Jezebel Koko Brown (best books to read non fiction txt) 📖

for punishment. She even shouldered him a little so shecould get a good look.

Heopened the oven door with a little more flourish than warranted.Celeste sniffed. They weren’t opening a department store, justthe door to an oven. Still nothing could detract from the cold lump,Trudy’s farsumaguru, sitting on the middle rack or the droopyloaf just beneath it.

Silent, he straightened. Hestuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.Expecting the hammer to fall, a bad habit she’d developed whileher father was alive, Celeste braced herself.

“Out of all the timesyou tried to get rid of me…this takes the cake, sister.”

Indignant, Celeste plantedher hands on her hips. In truth she’d tried to kick him to thecurb on several occasions, but this was an honest to God mistake.

She opened her mouth topresent her case, but stopped. In her indignation, she failed tonotice the sparkle in his green eyes. Realizing he was only kiddingwith her, she fell in line, batting her lashes at him. “I toldyou, I wasn’t any good.”

“So what do we donow?” He rocked on his heels nudging her shoulder. Celeste wasstill surprised at the sudden reaction to his nearness, her faceinstantly blooming with heat.

Unfortunately,the warmth in her cheeks didn’t remain static. It shot throughher body, nestled in the pit of her stomach and lower.

“Want a peanut andjelly sandwich?” she murmured, fully grasping the fact she wasin dangerous territory.

Asif sensing her dilemma, he slowly turned. With her back to thekitchen table, her left side to the oven, he blocked her only exit.He was peeking at her through unbelievably long eye lashes while hislips curled into a smile that seemed to melt her dwindling resolve.

Celeste gulped. If hekissed or touched her now, she would probably melt at his feet likethe wicked witch of the west.

He moved in closer, so closehis body heat permeated the thin fabric of her dress. Celeste bracedherself for the inevitable.

“With extra jelly andcut in half?”

Celeste nodded only out ofpure reflex because from his lips to her ears it sounded more likewith ‘satin sheets followed by cigarettes’.

“Do you mind if I eatin here?”

Celeste swallowed around theball of lust hinged in her throat. Unbridled images of her jumpingon the table with her skirt hiked danced through her head. “H-hereis fine,” she stuttered.

With a grin a mile wide, heremoved his blazer then draped it over the back of one of the kitchenchairs. All the while Celeste watched him, admiring his movements,which were as graceful and fluid as any dancer’s. Not wantingto take her eyes off him, she reluctantly went about feeding herguest.

In quick order, she placed acouple of glasses on the table, along with a quart of fresh milk.Next, she pulled out the sliced bread, peanut butter and grape jellyout of the cupboard and set them on the counter.

“I’m reallysorry about this,” she offered, while smearing Maggie’shomemade peanut butter on a slice. “In all honesty I can’tcook.”

“That looked like morethan air in there, gorgeous.”

“My cousin Trudyhelped with all the cooking. She did most of it. I mostly watched.”

Embarrassed, Celeste glancedover her shoulder to gauge his reaction. Good thing she had thecounter to keep her steady! He wore the most pleased-as-punch grinshe’d ever seen.

“You were trying toimpress me?”

Celestenodded as heat stole up from her chest and settled in her cheeks. Before she went up in smoke she turned her attention back to theirsandwiches.

“Ilike that. I like it alot.” Celeste could still hear the smilein his voice. “We can eat the fancy stuff tomorrow night.”

Tomorrow?! Surprised,Celeste spun around so fast the butter knife flew from her hand. Itskidded across the floor, landing near his foot. She moved tosalvage it. He was quicker. He picked it up and handed it back toher, handle out. Their fingertips touched and an electrical shockwhizzed up her arm. Shaken, Celeste stepped back.

As if nothing had transpiredand completely oblivious to her internal dilemma, Shane sat back inhis chair legs extended. Celeste envied him, sitting there cool as acucumber, while she felt like hell warmed over.

“I mean you went toall that trouble,” he drawled. “It’s the least Icould do.”

The least he could do,Celeste mused as she walked back over to the table with two dessertplates and their sandwiches.

Without hesitation, Shanebit into one of the two sandwiches she’d prepared for him. While he ate, Celeste took notes. She noticed his hands were largeand bronzed by the sun. His fingers were long and straight withneatly manicured nails, devoid of grease, oil or even dirt.

Mesmerized by his elegantappendages, she imagined what they would feel like holding her hand,caressing her arm, touching her face, her body.

Ifsomeone could be accused of drooling without actually slobbering,Celeste was that person.

Hot and bothered, Celestesearched for her glass. She brought it to her lips.

At the last moment, shepressed it against her cheek. Soothed by the cold, she gave intotemptation and peeked at the handsome man sitting next to her. Thankfully, his slightly off-centered nose saved him from being damnnear perfect.

At some point, he becamesilent, eyeing her as she’d done him. “W-what is it?”she asked.

“You got a littlesomething…” He leaned toward her his finger scrappingthe side of his mouth.

Celeste searched the table.

She’d rememberedeverything but the napkins. She didn’t want to appear a slobby wiping her mouth with her hand, so she moved to stand up. Herbottom barely left the seat when his hand wrapped around her wrist.

In shock, she watched himlean forward. The situation was cliché for sure, but she wasa willing victim of this little play of seduction as he kissed awaywhatever was on the corner of her mouth.

“Itwas only peanut butter.” He said it so softly Celeste barelyheard him. Or maybe it was only because her heart was slamming in herchest. Even her stomach was doing that butterfly thing.

He’d just kissed her,and yet it felt like he’d touched her all over. But to havefelt all of him just then would’ve have been too much for hersenses, already hanging