Unbreakable(5)

He glances over his shoulder at me. “You okay back there?”

“Sure, I’m fine.” Once we reach the kitchen, I hurl my bags onto the granite-topped island and wince at the sound of a glass jar cracking.

Will grins. “Break something, darlin’?”

“Shit! I’m sorry. You make carrying these look easy. I guess I got a little cocky.”

“I packed them a little heavy. Sorry about that.”

As I unpack the groceries, I can’t help sneaking little looks at him. The t-shirt he’s wearing clings to his biceps, and his faded blue jeans hug the curve of his ass just right. I’m sweating just looking at him.

He nods toward the window and pulls a stovetop grill from under the sink. “It looks like it’s going to rain, so I thought we could grill up some chicken and veggies for dinner. We can have that fruit salad we bought for dessert. Quick and easy.”

“Easy? Didn’t we just talk about what a disaster I am in the kitchen?”

“Well, can you at least chop up the veggies while I man the grill?” He hands me a few peppers and an eggplant. “Cut the peppers into strips and slice up the eggplant. I’ll put the mushrooms and asparagus on the grill whole.”

“Sure, I can do that.”

He watches me as I get to work chopping and cutting. Thankfully, I don’t mangle anything too badly.

“Not bad,” he says, examining the veggies. “Your technique could use some work, but these will do just fine.” He takes the cutting board off of the counter and winks at me.

Okay, that wink is starting to feel like foreplay. I can’t deny the awareness that winds its way through my body. It’s not lack of sex or being without a boyfriend right now.

It’s just him.

“What, no smart ass response? You’re losing your touch,” he teases.

I snap out of my reverie and force a smile. “When and where did you learn to cook like this?”

He shrugs. “You figure stuff out for yourself when you’re on your own. Besides, cooking is a life skill everyone should have. I need to eat a certain way when I’m training and playing hockey. It’s necessary. Gotta put the right fuel in the tank.”

I nod. “Right. Of course.”

A few years ago, Will was still doing a lot of takeout and no-cook meals. Between losing his parents and playing for the Smoke, he’s really grown up. It seems like he’s five years older than me instead of just one—at least when it comes to this stuff.

He fixes us each a plate while I pour us two glasses of white wine.

“Do you want to eat out on the porch, Em?”

“Sure.” The screened-in porch is one of my favorite spots in the entire cottage. It’s large, with comfy patio furniture and a little dining table. When I was younger, I used to sit out here and stare at the lake for hours until Will and Sully dragged me off on one of their ridiculous adventures.

Will takes a seat across from me at the table. I hand him his wine, and we clink glasses.

“To vacations and relaxing,” I toast.

“Cheers.”

Will made a lemon sauce to drizzle over the chicken and veggies, and it smells heavenly. I pour it all over my food and take a big bite.

“Will.” I close my eyes and let out a happy little moan. “Oh my God. It’s so good.”

I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in ages, and this is simply incredible. When I open my eyes, Will’s staring at me, an odd expression on his handsome face.

“What? What’s wrong?” I grab for my napkin. “Did I get lemon sauce on myself?”

“Uh, no.” He clears his throat. “That’s just quite a reaction for a simple chicken dinner.”

I glance down at my plate, realizing my reaction was more orgasmic than appreciative. I grab my wine and take a huge gulp, flushing from the tips of my ears all the way down to my chest.

“Oh,” I mumble. “Well, it’s been awhile.”

Aaand that sounds a lot better, Emmy.

“Since I’ve had a home cooked meal, I mean.” Oh, God. Can this get any more embarrassing?

The corners of Will’s mouth turn up, and he looks like he’s trying not to laugh. “Sure.” He nods. “Gotcha.”

Sighing, I toss my napkin down on the table. “This is mortifying.”

Will laughs and covers my hand, giving it a little squeeze. “It’s okay, Em. I just didn’t realize my food had such an effect on women.” He waggles his eyebrows at me playfully.

Being alone with Will and drinking wine at this two-person dining table makes this feel like a first date. It brings my awkwardness out full-force.

“So, explain to me what happened with Aidan. What really happened,” he says, giving me a pointed look. “You should have told me that you two split up.”

Yeah, I probably should have, but it would have been like admitting defeat. When Will met Aidan over Christmas break, he hadn’t been impressed with him at all. “Not good enough for you, Sunshine,” he’d whispered in my ear.

“Well, I just realized that he’s not…” Hmm. I can’t exactly say that I’d compared the two of them and Aidan came up short in every way.

Will lifts an eyebrow. “He’s not what?”

He’s not you.