Page 23 of Jasper

“I can’t. This is baking. I’m a baker.”

“So, you can make, like, cakes and shit?”

“Yes, I can make, like, cakes and shit,” she replied dryly. What was it with men and cussing?

“Pies too?”

She nodded.

“Pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner?”

He looked so hopeful she almost laughed. Almost.

“Sure. I’ll just need to pick up some pumpkins from the store.”

“I can grab some canned…”

She was shaking her head before he even got the words out. “Nope. I use real pumpkins just like my grandma taught me.”

“Hot damn. Where have you been all my life, pretty girl?” He winked at her, and she suppressed the urge to giggle.

“Go shower before I decide to eat without you.”

“Maybe I’ll shower after we eat.”

“You stink.”

He gasped like she’d hit him. “It’s not polite to tell someone they stink.”

“It’s not polite to force someone to smell your stink either.”

His lip poked out in a pout. “Fine.”

She watched him walk toward the back stairs that led to the second floor. The man had a damn fine ass. While she might not touch, she sure could look. Especially when he didn’t notice her looking. Sloane would compromise on her raging hormones that far. It might keep them in check.

She hoped so.

True to his word, he was back in five minutes. Wet hair, his shirt sticking to his skin like a glove because he hadn’t completely dried off. Sex on a stick personified.

“See, back as promised.” He grinned and inhaled the aroma wafting from the serving dish. “It smells delicious.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“Water is fine.”

“No beer?”

“I drink beer with burgers or pizza, not real food.”

“Makes sense.” She got out the gallon of milk as well as a bottle of water for Jasper. “I drink milk with pot roast. Keeps me from getting severe heartburn.”

“I’ve never tried milk with pot roast before.” He eyed the jug speculatively as he took a seat at the island. “Does it give the food a weird aftertaste?”

“No.” Sloane sat herself. “It can actually heighten your sense of taste with some dishes.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “My gran used to make peppered pork chops with mashed potatoes. You’d take a bite of the chop, followed by mashed potatoes which fanned the flames of the pepper and then drink some milk. That cooled the effect. It’s weird, but it works.”

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