I stood from the lounger, walking over and wrapping my arms around his waist. “What gourmet dish can I expect from you today?” I asked.
He turned, giving me a quick kiss. “Burgers.”
“Burgers?” It did smell amazing, but I was expecting something different when he’d walked out of the store with a ridiculous amount of grocery bags. “What’s on them?”
“Whatever you like. I know your taste may have changed from when we were younger, but I remember you dousing your food with hot sauce and jalapenos.”
I smiled against his back. The fact he remembered was so damn endearing. Honestly, I needed him to stop because it was getting harder and harder not to fall in love with him.
As if I hadn’t already.
“So, I made a quick habanero aioli for you. Figured I’d toss some jalapenos on the grill.” He turned over his shoulder. “Unless you prefer fresh? I also got pickled and?—”
“Oh my god, stop,” I laughed.
He looked down, a deep crease between his brows. “Is it too much?”
“No.” I shook my head. God, the last thing I wanted him to think was that he was too much. Especially when it was the most thoughtful thing anyone had done for me in a long time. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
“I just wanted to impress you.” Duke turned, paying an awful lot of attention to his burgers. “You deserve the best.”
“So do you,” I whispered, tightening my arms around his middle.
So much better than mewas what I wanted to say, but didn’t.
One day, I would be forced to smile and put on a happy face when he found someone who could give him all the things I couldn’t. Because the worst part of our situation was that neither of us would be given a clean break. Whether I was Lukas’s sister or Charlie’s mom, we’d always be in our lives in one form or the other.
Duke squeezed my hand before letting it go. “Wanna grab us some plates?”
“Sure. Do you want to eat inside or out?”
“Out, if that’s okay with you. I like the view.” I knew he was talking about the green acreage and grazing horses just beyond the fence, but he was staring at me the entire time.
I walked into the house, calling over my shoulder, “You’re a terrible flirt!”
“Actually, I think I’m pretty damn good at it!” His laughter followed me as I went to the kitchen, grabbed plates from the cabinet, and set out the toppings along the counter. He really had thought of everything. Tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, andonions were the staples, but he also had an array of vegetables, such as sautéed mushrooms, sliced avocado, and grilled jalapenos.
Duke walked in carrying the tray of burgers and bacon, set it on the stove, and then turned toward me. “You got enough food to feed twelve people,” I laughed. “Did we really need all this?”
He shrugged, a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks. “Like I said, I wasn’t sure what all you liked and wanted to make sure we had it.”
I pressed him up against the counter, running my finger down his chest. “You could’ve just asked me, you know?”
“And ruin the surprise?” He leaned down, mouth brushing my cheek. “Where’s the fun in that?”
I tipped my head back as his lips ran lower, sucking gently on my neck. “If you don’t stop, we’re going to get distracted, and this wonderful meal you’ve prepared is going to get cold.” Placing my hand on his chest, I pushed him back. “And you’ve kept me waiting long enough. I’m already on the verge of being hangry.”
“Well, we don’t want that.” He stepped to the side to begin fixing a plate. “What do you want on your burger?”
“I can make it,” I said, grabbing for the plate, but he held it out of reach.
“Nuh-uh. You’re going to tell me what you want on it. Then you’re going to sit your sweet little ass down and wait for me to bring you a plate.”
It was pointless to argue, but I was going to do it anyway. “Duke, seriously?—”
“Honey, you’re not gonna win this argument, so you might as well just do what I say for once and take a seat.”
He was trying to put on his best grumpy scowl, but his eyes were alight with amusement. This playful side of him was new, but it was quickly becoming my favorite.