He looked at home in his own place, comfortable and unguarded. It was strange seeing him there like that, in an intimate setting, when all she’d known was the Blaze from the office who was completely untouchable. Someone she’d never be able to relate to.
His arms had to be killing him, but if they hurt, he didn’t show it. The kettle boiled and he poured two cups of hot water and pushed the sampler box onto the counter, towards the edge where four metal bar stools, the square, hard, unsuitable looking type, sat tucked.
“Go ahead. Pick what you want.”
“Do you actually drink this stuff?” she asked bitingly, to cover the fact that her lungs currently felt two sizes too small for her body. “Or did some girl you were dating leave it at your place by accident?”
He turned, giving her his back as he picked out his own teabag. He tore the packet open and tucked it into his mug. “That would be to imply that I date. Which I don’t. So no. Sorry. No bad tea voodoo here. It’s safe for consumption, though I’d let that water cool down before I gave it a try.”
Colette barely refrained from sticking her tongue out at him like a child. She wanted to provoke him to bite, to spar with her, and when he didn’t, she felt strangely disappointed. Like he’d given her that crack of an opening, that tiny fissure in his armor, but she’d chosen instead to stitch it back up instead of edging underneath, where she truly wanted to be.
She leaned up against the hard steel counter while she slid the box in her direction. There was quite an assortment, everything from green tea to white to black to chai. She chose a chai tea vanilla blend, ripped open the package, and nearly sighed at the sweet and spicy aroma before she tucked it into the plain white mug. Her stomach nearly growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten lunch and it was past dinner.
“I have some leftover pizza in the fridge,” Blaze said from behind her, reading her mind. Or maybe her stomach had actually growled out loud.
Either way, she didn’t like that he anticipated what she needed.
“You actually eat pizza?” she scoffed. “You don’t look like you’ve touched a carb in your life.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Blaze chuckled as he cracked the door of a massive side by side stainless steel industrial looking fridge. A minute later he produced a cardboard takeout box and set it on the counter in front of her. “Help yourself.”
He was close. Too close. She could almost feel the heat of his body leaching into her and she gulped noisily. She cracked the lid, just to have something to do with her hands.
“Pineapple? And- and basil and jalapenos and BBQ sauce?” She did a double take, just to make sure she was seeing, and smelling, correctly.
“Yup. Love it. Don’t diss it ‘til you try it.”
“Gross. Pineapple is a sin on pizza.”
“So pick it off, princess. It’s not like I have much else to offer.”
She could think of a few things he had to offer, but of course she bit that comment back. She really was starved, so she dipped in and took a piece. It was easy to grab, since it was cold. She brought it to her mouth and took a tentative bite.
Jesus, it was good. The sauce hit her taste buds and the spice of the jalapenos, the tang of the basil, and the sweetness of the pineapple all combined into perfection. It made her despise Blaze that much more for being right.
As she chewed, he helped himself to a piece and nearly shoved it all into his mouth. He devoured it in a few bites and took another, chewing while he watched her.
“You have some cream for that tea?” she bit out, unnerved to have his gaze roaming over her. He felt too close, and not just because of their proximity.
Blaze stalked over to the fridge wordlessly. He produced a carton, set it down in front of her, and actually walked back over and shut the fridge with his foot.
He seemed very casual at home. Very un-rich. Very… very normal.
And incredibly sexy.
Colette helped herself to another piece of pizza. She grabbed the cream and angled away so that she couldn’t see Blaze, but she swore she could still smell him, the scent of his skin, his musky, dark, spicy scent clung to every inch of the house. Tantalizing her. Tormenting her.
She sat her ass down on the stool, finished her pizza, and poured cream in her tea and brought the mug to her nose, just so she could inhale that instead.
Unfortunately, Blaze didn’t get the memo about her wanting some personal space. He pulled out the stool next to her and sat down, sipping at his own tea. Which was strange, too. Watching him drink tea. Like he actually enjoyed it.