A few weeks later...
With hands overly dry and coated in flour, I sloshed the milk in my measuring cup as cautiously as I could, but not cautiously enough. Once again, the contents in my bowl flew up, creating a circle of ingredients around it. My hands found my hair, scrunching it between my hands as I groaned while I leaned against the countertop.
"Hey, don't get discouraged, honey. You're doing great for your first time, okay? Take your time.", he said, looking back at me with a reassuring smile and a wink before turning back and continuing to water our little plants.
"Jug, as much as I appreciate the encouragement, I'm failing miserably at this. I can't even manage to keep ingredients in the bowl. How am I supposed to bake if I'm such a klutz that I can't even do this properly? Seriously, I've heard that little kids do this shit.".
He turned back around swiftly on the balls of his feet, pausing while standing straight and biting his lip contemplatively before walking over to me. His hand, warm and soft in comparison to mine in their current state, landed on my shoulder, which immediately relaxed. He stepped around me, his other hand sliding to my back, rubbing it up and down calmingly.
"Baby, they're only cookies. It's not the end of the world, but if you're really stressed about it, I can help you this time.
Take a deep breath with me.". I followed his instruction without struggle, unlike how I did with the baking instructions. His hands glided upwards as I inhaled, falling back as I exhaled.
"Alright, much better.", he observed, kissing my cheek quickly before taking the measuring cup from me.
"Try doing it like this...".
~~
We landed on the couch as the cookies baked, me on his lap as his hands guided my hips, rocking against his sensually. Our tongues gently clashed with each other's, whirling around each other while I felt Jug smirking against my lips before releasing a subdued groan. Our kiss increasingly progressed as I rocked forward more quickly and forcibly, my hands rushing frantically to snake through his hair. I tugged on the ends, squirming to get closer, my breathing accelerating drastically.
He pulled away abruptly, concern scribbled on his face.
"Betts, what's wrong?", he queried, sitting up straighter against the back of the couch but keeping me on top of him.
I licked my lips, staring back at him, forcing my eyebrows to crease. "What do you mean? I'm fine.".
"You're not.", he sighed. "I can tell you're not fine. You're kissing me... differently than usual.".
"So you're saying I can't-".
"Stop jumping to conclusions.". He stood up, lifting me with him before placing me back onto the ground. He traced along the edges of my face, cupping my cheeks with my hair clinging against it.
"Don't say anything. It's all alright. I want you to head upstairs and wait for me. I'll be up in five.".
Partially dumbfounded, I did as he asked, slinking upstairs and catching my breath while clutching my breath as if it might relieve the pain. Once I found myself in the bedroom, I flopped back onto the bed, staring at the fan whirl around and disperse the lavender scent in the room.
Just as he promised, he walked in to join me not even five minutes later. In his hand stood a plate with a few perfectly crisp chocolate chip cookies, the other holding a mug of steaming chocolate goodness, or so I could smell.
His expression unchanged from the conflicted one earlier, but his eyes softened, he nudged his head in the direction of the bathroom.
"Come.", he murmured. "I'm going to wash your hair and give you kisses while you sit in a warm bath and eat these delicious smelling cookies and drink this cocoa that I made you.".
~~
I leaned back, his hands running through my hair and trailing down my chest, lathering me in soap with a rather pleasant aroma, though I still struggled to relax the tenseness in my muscles and the knot in my chest. The cookies remained untasted on the vanity beside the bathtub.
I'd have felt even worse if I ate one while his hands remained covered in soap, washing me so gingerly out of the kindness of his own heart.
I wasn't even sure if that goodness even existed within me to begin with.
"Love?", he muttered, interrupting me from my thoughts. The lathering came to a halt and his hands retreated, as did he while his eyes scanned my face for answers.
It became clear quickly that his attempt had been deemed unsuccessful.
"Please tell me what the matter is. I only want to help you, you know that. I can tell your hurting. Did I do something?".
"No!", I exclaimed, eyes widening at the extreme volume I used.
"Sorry. Uh, no, you didn't do anything. In fact, you've done so much for me. I don't even know how to thank you...
That's the problem.".
"I don't understand.".
"Jug, I don't do enough for you. I don't deserve you, and you deserve better. For the love of God, I cant even make you cookies without you having to spoon feed me and hold my hand through the process. That's not fair to you.".
"Betty...". He dried his hands with a washcloth laying beside him before scooting up, taking my hand that I let hang outside of the tub.
"That's ridiculous, you know. You have no idea how silly you just sounded.". He chuckled lightly, but the half-hearted cheeriness didn't linger long.
"Betty, I love you. I love you for who you are, and I'm choosing to do all of this for you. You're doing plenty by just being here and being yourself. I truly wouldn't want it any other way. You know that, right?".
I only stared at him, tears welling in my eyes, but his told me what my answer aught to have been. His lips perked up as he saw mine doing the same, and he released a restrained breath of relief.
"Good.", he whispered, intimacy etched in his low-toned voice.
"You know what's not fair, though?
The fact that you never learned how to make cookies and yet, on your first try, you managed to make them smell incredible.". His nose nudged against mine before he dipped his finger into the water, leaning his face away so that he could tap bubbles onto my nose and roll back laughing.
I couldn't help but giggle as well.
Our eyes met again when he wiped it off my nose gently, tossing glances over to the cookies and the cocoa in between rubs.
"Actually, Betts, there's something that you could do for me.".
My heart stopped, my face brightening and heating while I anxiously awaited him to continue.
"Why don't you take a bite of cookie... and then feed me a bite? It's incredible smell is flooding the bathroom right now, and it's beginning to become irresistible.".
I shouldn't have been as I excited as I was when reaching over, snatching up two cookies and shoving one into each of our mouths, both of us grinning and giggling with our mouths full.
"These are amazing! Oh my God!".
"Mhm, I couldn't agree more. Who made these again? Pretty sure it was Betts the baker.".
