Page 74 of Major Love

Affection tugs at my heart.

“You don’t have to do this,” I say, gently this time.

Just because I’m burning up in his toasty kitchen doesn’t mean that he should have to take the cookinginto the snow.

He comes trudging back after he sets it up, picking up way more food and cutlery in his hands than I would have imagined to be possible.

“Jason,” I laugh, but the man is dead-set, placing the rest of our stuff on the outdoor sofa, which sits just before that tarp-covered hot-tub.

He rubs his hands on the sides of his jeans, smirking knowingly as he strides toward me.

“What?” I ask cautiously, bracing my hands on the sides of the stool, and then I’m squealing as he grips the seat beneath my thighs and hauls it upwards.

My arms fly around his broad shoulders as the ground disappears beneath me.

He chuckles as he carries me out to the back porch while I’mstill seatedon the barstool.

“You’re crazy!” I squeak, clinging tighter as he scopes out where to set me down.

And I let out a breathlessoofas he places me to the side of the barbecue, far away enough from the smoke that I shouldn’t burn up again.

“You’re like a little furnace,” he says as he positions me, adjusting the seat so that it’s at a more appropriate height.

I blush and pat my wrist against my scalding cheek.

I’m usually freaking freezing so I don’t know what the hell is going on with me today.

But I don’t want to dwell on that – I want to focus on how sweet it was for Jason to bring us out here, into the early evening air where the snow has provided the perfect amount of chill.

“Thanks for doing this,” I say softly, and he just smiles over at me as if it’s no big deal.

He preps the fire for a couple of minutes and places the steaks on the grill.

Then he glances up at me as the meat begins to sizzle.

“Rare, medium, or well done?” he asks.

“Just straight up raw,” I reply teasingly, and his smile lines deepen as he lets out a rough laugh. His cheeks turn red for some reason, and he averts his gaze as he grips the nape of his neck.

And then I realise what I lowkey just said.

Raw? Straight up raw?

I swallow down my embarrassment and rasp, “Medium will be fine.”

He chuckles quietly and nods, although he’s still avoiding my eyes.

And in less than ten minutes we’re sitting side by side on the porch couch, the fire from the grill simmering gently as we look out at the snow-covered pines beyond his workshop.

“We can go back inside whenever you want,” Jason says, after swallowing a third of his steak in one enormous bite.

I appreciate the gesture, especially seeing as he’d set up the dining table with the beautiful flowers that he brought home this morning. But I’m still kind of boiling so I’d prefer for us to stay out here right now.

“I’m good here,” I admit, biting into a perfectly cooked fry. “This view is unbelievable,” I add with a smile.

He winks at me as he takes another bite of his steak, flashing me one of his enormous biceps. “Not bad, huh?”

I laugh and give him a shove with one of my fluffy-sock covered feet.

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