She抯 cute on top of everything. God help me. Jasper framed her face in his hands, careful not to let their bodies make contact. The plan was to spend at least some part of the evening not fucking the stuffing out of her, and Jasper was determined to see it through. 揑f you made me any hotter, Rita, you抎 singe off my damn eyebrows. I抎 have to draw them on with a Sharpie or something. Not even Rosemary would be seen with me in public.?
Her warm chuckle made his chest ache. 揘o, I wouldn抰 blame her.?
揝o you just keep those eyes above my neck until I tell you otherwise.?He pressed his thumb against her full bottom lip. 揑 don抰 know who led you to believe you aren抰 white-goddamn-hot, but I抎 like to have a conversation with them.?
揂 conversation??
揑抎 like to break their nose.?He nodded. 揟wice for good measure.?
揃etter.?She shook her head, her fingers toying with the buttons of the flannel shirt. 揑t was no single person. So much of my time was spent in the kitchen, everything outside of it felt awkward. Unnatural. I just厰 A frown worked its way between her eyebrows. 揑 just didn抰 think there was any point in trying. Wouldn抰 I let them down eventually??
揘o.?Rita jumped at his tone, so he grabbed her arms to steady her, squeezing them in apology. 揘o, you wouldn抰 have. But I抦 a selfish man, so I抦 glad you didn抰 date someone smart enough to make an effort. They would have tried to hold on to you at all costs.?Realizing he was revealing too much, Jasper cleared his throat. 揂nd then I抎 have to break more than their noses.?
A heavy moment passed as she studied him, her lips spreading into a smile. 揑 want to cook something.?
揜ight now??
揧es.?She sounded surprised, her gaze darting around his kitchen. 揘ow.?
Oh, God, there was no chance of getting his pulse to simmer down now. Had something he抎 done brought on this sudden urge to face her fear? Damn, he prayed that was the case. Prayed like hell. 揑 don抰 have too much here, but厰 He dropped a kiss onto Rita抯 forehead and turned to open the fridge. 揈ggs, milk, butter, cheese匢 think Rosemary stuffed some spices into the back of the pantry.?
揂 cheese souffl??Rita murmured, opening his cabinets to remove bowls, utensils from the drawer. 揧ou have everything to make my least favorite dish.?
揝ounds like a good time waiting to happen.?
She took the carton of eggs he handed her. 揟he eating part will be the good time.?There was a slight hesitation in her movements now. 揑f I don抰 screw it up.?
Jasper was still new at comforting a woman. Anyone, really, since his only living family member was perpetually positive and happy. The two times he抎 tried to reach into Rita抯 head and repair things, he抎 gone and fucked up good. So he was betting the inclination to bear-hug her into being brave wasn抰 the soundest course of action. Although touching her did have incredible appeal. Still, he needed to do better this time.
揧ou might screw it up,?Jasper started, rubbing the back of his neck, because his words sounded all wrong. Resist the bear hug. 揑 might screw up tomorrow at the restaurant opening, too. It could be a total disaster. Everyone in town梩hey all want me to go back to being the Jasper they could laugh about. I don抰 reckon they want me to succeed at all. Until you gave the place a name, I wasn抰 even sure I抎 ever open the doors.?He couldn抰 gauge her thoughts, but he barreled on through his own. 揧ou gave me that卨ift. You抮e going to help me through tomorrow, so let me help you through the souffl? That way, if it turns out like shit, it抯 on both of our heads.?
Okay, that might have come out sounding ridiculous, but what he抎 meant was Trust me, take my help, let me be your other half. Please. He抎 just said it in a way that wouldn抰 put the fear of God into her.
Rita pursed her lips. 揇oes this mean if the opening doesn抰 go well, you抮e going to put half the blame on my shoulders??
揝ound fair??
揑抦 in either way.?Seeming to battle a smile, she flipped open the egg carton. 揕et抯 get this party started.?
When Jasper came up behind Rita, laying his hands on hers, he realized what a brave face she抎 been putting on, because she was shaking. A protective streak about a mile wide mowed down everything in its path, hardening into a bridge he silently begged her to walk over. The air around them buzzed a little, as if it were anticipating something. 揥hen I said let me help you, I meant it. I want to feel where your hands go,?Jasper said, kissing the top of her head and smelling his shampoo. 揑 want you to talk me through it. If I抦 going to be culpable in this souffl閽s potential demise, my guilt needs to be authentic.?
Her shoulders lowered slowly as she released a breath. 揑 know this is silly. It抯 just a bunch of ingredients being thrown into a bowl, right??
揑s that how you feel about it??
揘o,?she whispered. 揘o, it抯 more important than that. A pinch too much flour or paprika could throw the whole thing off. And then there抯 the way you stir it. The tempo and direction. It抯 patience. How you place it on the pan. I抦 always just guessing, though. It never comes natural like it did for her.?
揧our mother.?Jasper pressed his face against the side of Rita抯 neck, trying to warm her cool skin. 揝ome people have to work at things, right? Some people have to open a dive bar named for cunnilingus before they get their shit together.?
Her soft hum of appreciation made his eyes drift shut, but they opened again when she moved their stacked hands to the carton, took out an egg, and cracked it into the bowl. She halted her progress just as suddenly, though. 揥ait匢 forgot to preheat the oven.?When Jasper remained wrapped around her from behind on their way to the oven, each of their hands lifting to set the temperature, Rita broke out into laughter. And somewhere along the way back to their workstation, she stopped shaking. 揧ou抮e taking this very seriously.?
揥oman, I don抰 fuck around with souffl閟。？
揙h, me, either. I almost stabbed someone over a souffl?once.?Jasper studied her reflection in the kitchen window, saw her expression go from humorous to surprised. 揟hat抯 the first time I抳e laughed about it.?
Jasper watched as she cracked another egg into the bowl, then whisked the eggs with a large fork. 揌ow did it feel??
揋ood,?she murmured, transferring their attention to the large saucepan she抎 set on the stove, melting a generous amount of butter inside, adding flour when the mixture began to foam. They moved into a side-by-side position, their hips rubbing together as Jasper followed Rita抯 quiet but efficient instructions. 揅an you grate this cheese??She watched him perform the task a second before guiding him in an easier way with her own hand. 揟here,?she breathed, her gaze dipping to his mouth before skating away.
Jasper tried not to stare at her, but, Jesus, it was hard. She was actually transforming right there in his kitchen. The further they got into the process, the more she glowed, the smoother her actions became, until she was this tiny fairy winging around the space in some complicated ballet Jasper could only marvel over. Where had this brilliant goddamn woman been hiding his entire life?
Stay with me, stay with me, stay with me.
He noticed Rita fanning her face, obviously hot from working over the stove. 揧ou want to change into something lighter??Jasper asked, not surprised at all to find his voice sounding like it was scooping rock-hard ice cream. 揂 T-shirt of mine, or棓
揘o, I think厰 Rita抯 attention snagged on the outline of his erection, that fleeting glance making him swell even bigger. But she damn near had Jasper reaching into his jeans to beat off when she pulled her next move. With nimble fingers, she pushed each button of the flannel shirt through its respective hole before letting the garment fall to the floor, leaving her in nothing but a purple-and-white polka-dot thong. 揑 think I抣l be fine working just like this.?