each side of her waist, had her held captive. He peeked over her shoulder and watched her arrange the cherries on top of the cake.
"Cut it out, Jake," she warned.
"I'm not touching you."
"You're breathing on me."
"Should I stop breathing?"
"Is it an option you'd consider?" The warm exhalation of his laughter tickled her neck and sent a white-hot ripple down her spine. Even while she was flaming mad at him, he could make her body hotter than her temper. "Don't you have some food burning on the stove?"
"Something's burnin'," he muttered, his husky voice oozing with boyish country charm.
Damn him! He didn't allow her the dignity of making him suffer. Worse, her stubborn refusal to give in tormented her. She skirted out from under his restraining arm, brushed her hip along his rock-solid leg. Her pulse soared, and a tingling sensation rose in her lower abdomen. It didn't help to remind herself that she experienced a purely physical reaction.
Nor did it remove the smirk from Jake's face. How could he be so sure of himself in one respect, yet so insecure when it came to the difference in their bank statements? He frustrated her no end. She knew how to handle a man who was only after her money, but Jake posed a different problem all together.
"For how long do you intend to punish me, Kate?"
"You know what they say about getting out of the kitchen if you can't take the heat?"
"I think we both should. Unless you want Chloe finish the cooking. It's a good thing that girl can run tractor or she'd never catch a man."
"Don't you make me laugh, Jake Callahan. I'm still mad at you." She bit down hard on her lip to keep from smiling.
"But you're warming' up."
"If my being hot was the issue, there wouldn't be problem. I thought that was a given." She grabbed h sweater off the wall peg and tossed it casually over her shoulders. "Take the cake please."
"I thought I did."
* * * *
"Pay me!" Chloe demanded of her uncle. She’d changed back in the peach-colored dress that her father had grudgingly let her keep. She whirled around the living room like a top, taunting Trevor with her open hand. "I told you he'd make her come."
"Were you betting on me?" Kate exclaimed in mock horror. "Or worse, betting against me?"
Trevor stood up after a glare from Jake reminded him of his southern gentlemanly manners. "I was bettin' on ya, darlin', but you cost me five dollars."
She poked her finger into his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat. "You deserve it. I gave my word. There was no doubt I'd be here."
"I knew you'd come. I just thought you'd dump the cake on his head first."
Jake scowled at the harmless banter between her and Trevor, and once again, Kate got the impression that Jake resented their friendship. Did he think she didn't notice a difference; that either twin would do? If all that attracted her was the physical appearance, she might be less inclined to butt heads with so stubborn a man.
"Have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon," Jake said, his voice clipped.
"Not yet. I have to see what you're cooking before I decide if I'm staying," Kate joked.
Chloe rushed to the door and threw herself against it. "Don't show her the peas until I bolt the door."
"Everyone's a comedian," Jake mumbled on his way to the kitchen.
Kate followed closely behind, doing a perfect imitation of his stalking steps. As Jake put the cake in the refrigerator, she hopped up on the counter next to the stove and began snooping in the pots.
"I do admire a man who can cook," she sighed, after smelling the lamb roasting in the oven. "How much longer until we eat?"
"Didn't your mama teach you any manners?" He lifted her off the counter and set her on the floor. She removed the lid from a pot of mashed potatoes and stuck her finger right inside, taking a large taste in her mouth. "I guess she didn't," he answered himself as she tried to do it again.
"It needs salt. And there was no time for good manners."
"What do you mean, no
"Cut it out, Jake," she warned.
"I'm not touching you."
"You're breathing on me."
"Should I stop breathing?"
"Is it an option you'd consider?" The warm exhalation of his laughter tickled her neck and sent a white-hot ripple down her spine. Even while she was flaming mad at him, he could make her body hotter than her temper. "Don't you have some food burning on the stove?"
"Something's burnin'," he muttered, his husky voice oozing with boyish country charm.
Damn him! He didn't allow her the dignity of making him suffer. Worse, her stubborn refusal to give in tormented her. She skirted out from under his restraining arm, brushed her hip along his rock-solid leg. Her pulse soared, and a tingling sensation rose in her lower abdomen. It didn't help to remind herself that she experienced a purely physical reaction.
Nor did it remove the smirk from Jake's face. How could he be so sure of himself in one respect, yet so insecure when it came to the difference in their bank statements? He frustrated her no end. She knew how to handle a man who was only after her money, but Jake posed a different problem all together.
"For how long do you intend to punish me, Kate?"
"You know what they say about getting out of the kitchen if you can't take the heat?"
"I think we both should. Unless you want Chloe finish the cooking. It's a good thing that girl can run tractor or she'd never catch a man."
"Don't you make me laugh, Jake Callahan. I'm still mad at you." She bit down hard on her lip to keep from smiling.
"But you're warming' up."
"If my being hot was the issue, there wouldn't be problem. I thought that was a given." She grabbed h sweater off the wall peg and tossed it casually over her shoulders. "Take the cake please."
"I thought I did."
* * * *
"Pay me!" Chloe demanded of her uncle. She’d changed back in the peach-colored dress that her father had grudgingly let her keep. She whirled around the living room like a top, taunting Trevor with her open hand. "I told you he'd make her come."
"Were you betting on me?" Kate exclaimed in mock horror. "Or worse, betting against me?"
Trevor stood up after a glare from Jake reminded him of his southern gentlemanly manners. "I was bettin' on ya, darlin', but you cost me five dollars."
She poked her finger into his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat. "You deserve it. I gave my word. There was no doubt I'd be here."
"I knew you'd come. I just thought you'd dump the cake on his head first."
Jake scowled at the harmless banter between her and Trevor, and once again, Kate got the impression that Jake resented their friendship. Did he think she didn't notice a difference; that either twin would do? If all that attracted her was the physical appearance, she might be less inclined to butt heads with so stubborn a man.
"Have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon," Jake said, his voice clipped.
"Not yet. I have to see what you're cooking before I decide if I'm staying," Kate joked.
Chloe rushed to the door and threw herself against it. "Don't show her the peas until I bolt the door."
"Everyone's a comedian," Jake mumbled on his way to the kitchen.
Kate followed closely behind, doing a perfect imitation of his stalking steps. As Jake put the cake in the refrigerator, she hopped up on the counter next to the stove and began snooping in the pots.
"I do admire a man who can cook," she sighed, after smelling the lamb roasting in the oven. "How much longer until we eat?"
"Didn't your mama teach you any manners?" He lifted her off the counter and set her on the floor. She removed the lid from a pot of mashed potatoes and stuck her finger right inside, taking a large taste in her mouth. "I guess she didn't," he answered himself as she tried to do it again.
"It needs salt. And there was no time for good manners."
"What do you mean, no