Jade Clark:I don’t know what details you want. I professed my love for a cow and was denied.
Kerry Winsor:??? What does that possibly mean???
Both Deanand I were exhausted emotionally. I couldn’t keep taking over Mollie’s house, so we went back to mine and talked for a little longer before we watched TV on the couch.
Virginia had reached out to both of us to make sureeverything was okay, and that she wanted to make sure I had all the recipes Dean’s dad used to make. There was one for a chicken and rice soup that I knew I had to make.
Dean offered to get me food, but I needed something home-cooked after the day I’d had. He didn’t fight me, but he did offer to help.
And I quickly realized I should have said no.
“Wait, wait!” I grabbed at the raw chicken he was about to drop in the pan.
“What? The burner is on. Don’t we need to add the chicken?”
“That’s a stainless-steel pan. You need to let it get hot and then add oil so the chicken doesn’t stick.”
Dean frowned. “What?”
“If you let it heat up, things don’t stick as badly.”
“But I thought you weren’t supposed to let pans get hot when empty.”
“Maybe nonstick, but not this kind.” He looked at me like I was explaining rocket science to him. I patted his cheek. “How about you handle dishes?”
“I don’t know whether to be insulted or relieved.” He stepped away from the stove as I put the chicken on a plate and washed my hands. I got the seasoning ready as the pan heated up.
Normally when I cooked, I never fully followed the recipe. I would always adjust the seasonings or other small tweaks to make it suit my taste. But with this recipe, I agreed with every single thing on it. I’d never get to meet Dean’s dad, but it made me feel like I was connected to him.
Dean emptied the dishwasher as I sautéed the chicken. Once I was done with that, I took it off and cooked onion and garlic before adding in broth, seasonings, rice, and the cooked meat.
“That smells incredible,” Dean said as I put the spoon down. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
“My tacos should have been the one to do that.” I leaned into him as he came behind me and wrapped his arms around both me and my belly.
“Oh, they did.” His lips pressed against my cheek. I was happy to stay in his embrace. The heat of his body was what I’d needed. I didn’t think he would take it any further, but then he moved my hair and pressed his lips against my neck.
“Are youtryingto distract me?”
“You’re the one who’s distracting.” His hands rubbed my stomach for a moment before they moved upward, brushing the underside of my breasts.
My body had already started to respond. I had a feeling he would put a stop to it soon and I would have to pull out one of my dildos for a mediocre night.
“How long is left on the soup?”
“It simmers for thirty minutes,” I said.
“I can work with that.”
I yelped when he lifted me up and onto the counter. “What are you doing?”
Dean’s eyes were half lidded and he looked at me with an expression I hadn’t seen since I’d gotten pregnant. My heart skipped a beat. Was my night not about to be mediocre after all?
“I’m making up for lost time.”
“But you said you wanted to wait.”
He hummed as he considered it. “We agreed to do everything together, and I think this counts.”