Page 9 of Talk Turkey To Me
When the bell over the back door sounded, Myles turned from the large schedule on the wall that he’d been updating and immediately had to suppress a groan. Lily slipped into the small hallway that led into the kitchen and he found it hard to breathe. She’d said she was going to go home and change but he hadn’t realized her mission in doing so was to drive him crazy.
Instead of the oversized sweatshirt and leggings, she now wore a fitted black t-shirt that hugged her curves and, for all he knew, could’ve been beneath the sweatshirt the whole time. But she’d also switched out the leggings in favor of a pair of black and white checkered shorts that left miles of sexy leg on display. She’d pulled her red mane into a high ponytail that swished as she walked towards him.
He had a flash of the teenage girl he’d never been able to forget and his body hardened despite his brain knowing it was a useless chemical reaction. This wasn’t his Lily. Not anymore. Not even if she still looked like the girl who he had known inside and out.
“Myles?” She snapped his name and from the way her lips pursed he thought perhaps it wasn’t the first time she’d spoken.
“Sorry, what?”
“I asked where you want me.”
He bit his tongue when his gut instinct was to grab her and pull her against him. That was where he wanted her. In his arms. Her body, tight against his. Her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist the way they'd been so many times when they were younger.
He shook away the memories and pointed to the chopping station, “Vegetables.”
Lily’s nose wrinkled and she snorted.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Lily…” He shrugged, “What?”
“I offer to come and help and you give me the job a child could do.” She sniffed as if it should’ve been obvious and moved to the station he’d set up for her.
“I wouldn’t let a child hold a knife so no, not really.” He deadpanned which earned him a glare.
“You know what I mean.”
“No. I’m not sure I do.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her to go on the attack because even though this might not be the same Lily he’d known as a girl, she’d already proven she still had that feisty temper he remembered.
“Don’t play dumb. You’re smarter than you look, even with those ridiculous glasses.”
He smirked, “You like my glasses?”
“Do you actually need them or are they just for show? To make you look more authoritative?”
“Do you think they make me look more authoritative?” He lifted an eyebrow and she scowled at him.
“Stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“Turning everything I say back into a question.”
“Sorry, I figured if you could ask things I could too. Is that not the game we’re playing?”
Her eyes flashed, “This isn’t a game to me, Myles. This is my father’s restaurant. This was supposed to bemykitchen and instead I come home to find you’ve somehow snuck your way in here and stolen it from me.”
That got his back up and he shook his head, “That’s bullshit, Lil. I didn’t steal anything. I earned my spot here fair and square. You’re the one who left and didn’t come back.”
“You’re the one who made me leave!” She raised her voice and it took everything in him not to tell her the truth right then and there. “You and my parents practically pushed me out of town and now you’ve teamed up again.”
He took a deep, calming breath, “I don’t know what kind of conspiracy you think this is, but I can assure you I didn’t team up with anyone to hurt you, Lil.”
“No. You never mean to.” She hissed back at him. “But it just keeps happening.”
Myles ran a hand down his face and sighed, “You can hate me all you want but please, do it while you’re cutting vegetables so we don’t end up here all night, okay? We have a lot to do before tomorrow since all the sides need to be prepped and ready before we can start deep frying the turkeys.”
