Page 11 of Tender Wild

“You cook?” Jared asked, looking around.

Miguel snorted. “I didn’t say that. I can heat stuff up, but that’s about it.”

“Same.” Jared hopped onto a counter, legs dangling. “So, what’s your specialty?”

Miguel opened the fridge, surveying its contents. “Microwave burritos and cereal.”

“Gourmet.” He grinned. “I’m not much better. I once set pasta on fire.”

“How do you set pasta on fire?” Miguel pulled out eggs, cheese, and random containers.

“Forgot to add water.” Jared curled his fingers around the edge of the counter. Miguel was dying to step between the male’s legs and kiss him. “What are we making?”

“Let’s make an omelet.” Miguel placed the eggs on the counter with a thud then grabbed a bowl from the cupboard. “Simple enough, right?”

Jared leaned forward from his perch. “How hard could it be? Crack eggs, add stuff, cook it.” He slid off the counter, pretending to roll up the sleeves of his T-shirt. “Although, there was that one time I tried making an omelet that ended up looking like a crime scene.” He peered into the containers Miguel had pulled out. “Is that leftover chili? And... are those jalapeños?”

Miguel nodded. “Thought we’d make chili cheese omelets. Lots of protein. Plus, it’ll give it flavor. Chili works great with fries, so why not eggs?”

“That sounds suspiciously like you know what you’re doing.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Miguel cracked an egg into the bowl with more force than necessary, splattering yolk onto the counter and shell fragments into the bowl. “Off to a great start,” he grumbled, grabbing a dishcloth.

Jared’s nose wrinkled. “How old is this chili exactly?”

Miguel sniffed it. “Tuesday? Wednesday? Doesn’t smell too bad.”

“Famous last words.” But Jared was already grabbing a spoon, dropping a generous dollop into the bowl. “If we die, I’m blaming you.”

Miguel grinned, chest loosening for the first time since the warehouse. Jared’s presence pulled him back from the edge, giving him something else to focus on besides blood and death and darts flying past his ear.

“Maybe I should do that part?” He nudged Miguel aside with his hip. Their shoulders brushed, lingering a second too long before Jared reached for another egg.

“First time I’ve been pushed around by a kitten.” Miguel smirked, stepping slightly back to give Jared room.

With a blush, Jared cracked the eggs with surprising precision, fishing out the shell bits Miguel had left inside the bowl. “I worked at a diner for two weeks. Got fired for breaking too many plates, but I picked up a few things. See? Gentle touch.”

“Gentle isn’t really my thing,” Miguel said, voice dropping lower.

Their eyes met. Heat flickered between them before Jared looked away first, focusing intently on the eggs. He whisked them, adding a splash of milk he’d found. “Should we season this?”

“Obviously.” Miguel reached for the spice rack, grabbing bottles at random. “Garlic powder, nutmeg, cumin...”

“For an omelet?” Jared’s eyes widened.

“Trust me.” Miguel sprinkled generous amounts into the egg mixture, then added a handful of salt for good measure.

Jared sniffed the mixture, scrunching his nose. “Smells... interesting.”

“Interesting is good.”

Jared’s smile brightened the fluorescent-lit kitchen. “What else goes in an omelet besides eggs and questionable chili?”

Miguel opened the fridge, surveying its contents. “Cheese for sure. Maybe some peppers?” He pulled out a container of leftover bell peppers, sniffing them cautiously. “These might be okay.”

“Might be?” Jared peeked over his shoulder, close enough that Miguel felt his breath on his neck. “They’re either good or a science experiment.”

“Fine line sometimes.” Miguel dumped the peppers onto a cutting board. The slightly slimy texture made him hesitate, then he decided to err on the side of caution and threw them away.

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