“What are you making?”
“My specialty, paella. I hope you like it.”
“I’ve never had it before. I love trying new things.”
When she picked up a grape and sucked on it, his cock jerked its agreement. Dinner. Concentrate on dinner.
Since he’d prepped as much as possible earlier, he only had to cook. He put the paella pan on the gas burner and tried to think of something to talk to her about other than sex, or Evan’s twin, or sex.
“It was nice of you to give Maria and Mrs. Jankowski a night out,” she said.
He snorted. Getting them out of the house had been purely selfish. It reminded him, however, that he wanted her opinion on what to do about Maria.
“I’m worried my sister is starting to like Buchanan a little too much.” He gently shook the pan to even out the rice. “I’m not sure what to do about it, though.”
“Why should you do anything? Don’t you like Jake?”
“Sure I do. I just don’t want Maria to like him, at least not like that.” He picked up his glass and turned around, leaning back against the counter just in time to see her sucking on the end of another grape. The wine he’d just started to swallow went down his throat the wrong way and he choked.
“Are you all right?”
No, he wasn’t. “I’m fine, just swallowed wrong,” he answered when he could speak again. “Why do you eat grapes like that?”
“I don’t know, just something I’ve always done. When I was a little girl, I liked to suck the juice out of them.” She grinned. “Didn’t really realize I still did it.”
Christ, he couldn’t think straight. He shifted, glad he’d decided to wear the loose trousers instead of tight jeans. He had to stop thinking about sex, or dinner was going to end up burned.
What were they talking about? Oh, yeah. “I don’t think Jake would be good for Maria. His nickname’s Romeo for a reason.”
“Reformed rakes make the best husbands.”
He frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Just a Regency saying. Means he pretty much got his screwing around out of his system, and when he falls in love, it’s forever. Or something like that.”
“That’s bullshit. If it walks like a duck, then it’s a duck.”
She shrugged. “Possibly, but if you try to interfere, you’re just going to drive her right into his arms. Let it play out, Logan. She’s young, and tomorrow it’ll be the cute guy in her English class that makes her heart go pitter-patter.”
That was probably true, but he didn’t like it. He also didn’t like the cute guy in her English class. “What if Jake hurts her?”
“If he does, it won’t be the end of the world. She’ll get over it eventually, and she’ll learn from the experience. You can’t control another person’s heart, so don’t try.”
And there was a truth he didn’t like. When she picked up another grape, he turned back to the paella.
“What all’s in that?”
Hanging onto his control by a thread, he didn’t dare turn around. One more sucked grape and he would decide the kitchen floor really was the perfect place to lose his virginity. “Lobster, shrimp, chorizo, chicken, clams, and Spanish rice.”
“Sounds awesome. Can I help?”
“Yeah, you can stop filling up on grapes.” Please stop. “Top off our glasses and take them out on the deck, then grab the salads out of the fridge. The table’s set.” He opened a drawer and grabbed the butane lighter, handing it to her. “If you’ll light the candles. I’ll be right behind you.” Behind you conjured up an image of her bottom. “Damn,” he muttered, and sucked on the finger he’d just put in the fire.
Dinner was apparently a great success if the moans accompanying Dani’s every bite were any indication. He barely touched his food. Would she moan like that for him? What if she didn’t? What if he didn’t please her? He suddenly regretted he wasn’t experienced, that he didn’t know how to pleasure a woman.
Would she compare him to Evan? Logan didn’t know if he could bear it if she did. He didn’t necessarily want to be a better lover than Evan, just different. Well, he was going to be different, all right.
“Not another bite.” She pushed her plate away. “That was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. You have to give me the recipe.”
“Sure.” If she would marry him, she wouldn’t need the damn recipe. He’d make it for her—every night if she wanted. Restless, he stood and walked to the railing. She followed, standing close, her arm brushing his.