“So, our appointment to sign papers is in two hours.”
I rolled my eyes and took the fork he’d left me. Nourishment might help get me through this day.
As I took a bite, he reached above the refrigerator and grabbed the lighter. He lit a stick of my incense and then sat down next to me as if this was totally normal.
“So, I’m sorry about last night.” He breathed out.
My fork clattered onto the plate. “What?”
“I’m sending mixed signals.” His eyes were milk chocolate and molasses now. Sweet and accommodating Bastian was back.
“You’re telling me!”
He cleared his throat. “I should have given you more warning about the marriage ceremony today, also.”
“If we’re just going to the courthouse, it’ll be fine,” I grumbled, not quite sure how to react to the change in him.
“I can take you to the terminals today. I’ll show you my plans.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You fucked me last night, Bastian.”
He nodded. “I’m aware, Morina. It shouldn’t have happened. You need a clear head when you make decisions about these shares, and I’m not giving that to you.”
“Oh, God.” I rolled my eyes. So, we were back to business transactions and professional relations. “Sex isn’t going to muddle my brain all up, you idiot. I can fuck you and keep our business separate.”
He stared at me, then swore when his phone lit up.
“Is someone calling you right now? Do you have it on silent?”
He slid it back in his pocket. “Yeah, sorry.”
“You can answer your calls. I don’t care.” I shrugged. He was ever so present when he was with me and for what? We were just business associates.
“I do,” he countered. “You deserve my full attention when I’m here. And I’m serious about this conversation. We should right the ship and try to be friends through this transaction.”
“Okay.” I nodded. All of that made sense except that somehow my brain couldn’t get past him putting his businesses on hold for me by silencing his phone. Something didn’t quite compute and yet I couldn’t figure out what.
But Bastian sat there, alert and on point this morning, making complete sense while I was a jumbled mess. Someone had really slept much better than I had. He looked refreshed, cleaned up, and completely dedicated to what he was saying.
“I’ll go change after I eat this.” I dug into the crepes, not wanting to show that I was such a mess. I focused on the way the sugar melted in my mouth, the fluff of the thin pancake and how its taste blended perfectly with the strawberry jelly he’d folded in.
“Morina.”
I glanced his way when he sighed my name. His hand was fisted; his jaw flexed.
“Yes?” I stared at his dark eyes boring into me. Our chemistry clashed around the room. Did he feel the pull and the need like I did? Was it just a one way street?
I shot up with the half-eaten food still on my plate and went to the sink. He didn’t answer after saying my name, so I changed the subject. “I’m guessing someone will be outside those courtroom doors to take our picture today, correct?”
He stared at my plate. “You didn’t eat all your crepes.”
“Yes.” I dragged out the word. “I’m full.”
His brow furrowed. “You moaned like you loved it a second ago. Was something wrong with it?”
My cheeks heated. Sometimes the fact that I loved his cooking so much I got lost in the taste of it was straight up embarrassing. “It was fine.”
“Bring it here then and let me try it.”