A swift stab of jealousy jolted her heart. Of course, any man that looked like he stepped from the pages of GQ would have a super-model girlfriend. She dropped the cold ingredients on the butcher block where they fell with a dull thud. “I’m sure your tales of sexual prowess have entertained more interested parties than me.”
A dark brow cocked at her statement. “I don’t believe the topic of sex has been broached this evening. However, my interest in your mind’s visit down that dark road is now piqued.”
Aidan’s cheeks burned when the image of his naked body surfaced once again. “Never mind.” No way would she ever reveal those daydreams, not even for a repeat of that kiss. “Are you going to help me or not? We’ll make a basic Béchamel sauce.” She handed him an onion from a wicker basket. “Please finely chop a quarter of this for me.”
“And the point of this exercise?” He pushed off from the refrigerator. “I usually order my food out.”
“Of course you do, but this is simple. This will show you I’m serious about cooking and why I’d like to use magic to help me with it.” She cut off two tablespoons of butter then snagged a small saucepan from the hanging rack above the island. “I’ve got a couple of chicken breasts in the oven for dinner.”
“I believe you’ve misunderstood me.” Matteus separated the onion from its skin. “My interest is not in your kitchen skills. I’m here to see if you’ll injure yourself with your magic.”
“I won’t, but if it comes to that, you have my permission to take power away or forbid me from practicing. Whatever.” Aidan sighed in frustration. “Either way, I’ll continue on the way I have my whole life. Working in an office by day, attempting to cook by night.” She dropped the butter pat into the pot on the burner and waited as it slowly melted.
“Alone and unfulfilled?” Though he’d said he ordered out, his knife skills were impressive as he cut the vegetable.
She glared at him. “No.” Marching back to the island, she grabbed the milk carton and yanked another saucepan down from the rack. “I’m perfectly happy, thank you.”
His grin was smug. “I never mentioned you were unhappy.” He brought the onion to the stove and dropped it into the pot with the butter. “It’s interesting you made a point to defend your psyche to me.”
The second saucepan plunked onto another burner. Flipping the dial, she waited until the blue flame appeared then she added a cup of milk to the pot. “A life alone was enough for Aunt Hettie and it’s just fine for me.” Aidan stood beside him, her body rigid in the attempt to not touch him. Watching Matteus from the corner of her eye, she admired his easy grip on the wooden spoon, the way a few wisps of brown hair sprinkled the back of his hand.
“That’s unfortunate.” He stirred the bits of onion. “A woman like you shouldn’t journey through life without someone to appreciate her.”
Aidan’s heart beat an erratic rhythm. She pulled a white porcelain canister toward her, dismayed that her hand shook. She removed the lid and sprinkled a couple tablespoons of flour over the onions in his saucepan. “Why would you say that?” The heat from the stove was nothing compared to the heat he generated within her. If she spent any more time in close proximity with him, she would burst into flames.
Matteus glanced at her. “Women were designed to be worshipped, to be held in the highest esteem.” He moved the spoon through the flour mixture. “Don’t you crave the touch of a loving man, to feel the gentle caress of someone’s fingers over your skin, to be joined intimately with a man who adores you?”
“I had that once, but the only thing he wanted was to control me, use me as his own personal housekeeper and cook.” Aidan licked her dry lips. “If that’s what having a man means, I want no part of it.” A bitter laugh escaped from her throat.
“What’s funny?”
“The joke was on him. I’m a better housekeeper than a cook. Eventually, he left. Said he couldn’t get the taste of charcoal out of his mouth.” She turned her attention to the milk. Tiny bubbles formed along the edges. Turning the burner off, she fumbled in a drawer to her right for a whisk. “Watch out, this is hot.”
Matteus stepped aside as she poured the scalding milk into the first saucepan. “You have missed out on much in your life, Aidan. Perhaps it’s time you re-learned the fundamentals.”
“Of living? I’ve got a pretty good handle on walking and talking.” She quickly moved the whisk around the pan. Her lips curled with pleasure when the contents thickened under her coaxing. “At least with cooking I don’t have to second guess. Either it works or it doesn’t. Trouble is, most of the time, it doesn’t. Maybe that’s just fate.”
“Maybe it’s not and you need more practice, or someone who believes in your skill.”
“Hmm.” Adding a touch of salt and black pepper, she exchanged the whisk for his abandoned wooden spoon. “A French chef would tell you to use only white pepper, but I disagree. I want to see the flecks of black pepper. I like seeing it as well as tasting it. Also, I like to add a tiny pinch of nutmeg. It makes my sauce unique.” She sprinkled a smidge of the light brown spice into the saucepan.
“You derive pleasure from cooking, correct?” He sniffed at the pot’s contents.
She nodded. “Yes, when everything comes out beautifully. When it doesn’t, it’s just stressful and disappointing.” She drew out the wooden spoon, admiring the white sauce with its sheen from the butter. Bringing the spoon to her mouth, she tentatively touched her tongue to the spoon. “Perfect.”
“Imagine that pleasure multiplied by a hundred once you find the right man—in your kitchen, moving in your body, sharing your life.”
His whispered words shivered over the back of her neck as he stood closely behind her. She gripped the spoon, ignoring the drop of sauce that fell to the floor. She ached to turn around and look at him but she didn’t dare. Will there be interest and desire in his eyes or just pity and disgust? “I’ll take your word for it but unless I see the evidence with my own eyes, I’m disinclined to believe you.”
“You still have much to learn.” He briefly touched her shoulder. “I have no doubts you’ll learn it quickly.”
She blew out a relieved breath when he moved to the round table. “Maybe, but right now we eat. I refuse to waste this wonderful sauce.”
* * * *
Matteus gazed at his dining companion over the rim of his wineglass. For the most part, he found her attempt at chicken to be dry and the broccoli rabe with lemon juice was mushy. But her Béchamel sauce had been spot on. He had to admit, her addition of nutmeg gave the sauce an unexpected element. He resisted the urge to swirl a finger through the puddle of white on his black plate. Better yet, he’d love to lick the remaining sauce from her finger… Another sip of the crisp white wine cleansed his palate but did nothing to settle his mind or the heat swimming through his body. She was too close but far from attainable because he couldn’t let himself forget that magic was more important.
“So, how did you like your food?” She dabbed delicately at her lips with a cotton napkin that sported a black and white cow-print.
“Uh…” He carefully placed his wineglass on the table. “Honestly?” He had to choose his words carefully.
Aidan nodded. “Of course. I know I’m not an expert so I don’t expect glowing accolades.” She smiled. “So?”
“Maybe you should enroll in cooking classes.” Matteus pushed back his plate. Hurt clouded her eyes, and he steeled himself against it. He hated it that he’d been the one to pop her hopeful bubble. “However, I can find no fault with the sauce. The snootiest French chefs in the world couldn’t hold a candle to it.”
“Thanks for that, I guess. I’m a miserable cook.” Aidan twisted the napkin in her fingers. “If magic can’t help me, what makes you think classes would? I mean, I failed Home Ec in high school, I was kicked out of weekend cooking classes at the local college, and most recently a private instructor told me I was beyond hope.”
When she caught her bottom lip between he
r teeth, desire slammed into him. What was it about this wanna-be kitchen diva that captivated him? “If you don’t have the natural talent, the likelihood you’ll succeed in your craft is small.” Self-loathing cycled through his gut as her chin trembled with her effort to keep from crying. “Yet, I do think you show promise. You must have some sort of talent. The sauce speaks for that.” He took a gulp of wine then drained his glass. “And you’ve got persistence. Not many women would battle back after the failures you’ve seen. But you keep returning for more. I love that determination.” He admired the hell out of her for that. It would take her far in this life.
A grin flirted with her lips. “Thanks.” She stood, gathering up their plates. “You’re welcome to watch TV in the other room. I’m just going to wash these dishes and will join you in a few minutes.”
He followed the gentle sway of her hips with his gaze as she moved across the kitchen to the sink. “You can use your magic to do such a mundane task.” With an almost imperceptible lift of his index finger, he sent the two wineglasses through the air to hover above her right shoulder. Her tinkling laughter rewarded his effort. What else could he do to coax another such response? His pulse accelerated. Would she enjoy a veritable symphony of dish washing, complete with bubbles? Perhaps a bottle of champagne popping its own cork?
Settle, Matteus. She’s not for you, remember.
“That’s all right. I like doing the dishes by hand. It’s relaxing.”
Stubborn in addition to determined. He rubbed the stubble along his jaw as Aidan ran the water until a thick layer of bubbles rose over the lip of the sink. “Is there a reason you’re avoiding your powers?” He pulled a clipboard from his briefcase. He needed to complete the assessment sheet in order to file the paperwork upon his return. No time like the present to do it, yet the thought depressed him. The sooner he finished his work, the sooner he’d need to leave this house—and her.
“No specific reason.” She kept her back to him. “I’ll use them when I feel I can control them a bit more.”
“You won’t do that unless you practice at every opportunity.”
“This is true except I don’t want a recurrence of the pizza dough incident.”
Matteus had the grace to blush. His heightened emotional state had affected the dough, causing it to explode. “That might have been my fault.” He would have to be extremely careful in the future, especially if he planned to spend any more time than necessary in her company—which he didn’t. He glanced at the luscious curve of her backside. Oh, hell, maybe he did plan on it. He would drag the assessment out for as long as it took to convince her she needed a man in her life. She needed him.
Before she could question him, he rushed on. “There are schools of thought that say magical energy is enhanced when the user becomes aroused sexually or emotionally compromised.” Matteus felt the air charge between them as she glanced at him. “This is what I believe happened with the dough.”
“I see.” She arched a brow. “Why are you telling me this? Are you hitting on me?”
Am I? “Perceptive as well as intelligent.” He made no sound as he slipped over the checked tiles to stand just at her shoulder. When she jumped, a chuckle escaped him. Yeah, I am. I can’t stand it anymore. “Have you nothing to say in the matter?” Whether he referred to the powers or him making a move, he couldn’t decide.
“How can they be connected when they’re two different energies?” Her hands remained in the sudsy water. “When the dough exploded, I was the farthest thing from aroused at that time. In fact, I was nowhere near the bowl it rested in.”
“Hmm, that’s true.” Matteus leaned into her, close enough for his breath to stir the tendrils of her hair at her temple. Her scent wafted around him and he closed his eyes for a brief second to revel in the completely feminine perfume. Time to confess the truth. “You weren’t aroused, but perhaps I was.”
“Why would you be…?” Aidan turned her head to glance at him, her eyes wide and softly focused, her lips parted. “Oh.” She focused her attention back to the sink, her hands still, her cheeks stained by a blush.
“I’m trying my best to fight it, but I fear I’m not winning the battle.” He swept a finger along her shoulder and lingered where it joined her neck. He felt the shudder that coursed through her body and smiled. Placing his lips to the shell of her ear, he said, “There are times when attraction and magic can overlap and interlink. For those of us who have already mastered magic that energy can develop into sexual attraction much more quickly than for others.”
A tremble shook her shoulders. “If that’s true then I should be able to control the attraction as well as I can control the magic.” She rinsed a plate and set it in the rack to drain. “So, you shouldn’t have to worry. I won’t allow myself to become uninhibited, and since my inability to curb my magic is slim, I won’t be compromised, no matter how hot I think you are.”
Ah, but her words, as well as her body’s reaction, belied her thoughts. “That’s a shame.” He frowned. So far, she managed to maintain a masterful hold on her emotions. It was a puzzle, since she did indeed have no control over her magic. He needed to turn up the heat a bit, find out just how much he could affect her, bring her to a place where she had no choice but to enforce her will over her magical ability. “This will be a great time for a new lesson.” He brushed his lips over the nape of her neck. “I’m glad to see this doesn’t affect you.”
A wooden spoon slipped from her fingers into the sink with a soft plop. “Actually, I didn’t notice a difference between this and eating dinner with you.”
Matteus begged to differ. The bubbles in the sink began to rise until they reached her elbows. He removed the clip from her hair, and then he tossed it to the counter. “Is that so?” He stared in fascination as the auburn waves tumbled down her back in soft curls. A shudder of need rocketed down his spine as he imagined those tresses tangled over his pillow in the morning. “You do yourself a disservice when you bind your hair up.”
“It’s in my way if it constantly hangs in my face. I’d love to have it cut short.” She rinsed another plate, standing it in the dish rack next to the three others.
Something akin to panic fluttered through his chest at the thought of those curls ending up on a salon floor. “Don’t make a decision in haste.” The jasmine scent of her hair called out a siren song he was unable to resist. He buried his hands into her thick mane and massaged her head. “Feel any different now?” Energy built in his fingertips as he continued his ministrations. If she didn’t confirm her reaction soon, he wouldn’t be able to tamp his.
A soft “mmhmm” escaped her throat as Aidan leaned her head back into his hands.
The suds in the sink bubbled over the lip, cascading to the floor in large white fluffy clouds. Come on, Aidan. Tell me I affect you. His victory was short lived when she turned and twined her wet arms about his neck.
He untangled his hands from her hair and dropped them to her shoulders. “Your lesson is over. I think we’ve proved that both energies are intimately acquainted and that you’re feeling at least something.” A wave of old-fashioned lust swept over him when she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “And what’s more, you can control them.” Except the energy zipping through him merely from touching her nearly burned his insides.
“It’s good you think so because now you’re officially off the clock.”
As she pressed her petal soft lips to his, Matteus could do nothing but agree. With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her waist as he deepened the kiss and took control. Her scent intoxicated him, short-circuited his brain until he could think of nothing else but making love to her on the kitchen floor amidst the frothy mountains of soap bubbles. Her curves molded themselves to his body in an exact match. The tentative way she touched the tip of her tongue to his bottom lip blew all thought from his head.
Yes, getting her soapy, wet and willing was his only goal. Discovering if she would blow the roof from the house when she
found completion was his driving force, except he couldn’t allow any of it to happen.
He broke away from their embrace, his breathing ragged, and his heart racing. “Aidan, I change my mind. You might just be my condemnation.” He wiped his brow with a shaking hand as his gaze skittered away from her smiling, knowing eyes. He strode to the table, took up the skills assessment paper, and then ripped it into small squares. “We’ll have to start over. My first observations were not entirely correct. I think I’ve made a grave error in judgment.” His arousal strained against his jeans. If he remained in her kitchen, he’d injure himself.
If he remained in her kitchen, they would both be in danger—not from passion but those that meant him harm.
“I have to leave.” With a snap of his fingers, he faded into nothingness.
Chapter Four
Magic, like baking, requires attention to detail
Aidan gazed around her kitchen with conflicting emotions. Mouth-watering dishes covered every available flat surface but she found no comfort in any of them. Yes, the process of cooking pleased her. Baking helped her combat stress. Unfortunately, neither of those things were enough to lift the irritation and annoyance that battled within her.
With a carving knife in hand, she moved to the first of three roasted chickens. If Matteus thought he could toy with her, he could think again. That last kiss of his came close to making her knees buckle, but just before anything else could happen, he once again disappeared into the void. Aidan knew men couldn’t commit but this was ridiculous! She wasn’t asking for commitment from him, just a few steamy embraces and a make-out session. Followed by warm-your-toes-on-a-cold-winter’s- night sex—a few times. Then he could leave. She needed something to soothe the ache that threatened to overwhelm her every time he came near.
A Pinch of Kitchen Magic Page 4
