Page 233 of The Unwilling Bride
The tension in the kitchen is thicker than a reduced sauce. They’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop; waiting for the Ice Commander to return and tear them apart with a single, quiet word.
I probably need to talk to James and tell him to share why he’s assumed this new approach with the kitchen. That will help the team understand him better and help improve morale.
But given how we left things, I’m not sure this is the right time to bring things up with him.
Especially not when we seem to have gone back to how things were before he proposed that we get married. Which means, an accidental touch feels like I’ve been singed. And when our gazes meet, I feel like my body is on fire. The chemistry between us seems to have grown even more powerful. I’ve avoided spending any time with him alone. I’m worried that I’ll give in to my need to touch him. I might throw myself at him and kiss him, and then, the hard work of being away from him and trying to get perspective will be lost.
I’ll be tempted to accept that he’ll never be able to tell me about his feelings for me. And I would never forgive myself for that.
No, I need to give him time to figure things out. This time apart is for him, as much as me.
"I’m sure he misses you." Zoey slows down to a walk.
I follow suit. Then wipe the sweat from my eyes and take a sip of water from my bottle.
"Maybe, but it doesn’t change anything." We come to a stop in front of a bench, and Zoey drops into it. “We covered three miles. That’s not bad at all." She taps the digital screen of the watch on her wrist.
I stretch out and groan. "Speak for yourself, I’m so out of shape."
"Thought you’d be getting in shape with all the sex with your new husband."
I shoot her a glance. "Right now, I’m not living with him."
"But before that?" She gives me an innocent look. "Didn’t he ravish you on your wedding night?"
I scowl.
"Oh, so not on your wedding night then."
I shake a finger at her. "My lips are sealed."
Her lips turn down. "Aww. Let me live vicariously. At least, you’re getting action. Unlike me."
"Going through a dry spell?"
She rolls her eyes. "All the good ones have either been snapped up"—she nods at me—"or they’re too busy building careers to want to date. The only way I get sex is through the romance novels I edit."
"Can’t believe that’s a job." I smirk.
"Doesn’t pay that well, but hey, it keeps me afloat. Unless my company goes under." She makes a face. "Publishing is coming under a lot of pressure, like most other businesses."
"Running a restaurant is no joke either. At least, James has his inheritance to act as a safety net if things get tough."
I finish stretching, then sit down next to her. We take in the peaceful scene around us. The water laps at the edges of the canal. A couple of ducks glide away on the water. Then I hear the sound of footsteps. I sense him before I see him. The hair on the back of my neck rises. When I turn, I’m not surprised to find James walking toward me.
He’s in jogging shorts and a T-shirt that clings to him like a second skin, mapping out every line of his body. It’s a view that makes my mouth go dry.
Then there’s his face.
I’ve seen it behind my eyelids every night I’ve spent alone. His eyes lock onto mine, burning with a raw, predatory intensity that makes my knees weak.
"What are you doing here?"
My pulse rate accelerates.
"I went by your place. Your sister told me where to find you."
He comes to a stop in front of us.
