Page 74 of I see you Beauty

I try to ignore Ezra as best I can, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work because his presence alone is enough to make my body vibrate. His arm, lying next to me on the table, radiates such heat that I feel myself burning. Just as I can feel his thigh next to mine. The longing tugging between my thighs only gets worse and makes me want to climb the walls if I don’t gradually pull myself together.

“Thank you again for the invitation,” Ezra addresses June and me in equal measure.

I give him a forced smile and quickly shove another fork in my mouth so I don’t have to answer because I have no idea how I will get through this without being found out. How could he accept June’s invitation? And looking at my daughter, she’s already completely fallen for him. It’s not okay that my daughter adores the guy who was… Okay, no! Focus!

“Just wait for the lasagna; it’ll blow your mind,” June enthuses, grinning ear to ear.

“I’m sure your mother cooks wonderfully. I’m looking forward to trying more,” Ezra replies, and I can hear his voice getting darker and more insinuating.

I would have liked to step on his foot under the table to get him to pull himself together. Still, since Thomas is already eyeing him suspiciously, I prefer not to draw any more attention to us and instead treat myself to a generous sip of wine.

“I’m sure you’re welcome to come to dinner more often,” June offers, beaming with delight.

Ezra laughs and then shakes his head.

“Judging by the mood, I doubt it. But it’s nice of you, and I’m glad I’m welcome at your place,” Ezra replies to my daughter a little too kindly.

“I’ll check on the main course,” I interrupt their conversation and stand up so hastily that I bump into the table, which clatters loudly.

Ignoring my awkward stumble, I disappear into the kitchen to calm down. Surely I can’t be jealous of my daughter? That’s sick, yet I can’t deny that I didn’t like how he responded to her flirting. I know I shouldn’t think like that and should pull the emergency brake here and now, but I can’t help what I think and feel for him.

“You seem tense, Beauty. Do you want me to relax you a little?” Ezra’s rough voice sounds close behind me.

I brace myself on the kitchen counter to regain my composure. Ezra is now standing close—too close—behind me and burying his nose in my neck.

“Stop that!” I hiss, yet I can’t stop the hot shiver he’s giving me just by being so close.

“Why are you baring your claws, little lioness?” he jokes and turns me to face him in one swift movement.

Our bodies collide against each other, panting, before he pushes me back against the kitchen counter with my backside and rests his hands on the granite to my left and right, holding me completely captive. His amber-colored irises darken with desire as he brings his soft lips closer and closer to me until I feel his hot breath on my mouth, making everything pulsate with desire.

“Behave,” I admonish him breathlessly, trying to resist the urge to kiss him as his soft lips lure me in.

“Baby, believe me when I tell you I’m behaving well. Because if it were up to me, I’d be doing completely different things to you right now,” he growls darkly before planting a breathy kiss on me, making me moan against his lips without being able to hold it back.

“You could be my daughter’s boyfriend, and if it were up to her, you would be… I can’t do this, Ezra,” I gasp, trying to convince myself more than him as my belly throbs so hard I can barely get a clear thought.

“Your daughter is cute, pretty, and smart, yes. Any guy should consider himself lucky if she’s got her eye on him. But she’s not you. I want you, Beauty. Only you! Now shut up and let me taste you for a second before we return to your family, and don’t let on,” he growls demandingly. Then he hungrily presses his mouth to mine and conquers it not a moment later with his tongue.

As if of their own accord, my arms wrap around his neck so he is closer to me. My heart shouldn’t be beating so hard against my ribs at his words. I should push him off me and throw him out of my house for being so bold and daring to kiss me here and choose me over my daughter. But… I can’t do it. I want him far too much. Damn it!

The beeping of the oven makes us scatter. Panting and with pounding hearts, we stand close together and try to collect ourselves before I grab the oven mitts to get the lasagna out. Meanwhile, Ezra prepares the wooden board so that we can carry the hot casserole dish to the next room and place it on the table.

“It smells delicious,” June enthuses as Ezra places the lasagna in the middle of the table a moment later, and we sit with them again.

“May I?” Ezra asks Thomas if he can cut the lasagna and dish it out.

I’m always amazed by his extremely good manners and how politely and confidently he avoids all of Thomas’s jibes. I’ve forgotten what it’s like when a man is so controlled and well-mannered. Not that Thomas doesn’t know how to behave, but Ezra does it with a bit more style. It impresses me, and I imagine him taking me to a fancy restaurant or doing the same at a dinner party. The thought of Ezra in a suit and how he would score points with all my friends and acquaintances with his good and polite behavior is, unfortunately, far too appealing to me. Stop it, Cora; I admonish myself over these thoughts because I know it will never happen.

After Ezra cuts the lasagna and divides the pieces onto our plates, he sits down again and we started eating. I wait, spellbound, for Ezra’s reaction to see how he likes my food.

“Mmm,” he mumbles, so low and sexy that the sound jolts me so hard I have to squeeze my thighs together to fight this treacherous feeling. But it only makes it worse. God!

“It’s delicious, Mrs. Shepherd. The best lasagna I’ve ever eaten,” Ezra praises me, and I can’t help but smile widely at his words.

“Yes, my wife is a great cook. Maybe one day you’ll be lucky enough to find a woman who can cook just as well,” Thomas replies, clearly staking out his territory, which couldn’t be more embarrassing.

My smile collapses, and I look at him with a stunned expression. I can’t believe what he’s said.

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