If it was a flop, pizza delivery was only a few clicks away. These guys had never met a pizza they didn’t devour. Even if her meal crashed and burned, at least this experiment gave her mind and hands something to occupy themselves for a few hours besides stressing about Lance or swooning over Scott.
She forced her troubles from her brain, popped in her earbuds, then got to work. A few hours and three or four minor missteps later, she had the kitchen smelling like a five-star restaurant. Okay, maybe four stars. Probably three. Sure, the corn muffins were a little dry, and she’d added way too much pepper to the pork, but everything was edible and was ready to be plated.
The best part of it was she’d only thought about Lance six times and Scott ten. It might not sound like much of a win, but when they’d both been on her mind constantly since the previous night, she’d take the slight reprieve.
As she turned off the music, a strong arm banded around her waist. Her brain immediately went to Lance. She stiffened until Scott’s familiar scent floated under her nose. Silly, Lance would never make it on the property and into the clubhouse unseen, especially not since the guys ramped up security after last night.
How had she not noticed how good Scott smelled before? A little spicy, a little sweet, a little dark. His scent matched his personality.
“I gotta say, this is the last place I expected to find you,” he whispered after pulling out her earbud. His teeth nipped her earlobe, making her knees wobble.
“Behave,” she said, lightly rapping his knuckles with her wooden spoon.
He chuckled. “Mmm, I had no idea you were into that kinda thing. Gimme that spoon. I’ll keep it for later.”
His scruff tickled her cheek and sent shivers across her nerve endings. She refused to acknowledge the heat expanding across her lower belly at the thought of his hand landing on her ass. “You need to back up so I can give you things to carry to the table. Is everyone here?” She tilted her head up to see him better. There was a lightness about him today that she’d yet to see. Selfish as it might be, she liked to think she contributed at least a little to his newfound peace.
“Yeah. You told Brooke to have the guys here by six, so the men are here. And we’re hungry,” he whispered before taking a quick bite of her neck.
“Ugh,” she groaned and squirmed to try to relieve the building ache between her legs. “You’re a little bit evil. You know that?”
Releasing her, he barked out a laugh. “You’ve seen me beat a man near to death, lose my shit on my brothers at least a dozen times, and I’ve treated you like shit since you arrived. But now you decide I’m evil.”
The acknowledgment of his animosity toward her had her stomach twisting with anxiety. “Well,” she said, forcing what was hopefully a sexy grin. “With your hands on me, it’s easy to forget everything else.”
“Hmm.” He frowned, then grabbed the enormous platter of prepared sandwiches from the counter. “Come for a ride with me after dinner? There’s somewhere I’d like to take you. It’s quiet, and we can talk.”
He’d admitted he’d misjudged her and treated her poorly. The man before her was one-hundred-eighty degrees away from the man she’d been pissing off by breathing the past few weeks. Could she trust it? Was this because she’d sucked him off and spread her legs? Or was it real? Could she trust the change in him?
“Yes,” he said.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“You asked if you could trust the change in me. The answer is yes.”
Well, crap. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say it aloud.” She swallowed, waiting for the anger and recrimination she’d come to expect from him.
His eyes held profound sadness but no anger. “I know. There are reasons for my reaction, and I’d like the chance to give them to you. I’ll keep my hands to myself, and once I’m done talking, you can decide whether you want to stay here.”
She gasped. He’d make her leave?
He shook his head. “Don’t misinterpret me. I want you to stay. I’m just not sure you’ll want to once we talk.”
Frowning, she took in the broken man before her. He’d been an Army Ranger for years. Decades even. He’d seen and done things she couldn’t even imagine in her nightmares. Same as her brother. Whatever plagued Scott’s mind, it was big. Men like him didn’t struggle with trivial annoyances. They’d spent too much time witnessing the shadowy side of life.
“Okay. I’d like that.”
“Great.” He flashed her a rare and genuine grin that transformed his features from fierce to irresistible. “Just wear something comfy and bring your gorgeous self. Leave everything else to me.” With a wink, he turned and disappeared into the dining area with the platter.