The doors to the back deck were open, and Calder was standing at the grill. Our gazes locked, and I swore I still felt his hands skimming over my sides, the press of his lips against my shoulder.
I tore my focus away from Calder and settled in the kitchen. My mom was chopping vegetables for what looked like a salad. I took a deep breath and forced my feet to move in that direction. “Hey, Mom.”
She looked up, almost startled by my greeting. “Hadley.”
“Need any help?”
She opened her mouth, and I was sure the answer would be no, but then she paused. “Sure. Can you peel those carrots for me?”
“No problem.” I moved to the sink and washed my hands before getting to work. “How was your week?”
“Good. Got some decent time in my garden, which always makes me happy.”
My mom had a vegetable garden that would make even farmers jealous. Some of my best memories growing up were of helping her harvest for a meal or planning what we might cook based on what was available. “Did you grow these carrots?”
“That and some of the lettuce for the salad are from the garden. It’s still too early for peppers and tomatoes, so those are from the store.”
“They look great.”
“Thanks, sweet pea.”
The nickname burned something in my chest. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d used it.
Mom dumped the lettuce she’d just chopped into the bowl. “How was your week?”
“Good. Same ol’, same ol’. Work, a hike, a bike ride. I’m loving that the weather is warmer.”
“Me, too. It’s one of my favorite times of year.”
I grinned down at my carrot as I peeled it. “You say that about every season.”
“Oh, hush. I do not.”
Dad moved in with a platter of chicken and kissed my mom. “You really do.”
She swatted at him. “Two against one really isn’t fair.”
“The truth hurts,” Dad said. “Just a couple more minutes on those steaks.”
“We’ll be ready to go,” Mom assured him.
Calder appeared as my dad stepped away. Suddenly, the spacious kitchen felt tight, as if the walls were closing in. “Need an extra set of hands?”
I silently begged for my mom to say no. I’d been on edge since Calder’s and my encounter in the bathroom. I’d been twitchy, my skin feeling too tight for my body. I’d tried long runs and even a couple of swims, but nothing seemed to help.
“Sure. Why don’t you take that chicken to the table? And then you can help Hadley with the carrots.”
I fought the urge to groan, but I was trapped. If I left now, Calder would hold all the power, and Mom would be pissed. So, I stayed and focused on my task.
It felt like mere seconds before heat was at my back. “Want me to peel or grate?”
“You can grate.” My voice sounded husky, even to my own ears. Hell.
Calder picked up a grater and positioned himself so close to me, our arms brushed.
“Could you give me a little more space?”
Calder sent me a wicked grin. “Now, why would I want to do that?”