pot with water and unscrews a jar of spaghetti sauce, dumping it into the other pan.

“How was your day?” I ask him.

“Good. I went over to a friend’s house and helped them cut up a tree that fell down.”

“With your shirt off?” I ask, making my voice breathy, and he shakes his head.

“No, it was below freezing so we all stayed fully clothed,” he says, sounding amused at my dirty mind.

“Pity. Is it okay if in my head, you were all shirtless?” I ask, and then Xavier does something that shocks me.

His head tilts back and he laughs. The sound is deep and rusty, washing over me like a wave, and I stare at him in shock. His deep blue eyes are crinkled and shining so brightly as he stares at me across the kitchen island. His teeth flash, stark white against his dark stubble.

This is it. My first Xavier smile, and man, it does not disappoint. This man was made to smile. To grin, and smirk, and laugh.

“You always surprise me,” he says, his smile fading, and I blink.

“Is that still a good thing?”

“Yes,” he says simply, and my body warms.

“What did you do?” He asks as he adds the pasta to the boiling water.

“I had an order for a penis cake and some cupcakes,” I tell him, and he nods like it’s normal. “It’s for Cindy’s bachelorette party.”

“Ah, I just figured that it was another Thursday for you,” he says, and I laugh.

“Nope, this one was special.”

“Who is running the bakery right now?” He asks as he stirs the pasta.

“It’s closed now, but Ginger shut down for me today.”

“She’s the youngest of your sisters, right?” He asks, and I nod.

---