Page 22 of Cupcake of the Month
“You left out the peaches.”
Ms. Eulalee gave him a wide-eyed stare before barking out a laugh. “Three fresh for each batch, cut into cubes. We have very few left from the orchard, so we won’t be able to make them soon. You can use the ones we’ve canned, but it won’t taste the same.”
Josh made a note on the card and got down to work. A rhythm soon settled over him and his body moved with the familiar choreography of working in a kitchen. Even when the daily produce was delivered, their culinary dance never missed a step.
And then there she was.
Jordan must have crept in when Eulalee was saying goodbye to the produce deliverer and his assistant because her citrus scent suddenly filled his senses.
She peered into his frying pan at the fritters. “Mmmm, delicious.”
So was she. Her hair was pulled up in one of those messy buns, leaving soft tendrils framing the creamy skin of her face,which was scrubbed clean of makeup. Khaki pants and a pink top that grazed her curves completed her fresh outfit. Her strawberry lips curved into a smile, and he wanted to sample the hot summer taste of her.
Instead, he gave her a nod and poured the vanilla for the French toast. “They’ll be ready soon.”
She brushed by him, and his skin tingled with pure awareness of her. “I need to get the serving plates ready.”
What he needed was for her to stay away before he lost focus and burnt the nearly-done fritters.
“Jordan is our doer of everything,” Ms. Eulalee said. “I don’t know how we would have managed without her.”
“Thank you, Aunt Eulalee.” Jordan gave the older woman a quick hug, then reached for the cabinet. “I’m glad you said yes to Brandi, Josh. I couldn’t imagine you staying in a job like that.”
A cold trickle slid down his back, and he pressed his lips together to keep from frowning. “And here I thought you were visiting me in the kitchen to give me support on my first day, not to give me reminder about your dry cleaning bill.” He got a serving tray out of the butler’s pantry. “You’ll have to make do with an IOU.”
“I only meant that your manager didn’t treat you with any respect.”
Oh. “Sorry,” he muttered.
“Give me one of those instead and we’ll call it even.” She pointed to the fritters.
He scooped one out of the cast-iron pan, then slid it on the plate. Jordan grabbed it and scurried to the other side of the island as if she was afraid he’d snatch it back, and plopped herself on one of the stools. “This smells amazing.”
Josh finished removing the rest of the fritters from the pan, standing sideways to keep Jordan in view. She carefully cut a piece of the fritter and inhaled deeply before putting it in hermouth. Her eyes closed behind the lens of her glasses and she breathed out. “Mmmmmm.”
His dick responded faster than his brain. She sounded exactly the same as when he had stroked and caressed her that night eight long years ago. That deep, sensuous hum of pleasure that had turned into moans and then cries of release.
He turned back to the stove so she couldn’t see evidence of his memories. “So it has the Shoenover seal of approval?”
“Oh, yeah.”
God, she even had that sexy tremor in her voice. The torture didn’t end.
Jordan took out her phone, still making little noises of enjoyment.
Within the hour, all the fritters were finished, the biscuits baked in a different cast iron skillet, eggs and ham cooked to perfection, and the French toast keeping warm in the oven. Wendy and Rob came down and began prepping coffee and sorting out silverware for their guests.
“What are you doing awake?” Wendy asked Jordan, who was still at the island.
“Not sleeping.” Her tone bordered on challenging.
Wendy raised an eyebrow, but didn’t pursue it. “I’m surprised the Hales are in the dining room already. After they had their complimentary peach whiskey last night, they purchased a bottle and turned the drinks hour into a party.”
“We better make more coffee,” Ms. Eulalee instructed. “And start plating the fritters.”
Wendy headed to the coffee urn, and Josh arranged the fritters in scattered rows on the serving tray, then accented the dish with neatly-cut strawberries. Wendy grabbed it when he was done.
“Holy cow, these look amazing.” She inhaled deeply. “And smell even better.”
