She regretted the makeshift bookmarks, a sudden urge to tell Kai that the utensils were clean. They had just been readily available while she read the cookbooks over breakfast.
Kai’s eyes roamed over the space, taking in the fireplace and its large mantle. He stopped at each picture frame there, studying it before moving to the next. There were too many pictures, but Ember never knew which to take down. Every photograph was of a good memory with her sisters or her parents. Her favorite changed depending on the day or the time of the year. Right now, it was the wooden frame that held a picture of her with Sparx and Cinder. The three of them were covered in cookie dough after a particularly hilarious mixer incident when she had tried to teach her sisters how to make cookies from scratch.
She had scraped chocolate chips from her ceiling, laughing hysterically at her sisters for their lack of baking acumen.
“You’re close to your sisters,” Kai pointed out.
She smiled at him, bright and wide. “I am. They’re my best friends and my favorite people in the world, even though we’re so different.”
“I get it,” he said. “My brother and I are very different, but I like hanging out with him. Haven’t had much of a chance since he got married and became a father. But the little ones are a fun addition to the mix. There is nothing like having a tiny human torpedo at family dinners.”
Her apartment was a part of a duplex. The small, older building was further split into floors. All of her neighbors kept mostly to themselves, and there was no security door between her and the rest of the world. That was probably why Kai was so thorough in his perusal of her place.
He looked in each closet, even the crammed linen one by the bathroom. He pushed aside the shower curtain before heading into her bedroom.
Seeing the six-foot-something man in her most private space did something to her insides.
Her comforter was bright turquoise with big white and hot pink flowers. The throw pillows matched the flowers and the shaggy rug. The room was a splash of color with clothes sticking out from a few drawers. At least she made her bed every morning. It was the only way she could be comfortable when she went to bed. She liked to snuggle up between the mattress and a tight sheet. She would never admit it, but she tried often pretending it was the arms of a lover that was holding her close.
Instinctively, Ember knew that when she went to bed that night, those imaginary arms would belong to a certain security guard who was staring at the huge cupcake poster above her bed. The pink frosting was adorned with a smiling face.
“This room suits you,” Kai said, turning to give her a smile.
“Oh.” What the hell did that even mean?
“It’s so bright and cheerful.”
Was that really how he saw her? Even with all of the drama hanging around her? God, she hoped so.
Ember led a pretty simple life. She didn’t usually do drama, preferring to roll with the punches. This was new territory for her. Just like having the hottest man alive in her bedroom was a new experience.
“That’s a compliment, Ember.”
“Right. Thanks. I’m sure I should have something more adult in here. It kind of does look like a pre-teen’s room.”
He shook his head. “No way. It’s a splash of color in the world. Kind of like you.”
Oh, wow.
Keep talking, sexy man.
“I like bright colors, and my love of cupcakes goes way beyond baking.” She pointed to a plush cupcake sitting on top of her bed.
Kai picked it up, a grin on his face. “I can tell.” His eyes were trained on the bed, and Ember hoped he was having the same kind of dirty thoughts that she was having. Picturing Kai, with his muscular form, lying on her bed was making her a little giddy.
“When I babysit my nephew, I have to check under the bed for monsters. The closet too, and for whatever reason, the top drawer of his dresser. There was a sock sticking out of it once, and he was sure it was a snake.”
“Poor little boy.”
Kai took a step forward, preparing to drop down to the floor, and she reached out, her hand meeting his toned forearm. “Please don’t tell me you need to check under the bed.”
He chuckled. “Why? Is that where you hide all of your secrets?”
“No, that’s in my bedside drawer. Under the bed is where things get lost. Like socks and—” Underwear, half-empty lip glosses. Probably a small army of dust bunnies.
“Naughty drawers will remain personal until a later time.” He winked at her like it was a given that he would one day see into her drawer.
If she got her way, he would. He sure kissed her like he wanted to.
With an agility that had her lady parts cheering its appreciation for Kai’s ass, he dropped down onto the floor, almost in a pushup position. It put the muscles of his arms on full display, making her mouth water.
“No monsters under the bed.”
“Unless one can materialize out of dust bunnies,” she said with a shrug.
Kai chuckled as he eased himself up off the hardwood flooring. “Now there’s an image.” He placed his hands on his narrow hips, nodding his approval at a task completed. “You should be safe here tonight. Keep your phone beside you. Don’t leave the house until I pick you up in the morning.”
He made to leave her bedroom, which meant he would be leaving.
There would be no more kisses tonight. The realization made her sad.
“Stay for dinner,” she said with so much rapidity, the words ended up all jumbled up.
Kai cocked an eyebrow at her, amused.
“Stay for dinner,” she repeated with more composure. It was barely eight o’clock, a bit late for a full meal. She wasn’t ready to see Kai leave. Not yet. “We had a few cupcakes, but that’s hardly a well-balanced and nutritious meal.”
“I would like that,” Kai’s smile could have over heated her, all the way to four-hundred degrees in two seconds flat.
“Okay.”
Shit.
She had a kitchen full of baking supplies but nothing to actually cook. What had possessed her to invite him for dinner?
We did that because he’s hot as hell — her hormones seemed to yell at her.
“How do you feel about appetizers for dinner?”
“Love it. Put me to work, chef.”
And just like that, Ember melted faster than chocolate in a saucepan.
Ember was surprised by how well she and Kai worked together. She had gotten a glimpse of it at the sound stage, where she had taught him how to bake and frost cupcakes. But in her kitchen, as she grilled up bacon and roasted up some rosemary and thyme potatoes, it was pretty obvious that they were just in sync.
Her kitchen was tiny. Not at all an ample space for someone like her who spent most of her time there. By all accounts, it should have been awkward to share the space with Kai.
It wasn’t.
They moved around each other with ease. They brushed up against each other, but only on purpose. Her hand grazed his. He cupped her ass to nudge her to the side to get to the cutlery drawer. She rubbed his muscular back to wordless announce she was carrying a hot pan.
Cooking with Kai in her small kitchen was like a sexy dance.
By the time they settled at the table with their frissé salad, bruschettas, and potatoes, Ember was hornier than she was hungry. Their dinner was a strange mix of appetizers, but each was more delicious than the last. She could barely enjoy them because she knew for a fact that Kai’s kisses were the most delectable thing in her apartment.