Page 59 of The Other Guy

He pulls ingredients out of the fridge then retrieves a couple of knives and sets them on the large wooden cutting board that I imagine doesn’t get moved often. Pulls out two small sauté pans and places them on the gas burners.

“I’ve never cooked on a gas stove before.”

“Really? You won’t want to go back, trust me.”

Strange thing is, I do trust him. With more than just cooking breakfast together. I trust that what he was saying earlier was the truth. That he cares about what I want, not just someone who will agree with everything he says.

“Looking forward to you changing my world and having to buy a new appliance, then.”

He chuckles. “There’s my smart ass girl.”

His smart ass girl.

I shouldn’t like that, but I do. A little too much. Dammit.

I also like the way the two of us work side by side standing at the counter and chopping vegetables and whisking eggs, eating bacon and drinking coffee.

He starts sautéing the vegetables, jerking his wrist to move the pan.

“You’ve done that a time or two,” I acknowledge.

“Yes, I have. Dad’s a chef, remember?”

“Oh, I remember your dad. I can’t imagine anyone not remembering meeting him.”

Jack pulls a disgusted face. “Gross.”

I smile, liking that I irritated him a little bit.

“I mean, he’s definitely a silver fox.”

He pours the eggs into the pans.

“I bet he would be a great wingman. Though, I bet that he would provide a lot of competition for you. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but your dad is like… super hot. I saw little hints of tattoos and totally wouldn’t mind seeing more of those.”

He curls a lip at me when I waggle my eyebrows. “Okay, enough of that.”

He finishes up our omelets and plates them, sliding my plate in front of me.

I hold my hair back as I lean over. “Oh my gosh, this smells so good. I’m starving.” And then I make embarrassing noises while I shovel eggs into my mouth as if I haven’t eaten in years.

“Now see, aren’t you glad you chose what you wanted to eat? I hate to imagine you’d miss this meal you are so clearly enjoying.”

“No one likes a know-it-all, Jack,” I mumble around a mouthful of delicious eggs. Seriously. What in the heck did he do to these things? I have never had such an amazing omelet in my life. I can’t stop eating. Did he put some sort of drugs in these? “Seriously, this is too good. I cannot even stop. So. Good.”

I look up to see Jack’s just watching me rather than enjoying his own incredible meal. “What’s wrong? You aren’t hungry?”

He shakes his head with tight lips like he’s trying not to laugh. “No, no. Just waiting to see if you’re going to dive into mine as well. Don’t want to lose a finger.”

“I can’t help it. I tend to be hungry after I drink too much alcohol.”

“Really? I would have never guessed.”

“No one likes a smart ass, Jack.”

“I’m a know-it-all smart ass. I sound like a treat.”

I polish off the last of my omelet and my eyes land on his. I walk my fingers across the counter to Jack’s plate but he pulls it away and starts eating. “Suddenly I’m really hungry.”

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