Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series), стр. 28

“Starving. Do you want me to make coffee?” he offered.

“Already done.” I pointed to the pot on the woodstove. “I’m warning you now, it might be a bit strong.”

He poured himself a cup and coughed when he took a sip. “A little strong? You might want to reconsider having any. This is so thick it’s like tar.”

“It can’t be that bad.” I took his cup and tried a sip. I could barely swallow it. “God, that’s awful.”

“Maybe I should make breakfast,” he teased.

“Don’t trust me with peanut butter and jelly?”

“You have to put the right amount of jelly or the whole thing is ruined,” he smiled.

I grabbed the loaf of bread off the table and threw it at him. “You’re horrible, Jace Goldstein.”

“Don’t be mad. I’m only doing breakfast because it’s easy. You can make lunch.”

“That’s fine. Instead of peanut butter and jelly, I’m going to make jelly and peanut butter.”

“Maybe I should’ve brought more canned goods,” he laughed.

“Unfortunately, you brought plenty. How many baked beans do you think a person can eat? I knew I should’ve gone into the store with you. At least we would’ve had a variety.”

“We do. There are several different kinds of beans. And three kinds of jelly as well. Remember, this is roughing it.”

I crossed my arms and asked, “Did you bring those fishing poles? Because I think we might need to expand our menu.”

“I don’t recall either one of us ever catching anything worth eating,” he reminded. “Guess we’re going to starve.”

I walked over to my backpack and dumped out the contents. I had filled it with protein and chocolate bars. “Don’t worry. I prepared. Remember, I worked in developing nations. I know how to pack when someone says ‘roughing it’.”

Jace walked over and grabbed a chocolate bar. “Okay, I concede. Next time, you pack the food.”

Next time? Things were amazing between us, but there was something about Jace that made me feel as though I needed to live in the moment, that nothing beyond now was guaranteed. Maybe I had read that wrong. But if he didn’t break it off, I’d be leaving on assignment. The result was the same. Eventually, we would part ways. And each day we were together would only make saying goodbye all the more difficult.

Don’t fall back in love with him. My heart can’t heal a second time.

I needed to think about something else. If I spent the entire vacation thinking about the end, I wouldn’t enjoy the present. Forcing a smile, I said, “I don’t see those sandwiches making themselves. Or have you decided on a chocolate bar for breakfast?”

He tore the paper and took a bite. “I like your suggestion.”

“Wait. I didn’t suggest one over the other,” I said firmly.

As he took another bit he said, “It sounded like it to me.”

I pulled my T-shirt back over my head and then unzipped my shorts and let them drop to the floor. “What do you think I’m suggesting now?” Jace took another bite of the chocolate bar and pretended not to be interested. I knew better. I ran my hands over my breasts and down my hips. He watched closely. “I think I’m getting hungry myself. You wouldn’t have anything I could…eat?” I said as seductively as I could.

Jace tossed the rest of the chocolate bar on the table and pulled me into his arms. “I’m starved.”

“Hmm. Sounds like we’ll have to…eat together,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

It didn’t seem as though Jace wanted me out on any adventures, but if I had to spend the next two weeks locked away in a cabin being made love to, I wasn’t going to complain.

If this is ‘roughing it,’ I’ll be happy to suffer through any day.