Page 83 of Crazy Rich Cajuns

Maria held a crawfish up.“Okay, first step—twist the tail.”She did.“Peel the tail.”She did, tossing the remnants into the bucket in front of her.“Eat the tail.”She also did that after dipping it into some of the special sauce Kennedy had made.“Then,” she said, holding up the rest of the crawfish.“You suck.”She did, sucking the juice and some of the remaining meat out of the shell.Then she tossed that into the bucket as well.

Kennedy gave a little shudder.She wasn’t a crawfish sucker.But the rest of her family loved it.

Maria held up her messy hands.“If you don’t want to get dirty tonight, you’re in the wrong place.”

There was a beat of silence, during which Kennedy assumed everyone else was thinkingwho is this woman and where is Maria Baxter?Just like Kennedy was.

But then Preston gave a low whistle, and the rest of the table applauded.

Maria gave them a smile—the biggest Kennedy had seen so far—and took her seat.Somehow, even having just sucked a crawfish and with juice all over her hands, looking like a queen.

Kennedy watched as the rest of the guests dug into the food, with their hands, and conversation and laughter started bubbling up.It was stupid, but for just a second, Kennedy had to blink her eyes rapidly.

“I need to talk to you.”

Suddenly Bennett was beside her, grabbing her hand, and starting around the side of the house.

She hurried over the grass with him.“Bennett, what’s going on?”

But he didn’t reply until he had her around the corner and backed up against the bricks.He braced his forearm on the side of the house and settled his other big hand on her hip.“You did something romantic,” he said, running his palm up and down over the fabric of the second dress Maria had bought for her.“So I have to do something dirty.”

His gaze was intense and with his big, hot body so close, Kennedy felt her breathing quicken.“I thought that was just my thing.To punish you.”

“Guess not.”He slid his hand up and down.“It’sourthing.”

Kennedy felt her heart thump at that.They had a thing.She liked that.A lot.

“Wait, I did something romantic?That doesn’t sound like me.”Yep, a little breathless-sounding.

“Stepping up to help with this party?Helping my mom out when she hasn’t exactly been sweet and friendly to you?”He leaned in until their noses were almost touching.“And knowing that you actually did it all for me?That’s romantic.”

“Huh.”Her hands were flat on the bricks behind her, but her whole body felt like it was arching into his.This guy had an incredible effect on her.One she wasn’t sure she was ever going to get used to.

“And,” he told her, brushing his lips over hers.“Watching you out there?The way you were watching everyone else, clearly hoping that they not only liked the food, but that they were also having a good time?And then the way you smiled when my mom kicked her shoes off and twisted the tail off the crawfish?You like them.”

He ran his hand up to cup her face.“And you’re fitting in.Without even really trying.You just…do.You came to a strange place, so unlike your world, sat down with people so unlikeyou, and you made them smile, you made them feel comfortable, you took care of them.”

Brushing his thumb over her bottom lip, he looked into her eyes.“You helped make last night fun for my cousins, you nursed Charles’ hangover, you made my mom grits like she had when she was a little girl, you learned everything you could about my foundation, you stuck up for Autre and the tour company with the governor, and tonight you fussed over everything from the candles to the desserts.You touched every single thing here and made it warm and delightful and—” He dragged his lips to her cheek.“—delicious.”

His thumb skimmed over her cheek and then he lifted it to his mouth.Clearly, she’d had a smear of something there.

“Sweet.You are so fucking sweet even when you’re being sassy and smart-assed.I’ll never get enough of you.”

Kennedy managed to drag in a deep breath even as her chest tightened and her heart pounded.Holy crap.This guy.He saw her and he appreciated her.And vice versa.She’d never had this before.This mutual respect and affection that went along with the good times and hot sex.This was…everything.

She had to blink fast again as emotions threatened to overcome her.“And you haven’t even tasted my Bananas Foster yet.”

“No.”He paused.“Can’t.”

“Can’t?”

“I’m allergic to bananas.”

Kennedy shook her head.“What?Then why did you ask me to make it?”

“Because I knew you could do more than pralines.I want you to always do everything you’re capable of.”

Whoa.She blinked again.What was with all of this emotion swirling around inside of her?“Well, just so you know for the future, I make a kick-ass crème brûlée.You should ask for that next time.”

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