Two Bar Mitzvahs (No Weddings #3)(77)

Her eyes widened. “Neanderthal.”

Moving suddenly, she ripped the plastic wrap from the tops of the bowls. Then, as if I wasn’t frayed enough, or maybe because she wanted to push me further, she swiped a finger through the pink frosting before sticking it into her mouth. She made slow work of sucking that lucky frosting off, hollowing out her cheeks as she pulled the finger between her lips.

I growled low. “You got that right. Nothing civilized about to happen here.”





32


Moment to Savor


Hannah…

Wild mischief glinted in Cade’s eyes, and I watched closely as he stalked forward. Caught off guard with his sudden playful mood, my muscles tensed. Then I feinted left and lunged right, darting past him and snatching the first two things from the utensil drawer that I wrapped my fingers around. I thrust them up between us in defense—my dual weapons against his.

He snorted. “A ladle? What are your plans with that? Glop hunks of frosting onto my head?” He shifted his gaze to my other hand. “And what the hell is that?”

Narrowing my eyes, I glanced at my hand. The pea-green tool had flat rubbery “bristles” on its end. “Usually, a silicone basting brush. But tonight, it’s a first-class frosting flicker.” I snapped my wrist toward him, making the rubber ends quiver.

His blue eyes flashed in the bright lights of the kitchen. Which made me glance at the darkness outside the windows and realize anyone peering in could see my near-nakedness. And watch everything else about to follow.

“Ummm, maybe we should close the shutters.”

He glanced over his shoulder, following my gaze. “Why?”

“Anyone can see in.” I chewed on my lower lip, flushing with sudden shyness.

He dropped his classic deadpan look at me. “Anyone, meaning ‘peeping-tom neighbors’ who trudge through your backyard at night?”

I scowled, lowering the ladle and basting brush down to each of my hips. “Or kayakers rowing by.”

“In the pitch dark?”

“What about my neighbors across the water?” I hedged, beginning to feel stupid with my weak stalling ploy.

His stare hardened as one corner of his mouth curved up in a smirk. “If your neighbors across the water have high-powered binoculars mounted on a tripod to catch us the first time we f*ck in your kitchen, good for them.”

My lips twitched as I fought a smile. I’d missed him. This lighthearted exchange, his quick wit laced with naughty intentions, was but one of the many facets to Cade that I needed. But underneath all the sexual bluster was a man who loved me.

His absence—the needless separation I’d also played a part in—had been rough on us. And beautiful moments of crazy fun were a part of the courting again, our ritual to celebrate being together, full of life.

In a flash of movement, he whirled around and stabbed the end of each of his utensils into a different bowl. “Get over here, woman.” His eyes narrowed. “Or stay there.” He shrugged, pulling his loaded weapons from the bowls. “I’ll nail you with frosting no matter where you stand.”

I arched a brow, smirking. “Only with frosting?”

He gave me no warning. Soft wetness splattered my cheek, my chest above the low neckline of the apron, and the inside of my left knee. I glanced down to see streaks of pink and green on my skin.

Gaping at him, shocked at the unexpected start of the all-out frosting war, I maneuvered around the kitchen island, taking cover while he reloaded. Hovering at the corner of the barrier between us, I waited.

Amusement glittered in his eyes, and in that split second, time slowed, my heart warming with a heavy ache in my chest. Cade unleashing his true self—the no-holds-barred, vulnerable boy behind the man—made me fall in love with him even harder.

Yeah, these moments were what I missed most when I’d nearly blown it by running again.

Never again. I hoped. I repeated the mantra in my head a few times, willing it to be true. I’d admitted to Cade that I ran when spooked, but he was worth the attempt at rewriting my knee-jerk panic reaction. For once, it would be nice to trust in someone to be my strength when I faltered—trust in Cade.

“Hellooo, Maestro.” He arced the whisk in a slow wave in front of my face. He’d taken another step closer while I’d been zoning. “Where’d you go?”

I smiled. “Just got lost in this wonderful moment. I really missed you.”

“I missed you too. Bad.” He snapped his wrists, flicking me with the yellow and blue this time.

Pulled back into the present in that split-second frosting flick, I laughed, darting to the other side of the table, shoving the ends of my weapons into the nearest bowls, chocolate and mint green. “You’re going down, Michaelson.”

He froze, blinking. His gaze locked onto something behind me, so I glanced over my shoulder. My entire naked backside was reflected in the windowpane. The blue polka-dot ties dangled down from my waist across one of my ass cheeks.

I turned and unloaded my weapons, firing frosting streaks onto his face, shirt, one bicep, and jeans.

“Hey.” He scowled, glancing down. “I was distracted.”

“You wanted me naked in an apron. Serves you right. I’ll use any advantage I have.” I reloaded.

He shoved his tools into the bowls too.