Burning Seduction by Vella Day Page B

the decorating business.” Most of the people he ran into were hostile, either by their attitude or by wielding knives or waving a gun.
    She raised her brows. “I say, go for it.” She grinned. “How about opening that wine now?”
    Charlotte had a knack for making him laugh. Happy to have something to do, he brushed past her and picked up the corkscrew she’d set out on the counter. In a flash, he had the bottle opened and two glasses of wine poured. “Now what can I do?”
    She ran a finger across a piece of paper that contained some written instructions. “How about you get me the bottle of capers in the refrigerator?” She sipped from the wine and groaned, as if it was the best tasting drink in the world. He swore she did it on purpose.
    “Capers?” he asked. He’d seen those mentioned on a menu, but he really didn’t know what they looked like.
    “I’m putting them on top of the fish.”
    “Ah.” That didn’t help.
    Once he opened the refrigerator, he scanned each shelf, but didn’t see anything that might be a likely candidate. A second later her hands landed on his waist and his cock shot to life.
    “Excuse me.” She reached around him, and her breasts brushed his arm. She then lifted the small glass bottle from the shelf on the door. “These are capers,” she said waving it at him.
    Clearly, Charlotte found his lack of knowledge humorous. He wouldn’t be surprised if she’d set him up. “Okay, master chef, let’s see you do your thing.”
    He stood close to her and pretended to be studying her technique, when in reality he was inhaling her scent and admiring her sensuous curves. She diced the capers and sprinkled them on the fish. Not wanting to look like a fool, he didn’t dare ask what kind it was.
    She poured some crumbs on top as well as some cheese, and then popped it in the broiler. “Dinner in few minutes.”
    “It really looks good,” he said.
    “It does, doesn’t it?” She stepped over to the refrigerator and retrieved two tomatoes, some lettuce, croutons, and a bag of diced stuff and then placed everything on the counter but the tomatoes. “Can I interest you with cutting these?”
    “Can do. I’m quite good with a knife, or so I’ve been told.”
    He withdrew a sharp blade from a butcher block and went to work on his assignment. As they worked in companionable silence, he remembered the good times he and his mom had preparing meals together. When a wave of sadness descended, he pushed aside those thoughts and glanced over at Charlotte who was staring at him. “What? Do I have something on my face?” He swiped at the imaginary food particle.
    “No. You looked lost in thought again, and I feared you might cut yourself.”
    Charlotte was being polite. They both were aware he had too many issues. He set down the knife, rinsed his hands, and then dried them. He stepped close to her and cupped her face. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I keep having these memories of my childhood whenever I’m near you. I’m sorry that I often seem distracted.”
    “Is there anything I can do to help?” Her lips slightly parted.
    “I can think of something.”
    Like let me kiss you.

Chapter Twelve

    I f she didn’t know better, Charlotte would say that Trent wanted to kiss her. Oh, hell. So what if the fish burned and they were forced to go out to dinner. She wasn’t one to miss an opportunity.
    She placed her palms on his chest. “You said I could help? What would that be?”
    “This.” Trent leaned over, and the moment he planted his lips on hers, her insides heated and her heart did a rapid tattoo.
    She thought because they’d made love before that her reaction to his kiss wouldn’t be this intense, but she was wrong. Charlotte wrapped her arms around his waist and then dragged her hands up his back, melting against his body. Even through his cotton shirt, she could feel his strong muscles as he twisted against her.
    This time she waited for him to open his mouth