I try to remain calm, but something inside me feels on fire. "No, I don't think so either. I told him it might be too cold. That's why we started making it snow inside."
Nick strides away with a grin I can't quite place. He seems to take his time as he removes his outerwear. Just before he reaches Max, he glances over his shoulder, and it's then I figure out what he is doing. He's watching me watch him.
I quickly look away.
"Burrrr . . . it's really cold in here. Are those real?" he says to Max.
At the sound of his voice, I turn back. I can't help myself. I watch a little longer. And I can't help but smile when I see the excitement in Max's eyes that Nick has returned. Max shows Nick the snowflakes and Nick admires each one.
Sucking in a huge breath, I blow it out and get to work putting the rest of the food away.
Since I've already decided to stay home, I offer to cook stir-fry for dinner. Even though cooking has never been my thing, I did pick up a few things at culinary school, so there are a few dishes I can cook fairly well, stir-fry being one of those meals.
Nick, still busy examining each piece of paper, quickly takes me up on my offer.
It's not long before he and Max have moved on. Now they are getting to serious work building a fort inside with pillows and blankets.
Turning the music on low and grabbing a glass of wine, I get to work cleaning the vegetables I will need for dinner. Once done, I decide to go ahead and prep them as well. After all, the boys are buried deep under mounds of blankets, so I have time to myself. With that, I grab a knife and start slicing carrots on the chopping board. I can't help but pray I won't end up cutting my thumbs into flesh-colored matchsticks. After all, it's been a long while since I've done this.
Lost in my thoughts as I'm chopping away, a hand on my shoulder and a voice in my ear startles me. "I usually cut them into chunks," Nick says.
His voice is thick and husky and my nipples tighten from the sound. I have this strange urge to lean back against him, press my back to his front, feel his hardness, sway to the music. But the thoughts are ludicrous. Instead of falling into my crazy, I stand a little straighter and say to Nick, "All vegetables need to be as thin as possible for them to cook properly."
He's already at the refrigerator before I even finish speaking, and my fantasy of him kissing my neck with his strong hands tight on my hips is instantly crushed as soon as he opens it and grabs a beer. "So that's the secret," he smirks, popping off the top, "And here I thought it never came out right because of my cooking."
Grabbing for the onion, I stab the white skin with the tip of the knife and kick myself for hoping he came in here to see me. "That could be it too," I joke, wanting to keep the banter going to mask my disappointment.
Nick points his bottle my way. "Watch it, cocky has consequences."
"Maybe I like consequences."
Okay, so I'm flirting back even though I told myself I wouldn't. Told myself that Nick Carrington is a world-class flirt. I mean come on; I've seen him in action many times. And yet, I'm doing just that. And to boot, it seems I can't help myself.
"Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick." Max has entered the kitchen. His little voice carries a bit of annoyance in it that makes me laugh. "You said you were just going to check on Tess and come right back."
So Nick did come in here to see me.
The very thought makes me giddy.
Nick says nothing in response to Max's complaint. He just sets his bottle down, scoops Max up and places him on his shoulders, and then gallops into the living room. "Come on, we have some things to discuss in the fort," he tells Max as he sets him down.
"What kind of things?" Max asks in his cute voice.
"Manly things," Nick responds.
"Manly? What's that?"
"I'm about to explain it to you," Nick whispers before covering them both up and turning on the flashlight.
At that, I take another sip of my wine and try not to laugh out loud because seriously, this situation is laughable. I'm co-sitting with a man I thought I hated, and turns out, I might kind of like him. And he might just kind of like me too. And how dumb is that-at my age, I certainly know better than to fall for the likes of Nick Carrington.
I really do.
Tess
MEAL PREPPING IS tedious business-popcorn is so much easier.
Twenty minutes later, I have finally finished. Now I feel like my entire body smells of onions, peppers, and broccoli. Hating the vegetable smell on my skin, I decide since I haven't showered yet today that I have time to take a quick one before I start dinner.