Page 42 of Beautiful Killer

Yeah, I’d done that, but there was more to it, a hell of a lot more. To her, the way she’d reacted, the conclusion she’d come to.

I stared down at her. What’s your story, darlin’? Her lashes fluttered, and her lids lifted, then those gorgeous violet eyes were on me. She quickly lifted up and looked around, a puzzled look in her face as she reoriented herself.

She turned back to me. “What time is it?”

“Five.”

Her eyes widened and that was fucking cute as well.

“God, I’ve been asleep for hours.” She brushed her hair back from her face. “How are you feeling?”

I frowned. “Fine. Why?”

She sighed in relief. “I’ve been sick since you left. I must have caught the stomach flu or something.”

I moved closer and pressed a hand to her forehead. “You don’t feel warm. How you feeling now?”

Her brow scrunched. “Huh. Fine, actually.”

“You up to eating?”

Her stomach rumbled in that moment and she blushed. The woman blushed a lot. I liked it. Not only was it kind of adorable, it made her easier to read. Jesus, since when did I start using the word adorable? Or cute, for that matter?

“You wanna stay up here and I’ll bring you something? Or you coming down?”

She sat up fully and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’ll come down.” She shook her head, her blond waves shimmying against her back. “I’m fine, really. You don’t need to cook for me. I can make something.”

I shrugged. “We’ve both gotta eat. It’s all good.” Besides, I had this crazy urge to cook something for her. Like the caveman I was, I wanted to hunt and gather for my woman. Even if hunting meant digging around the freezer. I was heading down the stairs behind her when the words I’d just thought rang loud and clear in my head again. My woman.

Where the hell had that come from?

Ignoring the shit buzzing around my head, I strode to the kitchen, pulled the steaks out of the fridge, and dumped them on the counter.

“I’ll make a salad if you like? I saw you had everything when I made breakfast this morning,” Sunny said as she moved in behind me.

“Yeah, that’d be good.”

She started pulling salad stuff out, and I grabbed her the chopping board and a bowl while I heated up the skillet. She accepted it with that crooked smile, and Jesus, I felt it, a tug low in my gut. I forced myself to look away and threw the steaks on while she chopped the vegetables beside me. We did our thing in silence and I couldn’t help sneaking glances at her, the concentration on her face, the different expressions that rearranged her features as she worked. I’d never cooked with anyone accept my mom. When I was a kid, she’d get me to help her with dinner. No one had ever cooked in this kitchen but me. It felt weird . . .

But in a good way. I liked it.

I liked having her here—in my place. In my kitchen with me. Just . . . with me.

That was a dangerous way to think.

I grabbed a beer from the fridge. “You want one?”

“Do you have juice?”

I poured her a glass, and downed half my beer while she dished up the salad. Shit, even the way she did that was mesmerizing. A visceral memory hit, the way those graceful, delicate hands felt on me, the way they looked against my skin. A spike of pleasure shot down my spine and my dick stirred. I sucked in a rough breath and put the steaks on our plates. This was exactly the reason I’d backed off, the reason I’d run the hell away. Shit, what she did to me . . .

We sat on the couch and I flicked on the TV to break the silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but the longer it stretched out the more the tension seemed to thicken between us, or maybe it was just me. Sunny seemed pretty fucking relaxed. Her cheeks were still rosy from being asleep and her hair was wilder than usual. She looked warm and I just knew she’d smell amazing, especially in that soft spot between her shoulder and neck. She always did. My dick got harder.

I stared at the TV and shoved a mouthful of salad in my mouth. She’s been sick, for fuck’s sake. Get it together, asshole.

I had no idea what I was watching, until Sunny said, “This program is nuts. Can you imagine swapping your wife?”

“The fuck?” I said.