Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal #1)(69)

The throat clearing behind her didn’t startle her. She’d been working in the kitchen for a good thirty minutes, exploring the cupboards and fridge to find what she needed. And even though her companion hadn’t made a noise, she knew that Kaz had been watching her for the last five minutes.

She was up early—for once. Put his shower to use, heaven that it was, and decided to cook something to eat since she had the time to actually do so with no worries about a call that would send her running again.

What was the harm, right?

She had heard the movement coming from the bedroom not long after she left, but she was already preoccupied by her work in the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Kaz asked.

Violet shot him a look over her shoulder. “Take a guess.”

“Cooking.”

“Good guess,” she teased.

Kaz stayed leaning against the wall, watching her in that way of his while she worked, and saying nothing. Violet wasn’t so unnerved by his presence as she was his silence.

“Something on your mind?” she dared to ask.

“A bit.”

Two could play that game, so Violet decided to ease him into whatever he was chewing on.

“Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” he admitted.

“Find a seat.”

“I like where I’m standing.”

Violet gave him another look. “Why is that?”

“I’m enjoying the view. It isn’t often my kitchen gets put to good use, never mind a woman that isn’t my sister cooking in it.”

Ah.

“Interesting,” Violet murmured, turning back to her work.

She didn’t even hear him move until he was right behind her. A fingertip pressed against the back of her neck, and then slowly traveled lower until it stopped at mid-spine. Having little else to wear but what she’d come in, Violet had opted to grab the dress shirt Kaz had discarded the night before. Anything to keep her decent—her panties—were a lost f*cking cause.

“You look good in my clothes,” he said, the words whispering against the side of her neck.

Violet grinned, keeping her attention focused on not burning the scrambled eggs. “Do I?”

“Very. And standing here doing … this.”

“I like cooking.”

“It’s very domestic,” Kaz said.

Something in the lilt of his tone caught her attention. “Is that a problem? Did you want me to skip out of here before you woke up or something? I mean, I’m pretty sure I could still go on ahead and do that, but you’d be left to cook and eat the food yourself.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Stay,” he urged quietly, moving closer to her until his chest was molded to her back and a hand landed firmly on her hip.

Violet nodded, content where she was for the moment. “I have some time, anyway. Safe time.”

“Sure.”

His other hand tangled into the damp strands of her hair, moving it over her shoulder, but nothing else. “Tell me there’s more than just eggs, yes?”

She laughed, and took a step back. He followed the movement. Opening up the oven, she waved for him to take a look inside. Eggs and toast were the last thing to be cooked because they were the fastest. Inside the oven, bacon, hash browns, and toast sat in different dishes, staying warm.

“No worries,” she told him. “I know how to cook a breakfast.”

“I won’t underestimate you again.”

“Thanks.”

Violet turned the burner down for the eggs just enough to keep them from burning as she ran her fork throughout the pan, keeping it all from sticking to the bottom. Kaz finally managed to surprise her just a bit when she felt his lips press to the back of her neck softly. Just as fast, he stepped away.

Domestic, he’d said.

She didn’t think he meant it quite the same way as she took the word.

Once she was finished at the stove, and had a fair spread sitting over the island to choose from, Violet shoved a plate across the counter for Kaz to take. He did, offering her one of those smooth smiles that caught her off guard every single time.

Violet fixed her plate, and sat atop a stool when Kaz brought one around the other side of the island for her to use. He sat across from her, attention drifting between the food and her.

It wasn’t awkward.

But she knew, just by the way he kept quiet, he was thinking about things. Her, maybe. The night before, likely.

“I considered taking off this morning,” Violet said softly.

Kaz barely reacted to that, but he did lift a brow and stared at her over the fork he was lifting to his mouth. “I would have been severely pissed off, had you done that.”

“Oh?”

“Very.”

“Well, I didn’t, so no need for that.”

“But you thought about it,” he pressed.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier?” she asked.

Kaz tipped his head to the side slightly, asking, “Easier for whom?”

“This.”

“And this is … what?”

Violet pursed her lips. “You don’t have to make everything difficult, Kaz.”

“I’m not making it difficult. I’m asking a question, Violet. You should answer it.”