Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(41)

Her stomach roared. Apparently breakfast was in order too. She lugged herself out of the barstool and fired up the stove. If these demons expected something fancy, they were sorely mistaken.

Scrambled eggs and bacon it would be.

She sprayed a healthy coating of olive oil and the pan sizzled in response. There was nothing she enjoyed more than cooking in private.

She whisked her eggs, added some milk and cheddar cheese and tossed the mixture into the pan. Chopped onions and peppers always made a good match as well. A little garlic and pepper and her not so secret ingredient—cottage cheese. Fooled them every time.

The sizzling aromas wafted in the air as she threw some bacon on the griddle. The scents continued to swirl around her. She loved cooking breakfast. She and Nonni had always cooked breakfast together.

“I wonder if demons like toast.”

“I’ll take rye if you have it.”

Pulling her housecoat tight to her body, she spun around. Matthias lounged against the doorjamb, a pair of lounging pants hiding her view from the silk boxers he wore earlier.

Thank heaven for that.

“How’d you get in here?”

Matthias narrowed his gaze. “I walked in.”

“I put up a blocking charm. I guess it didn’t work.”

“Oh.”

“See! I told you I’m just your average Midwestern gal.”

Matthias scratched his chin. “What did you say in your charm?”

“I prayed that the kitchen noises didn’t disturb the demons and imps in this house.”

Matthias roared in laughter. It was a nice sound really. He should do it more often. “It was the smell that brought me here, not the noise.”

“Oh.”

“Smells delicious,” he said, stepping further into the room.

“It’s just scrambled eggs and bacon. Nothing special.”

Matthias gaze sparked. “I’ve eaten my fair share of bacon and eggs over the years, Serah. None of them smelled this good.”

“I’m good at what I do, what can I say?”

“You can be good at other things as well, you know.”

“I don’t have the time to be your little hero. I have a business to run.”

“And your friend Lucia does not?”

“She has Rafe to help her, not to mention Kalli and Frankie.”

“What about your sous-chef?”

“Edie? She’s good, but there’s something off with her.”

“I can help.” Matthias stood proud. “I have cooked a few meals in my lifetime.”

“There’s a big difference between cooking for yourself and cooking for one hundred.”

“I want to help.”

“Okay buddy. Take care of the eggs while I go take a shower. How’s that?”

Matthias nodded. “Fine.”

“Good.”

***

Serah, still clinging tightly to her robe, strode out of the room. Matthias breathed a sigh of relief. It was pure torture to not strip that robe away and worship her curves.

He sensed she was self-conscious about her body, and that seemed to only add to her appeal. She was proud, but not too arrogant. It drove him mad with desire.

Why in the hell had he offered to help her? He didn’t even know the last thing about cooking. He’d cooked a few meals back in his human days, but as technology improved, cooking methods changed as well.

Eggs frying in a pan, though? That was something he could manage. He reached for the handle and stirred the contents. What were those white chunks floating in the eggs? With a shrug, he set it back down on the burner, a little sloshing outside the pan.

Oil bubbled and sputtered, flames flying out from the burner. In a rush, the flames jumped into the pan.

A shrill beep rent the air, alerting the entire house of his stupidity. Serah would be here any minute.

Matthias shook the pan. Flames only grew hotter and leapt higher. Setting the pan back down, he covered it with the lid. Flames snuck out the sides and as if it were taunting, flicked and flitted. What had he done?

He flew to the sink and cranked the water on full blast. Sprayer poised and ready, like it was his favorite firearm, he pushed in the trigger.

Water streamed and sprayed, sending balls of fire exploding in the air. Matthias burst to attention. Somersaulting over the counter, he grabbed a towel and slapped at the ever-growing flames. Heat and smoke burned in his nostrils, the stench clinging to his nose.

“Bloody hell!” If it weren’t for the lack of stench clinging to the air and the protection charm surrounding the house, he’d think it was the Infernati making their presence known. The smoke billowed and the flames leapt and danced from beneath the pan. Why wouldn’t it go out?

He flung open closets and cupboards, shuffling and clanging pots and pans. If he knew Serah’s eggs would turn into napalm, he would have helped in some other way. Now her kitchen was turning into toast—quite literally.

A flame leapt from the stove and licked his bare bicep.

“Shit!” he grumbled. Even though the scar would soon fade, it still hurt like a bitch. He rubbed his arm and threw down the now-flaming towel. What a disaster. She’d get rid of him for sure.

A spark of determination flashed inside him. He wouldn’t let her get rid of him. He’d find a way to make this right. Their breakfast was already ruined. He’d be damned if he let her entire kitchen go next.