Page 26 of Love Undercover
Standing, he extended his hand to her, which she took after a moment’s hesitation, apparently accepting his lack of answer to her question.
She trailed behind him as he went inside to investigate his supplies. To be fair, there was not much to choose from, so it probably didn’t matter if she’d looked for something suitable. He’d have to cobble something together and make a run to the store later.
“I could make chili,” he offered after inspecting his supplies in the pantry. It was dismal at best, but there were cans of beans and he always had a stash of meat in the freezer. “Wait, you do eat meat, right?”
When he turned, she was just sliding onto the same bar stool she’d used that morning, though he didn’t miss the subtle eye roll.
“I eat meat,” she confirmed. “Even if it’s not organic or grass-fed.”
She didn’t smile, and it wasn’t even her dampened mood he sensed as the culprit. She was almost sheepish.
“Like if your choice is to eat poison or starve?”
Her lips twisted to the side, and it was real humor he detected. “I’ll just do a detox when I get home.” Then her face fell. “If I get to go home.”
He caught his wince before it took hold of his expression and turned, setting to work quick-thawing the meat. Pulling out allthe seasonings, he ignored the way his skin tingled with her eyes following his movements.
It was almost more unsettling than worrying about someone watching the house from the woods.
He thought again about how this split-second decision was going to kill him.
9
Crunchy Lady Staples
It was astounding that by the end of the meal, Chase’s kitchen was in the pristine condition it had been in before he started. Like he actually finished a task prior to starting on the next. And then he cleaned up immediately after they were done eating.Like a crazy person.
Sadie’s kitchen always looked like a bomb went off every time she cooked. Part of her wondered if there were little kitchen nymphs that played in the ingredients, splashing it all over when her back was turned.
Like when she made sourdough. It only took three ingredients. And yet, she ended her baking endeavors with flour in places she swore she never went.
Her minimalist style had been her attempt at organizing the chaos her apartment always became with more things to leave around the house. But that only sort of worked.
Of course, he wouldn’t know that the trashed state he’d found when he’d broken in was only marginally worse than what it looked like on a regular basis. Especially during the school year when she had less time and energy to devote to it.
He appeared to favor the same minimalist style, but she figured it was because he wasn’t there often, or at least not much recently based on what he had in his pantry and refrigerator.
After they ate, she wandered over to a small bookshelf, perusing his very limited selection of tomes. She only picked one and sat because she didn’t know what to do with herself while he settled in on the opposite side of the couch with a laptop, but she barely registered what she read. No surprise, really, though. It was on some history of the area, which might have interested her if it was a little less dry and if Chase didn’t keep sneaking looks at her.
His heavy gaze always stole her attention, even when her back was turned. It was like a caress, a warm, wandering hand against her skin.
It made it hard for her to sit still. Not that being still was ever her modus operandi in general, but this felt like more than her usual restlessness.
As if he sensed that she was unsettled, he closed his computer and gave her his full attention.
She tried not to acknowledge him, pretending she was too engrossed in the book, but he wasn’t having it.
“Teacher,” he said.
She inhaled deeply, then shut the book, setting it aside to meet his gaze head-on. “How’d you know?”
A faint smirk pulled at his lips. “The degree in the corner of your pottery room, your teacher craft supplies.”
He’d seen her pottery room. Heat blossomed in her cheeks. Of course, he’d seen it. He said he’d been through the whole place,but that room washerspace, the one area she truly let loose without any thought of someone seeing it.
He didn’t seem to notice her reaction. “What grade?”
She lifted a brow. “So now you’re interrogating me?”
