Page 9 of Sweet Temptation
My eyebrow shoots up as I force myself around him, careful not to touch any of the miles of toned muscle, and open the fridge.
Linc and Lochlan walk around in boxers all the time. Always did.
But they never looked likethat. “Whatever, Beneventi.”
With his arms crossed over his thick chest, Lucky leans back against the counter and watches me. It’s infuriating. “Eggs, huh? You baking?”
I turn around and drop my found stash on the counter. “What if I am?”
Maybe I don’t need to be so combative, but damn, he always brings it out in me.
“My ma always bakes when she can’t sleep,” he offers, and the shit’s voice softens with the mention of Amelia. “Why can’t you sleep, Lex?”
I ignore the question and pull out a mixing bowl. “Want an omelet?”
“It’s two a.m. . . .”
“Holy shit. You can tell time. I guess that degree wasn’t just earned by the cheerleaders you screwed as payment for your homework, after all.” I crack two eggs and grab a whisk. “Last chance. Do you want some?”
Lucky pulls himself up onto the counter so I’m eye level with his abs, all eight of them, and watches me. It’s unnerving. “Sure. I’ll take some. You adding cheese?”
“Nope. Just eggs. Trust me. A great omelet doesn’t need anything else.” At least not one I eat. Cheese and milk aren’t good for me. “And no ketchup, Beneventi.”
He arches a brow with a slow nod, like he’s examining my words with a magnifying glass, making him harder to ignore. Good thing I’ve spent years ignoring Lucky Beneventi.
“So why’d you come back?” he asks as I get to work.
Ouch. That hurt. “Wow. Tell me how you really feel.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” His voice softens again. “I guess after you and Brea graduated, and you both stayed there... I don’t know... I wasn’t sure you were coming back.”
Once the eggs are in the pan, and I have a reason to turn away from him, I decide to go with the truth for maybe the first time in one of my middle-of-the-night interrogation sessions. “I thought about staying away... It was nice not being me over there.”
“What do you mean?” He hops down off the counter and grabs two plates from a shelf. “Who were you?”
I continue to work the eggs, hiding my face from the scrutiny making my cheeks flame. “I wasn’t the sick girl everyone worried about. My instructors didn’t care if I missed a class. It was up to me to make it up. They didn’t care why or how. They just cared that I learned whatever I missed. The places I staged didn’t go easy on me because I have CF.”
“What’s staged?” he asks as he adds forks to our plates and watches while I cut our omelet in half and slide the much larger portion onto his plate.
“It’s like an internship where you learn from the best restaurants in the world but don’t get paid.” I shouldn’t watch as he breaks off his first bite of the eggs, but I do, wanting to see him enjoy it. Wanting the affirmation I get when he moans. Oh man... actually moans. And damn, it sounds good coming from him.
Why does Lucky Beneventi have to be the biggest manwhore I’ve ever known? Not that I’m looking for a boyfriend, or worse, a husband. What’s the point? But a little fun never hurt anyone, and if half of Kroydon Hills hadn’t already had fun with Lucky, he’d be exactly who I’d want to have fun with.
“Holy shit, Lex. That’s fucking good.”
I hide my smile and take a bite, like his words didn’t just soothe my soul. “Good. Wear pants next time, and I’ll make it for you again.”
Saylor
What time are we moving you in?
Aurora
I just got my nails done. We’re not actually moving anything, right? Just ogling Linc’s hot baller buddies.
Lexie
You’re related to most of those buddies, sleeping beauty.
