Alpha Ember (ALPHA KANE BOOK 2)

24. Chef Kane

Ember

"Stop judging me with your eyes," Kane said.

"I'm not judging you," I protested, watching him scrape a charred lump into the trash bin. "Not much anyway."

I grinned, moving closer to get a better look at the mess of ingredients on the counter. We'd both gone up to take a shower (separately) but it looked like a tornado had passed through in the short time Kane had been back down here. Spilled flour, pieces of shredded chicken, the remains of a bell pepper that seemed to have died a terrible death and other slaughtered vegetables were all laid out. Evidence leading to a single conclusion: Kane was bad at cooking.

"You know this means I outrank you in the culinary world, right?" I said.

He set the pan down, stalked over and caged me in with his arms on both sides. He leaned down, blue gaze intent and on my lips. I lifted them, closing the distance...

He held up his hand, displaying the flour on his palm. Then- before I could register what he was trying to say by showing me his dirty hand- he wiped it across my face, gave my parted lips a kiss with a loud SMACK and darted away when I tried to hit him.

I grabbed a tissue and wiped my face with it. "That's the last time someone dirties my face and gets away with it. Come here."

He smiled, taking out his phone. "Let me order us pizza first."

I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. "It isn't too late to cook dinner," I said. "I can put something together real quick."

"You sure?" he asked. "Helen is already headed to a pizza place with Bluebell and Tom. I can ask them to get us a few boxes on their way back."

"It's fine. I like cooking, and maybe you can pick up on a few things by watching a true master." I washed my hands at the sink, then went over to inspect the vegetable massacre. Kane stood next me while I sorted through what could be salvaged.

"My mom liked to cook too," Kane said, leaning against the counter.

He watched me closely, but not in the way I'd suggested. In fact, he was actually ogling my butt. I tapped my knife against a plate. "Eyes up here, Wilder. I told you to watch how a true master cooks."

He didn't move his eyes as he gestured towards his ears with a smirk. "I'm listening to you cook."

I laughed. "In that case, take your superior werewolf hearing and go listen to me somewhere else."

He straightened, holding out his hand for my knife. "I'll behave. Let me help you."

I gave him an uncertain look. "Can you help?"

A wry look. "I'll try."

"Your mom never let you help her?"

"No, the kitchen was her territory."

I pursed my lips at that. "Are you telling me she took care of the house and Theo took care of the pack issues?"

He stopped holding out his hand. "That's how things worked for them."

"That's how you want things to work for us too," I guessed, remembering how he kept telling me not to worry about the pack. "You do realize I won't go along with it?"

His jaw tightened. "Are you going to threaten to leave me again?"

"No," I said slowly. "You give in when I say I'll leave but go right back to your old ways right after. I won't threaten you anymore."