Audrey’s wild scrapes took on a furious edge. “That’s not it at all. I—ouch!” A sharp burst of pain blossomed in her finger and blood welled. She’d missed the potato and scraped her finger.
Reese gave a sigh and plucked the potato from her hand, tossing it in the sink. “Did you have to go and hurt yourself?”
Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her onto the counter next to the sink, as if she weighed nothing. Her jaw dropped. Daphne was the lightweight. Audrey was . . . well, Audrey was solid at the most flattering of terms. But he’d picked her up like she was nothing. When he tugged her hand free from the fist she’d clenched it in, she allowed him to examine her wound, staring at him in dazed confusion.
He calmly turned on the water and ran her finger under the tap, fingers on her wrist. With his free hand, he pulled open a drawer and grabbed a box of Band-Aids, tugging one out. “This is why I’m not letting you cook, Audrey,” he said, his voice teasing. “You have a nasty temper and you don’t concentrate when you’re mad.” He glanced up at her through surprisingly thick lashes. “And around me, you seem to always be mad.”
“Am not,” she said in a soft voice, but he did have a point. She worked so hard to be controlled and efficient in all areas of her life, but this man seemed to undo all her efforts in the blink of an eye.
He turned off the water. Another drop of blood welled up on her finger even as he grabbed the Band-Aid from the counter. “It’s still bleeding,” she pointed out.
Reese leaned in and swiped his tongue over the small wound, licking it clean, and then slid the Band-Aid over it while she sat, frozen and in shock. Heat pulsed low in her belly at that small, impulsive gesture. She squeezed her thighs tight again.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she breathed, surprised at how husky her voice was.
He glanced over at her, his gaze moving to her mouth, then back to her eyes. “Why is that?”
“I could have a disease.”
That cocky grin spread across his face again. “You? Miss Proper? Miss Not a Hair Out of Place? I imagine you’d be Ms. Safety in the bedroom.”
He made her sound so boring. For some reason, it bothered her. “You don’t know what I’m like in the bedroom,” she blurted. A split-second later, she was horrified that those words had come out of her mouth.
“I’d like to learn,” Reese told her, leaning close. His warm, musky scent filled her nostrils and her breathing started to speed up as he moved in. She thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, or touch her, or something, and that fluttering in her belly went wild with need, her pulse pounding at a spot between her legs that made her entire body ache.
But all he did was offer her a hand to help her down from the counter. She took it, hopped down, and then looked up at him in confusion.
“Bacon’s burning,” is all he said, turning back to the stove. “Why don’t you set the table? Less chance to injure yourself.”
And when he gave her his back—and that tight butt—she found she wanted to kick him all over again. Preferably in that tight butt.
***
Breakfast was incredible. By the time Audrey had finished setting the table, Reese had arrived out of the kitchen with a plate full of perfectly cooked bacon—burning, her ass—a stack of fluffy pancakes, and the most perfectly cooked scrambled eggs she’d ever seen. There was a plate of dry toast and a pot of coffee on a potholder, and everything looked and smelled amazing. Audrey was impressed. How did such an arrogant, good-looking jerk turn out to be such a domestic when it came to the kitchen? He put her attempts to shame. She’d have to find out; there was more going on beneath the surface than she’d realized when it came to Reese Durham.
She forgot all of that, however, when Daphne and Cade appeared in the doorway. Her twin looked greenish beneath her pale skin and her hair was a tangled mess. Daphne’s mouth was pressed tight, and without the thick fake lashes and heavy eye makeup, she looked wan and tired and far too old for her age. Audrey immediately rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist. “How are you feeling?”
Daphne pushed her away irritably. “I’m fine. Leave me alone. Christ, you’re hovering.”
Hurt, Audrey took a step backward and glanced at Cade, who seemed tired but gave her a gentle smile. “Thanks for cooking breakfast, Audrey. You really outdid yourself.”
“Oh, I—”
Before she could finish her protest, Reese came up behind her and smacked her on the shoulder. “She did a terrific job, didn’t she? I woke up this morning and there she was, hard at work, slaving over the stove.”
Audrey cast him a withering look, but he only grinned down at her. Now what was he up to?
Daphne slumped into the nearest seat, then pressed a hand to her mouth. “I can’t eat any of this. It’s making my stomach turn.”
“You should eat something,” Audrey protested, anxiousness stirring through her. Daphne did look rather ill.
“I’ll eat once I get my next pill,” Daphne said, and gave Cade a hopeful look.
He checked his watch, then shook his head. “Not for another twelve hours. Sorry.”
Daphne’s mouth twisted and she pushed the plate in front of her away. “I’ll eat in twelve hours, then.”
“Daphne,” Audrey began.
“You’re not my mother, Aud. Shut up already.”
Reese stepped forward and, to Audrey’s surprise, he plunked down a mug in front of Daphne and filled it with black coffee. He tossed two pieces of dry toast onto her plate and pointed at it. “I’m not your mother, either, but you’re going to eat that.” He pointed at the coffee. “And you’re going to drink that. And you’re going to shut up about it.”
Silence filled the room, and then Cade cleared his throat. “Well, the rest of us can eat, at least.” He pulled out the chair next to Daphne.
Reese patted the chair next to where Audrey hovered, on the opposite side of her twin. “Why don’t you sit here next to Audrey, Cade? She’d probably like that.”
Audrey glared at Reese. God. Why not be totally obvious about her crush?
Cade grinned at her. “I was thinking she’d probably want to sit next to you, Reese.”
Oh, my God. Surely he didn’t think she was interested in Reese. That was her worst nightmare come to life. “I can assure you that sitting next to Reese is the last thing I want.”