Page 19 of Love Set Me Free

When he called her that, he knew he could get anything out of her. She huffed out a breath and muttered, “Fine, but you’re cleaning the kitchen after.”

“Aye, don’t be making a big mess for no reason either.”

She giggled and sat back in her seat. It only took them five minutes to get to the store, and Paisley demanded he stay in the car so she could get the ingredients without him seeing them. When he finally agreed to be surprised, she made quick work of grabbing everything before rushing back out to the car.

The ride back to her place only took another ten minutes, and as soon as they parked, Kydrick got out and opened her door.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Welcome, ma’am,” he said before grabbing the bags from the back seat.

“Don’t peek either.”

He chuckled, and she knew it was because he sure as hell was about to. When they made it into the house, he carried the bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter.

“You need to be supervised so you don’t burn the kitchen down?”

“Boy, get out of here. Go relax. You just had your first day of work…ever. Unwind. I got this.”

“You sure?” he asked, genuinely looking like he wanted to stay and help her or even just be in her presence.

She walked over to him and gently pushed his chest. “Bye, Kyd.”

“Aight, okay. I’m going to shower and throw some sweats on. Holla if you need me.”

“I won’t,” she called out after him as he left the kitchen.

After taking all the groceries out and putting them away, she got to work. Cooking had always been therapeutic for her. It reminded her of afternoons with her mom and sister, experimenting with food and cooking big feasts for the family. When Kydrick went to prison, Paisley took a semester off from school before changing her major. During that time, she cooked a lot, and she liked to do it alone. It allowed her space to think and process whatever was on her mind.

That night, it was Kydrick and the growing tension between them. It was a good kind of tension. The kind of tension she wouldn’t mind exploring, but she was hesitant because the last thing she wanted to do was ruin a friendship over a crush she’d had for as long as she could remember. Paisley was so in her zone she didn’t realize Kydrick had entered the kitchen freshly showered and smelling just like mahogany teakwood.

“Smells good in here.”

She jumped slightly and turned to look at him with wide eyes. “Why you sneaking up on folks?”

He swaggered over to her and held her from behind for a brief second as he kissed her cheek.

“I ain’t mean to scare you, Pooh.”

She grunted her response. Mainly because she felt flustered from his touch… no matter how brief it was. They had been doing this same song and dance all week. Small touches hereand there, light flirting, and lustful gazes. It was at the point that Paisley felt like she might actually burst if she had to endure another night like that.

Slowly, she put the last fried pork chop on the plate with the others so the oil could drain before she turned. Kydrick still stood directly behind her, and they were now so close that if she took in a full breath, her nipples would brush against the top of his abs.

“I made your favorite. Well… it used to be your favorite. Your mom always made it for us. Fried?—”

“Fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, buttery corn, and…” His brow raised in question, and she giggled.

“Yes, I even made the homemade biscuits.”

“Aw, hell.” He ran a hand down his face, and Paisley could tell he fought between tearing up and laughing from excitement. “Do you know how many times I dreamed of this meal since she passed?”

“I can imagine,” she whispered. “I thought it might be a nice way for you to feel her presence. I just hope I did her justice.”

“The way it’s smelling in here…” He looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t know, Ma. You might have some competition.”

Paisley threw her head back and giggled. She loved seeing this lighthearted version of Kydrick. He only seemed to be that way with her. Around everyone else, he was closed off and serious, but this Kydrick… this man… he was who she had fallen in love with all those years ago.

When she looked back at him again, his gaze turned serious as he took her in, which caused her brows to pull in.

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