The Price Of Love

Chapter 17

Jay's POV

Walking in the door, I'm immediately met with the smell of cooking. Closing the door behind me, I walk over to the kitchen where I see Talia taking a dish out of the oven with a pair of oven mitts.

She places it on the countertop before shooting me a small smile. "I made lasagne," She says, and my eyes glance down as I read the writing on her apron. 'Home sweet home'.

I get a weird feeling in my chest and clear my throat before looking back at her. "You're just a maid. I don't expect you to be a cook just because you live here" I tell her, and she nods.

"I enjoy cooking" Is all she says as she turns back to her dish of lasagne that smells like heaven itself.

"Some man delivered a letter for you earlier. I left it on the kitchen table" She tells me, and I walk over to the table. As she said, there's a white envelope in the middle of it.

I grab it and sit down in the chair with a sigh, not eager to find out what this is. Knowing my luck, it won't be good.

I hear humming, and I glance up at the kitchen at Talia.

She has her back to me, dishing out some food on a plate, humming an unknown tune. I don't know what has her so happy on a fucking Monday.

She has a pair of dark grey skinny jeans on today, with a simple red tank top. Paired with the white apron she has on.

Such a simple outfit yet it takes everything in me to tear my eyes off her. I glance down at the letter but am immediately distracted when I hear her footsteps heading in my direction.

A plate is placed in front of me, another in front of the chair beside me. I look up at her. "Thank you, Talia. You..didn't have to" I mumble, and she shoots me a smile.

"It's no problem Jay" She laughs, and I swallow hard as I look down at the plate in front of me and away from the smile on her face that has my heart fucking fluttering.

I don't understand Talia's kindness.

I have been an asshole to her on more than one occasion, and I don't think I even regret it, yet she offers me food. She asks if I'm okay when she saw I'm hurt. It doesn't make sense.

No one is kind without a reason. Yet I can't for the life of me figure out what she gets from it. I thought for a while she was trying to gain my trust, but I don't believe Talia is a spy. Overall, I'm confused. And half tempted to ask her.

"Sorry- would you mind?" She asks, shooting me a sheepish smile as she turns around in front of me. "I can't untie it because of my nails" She chuckles and I hum, standing up, putting me right behind her.

I grab the knot tying her apron closed, and my fingers lightly brush against the exposed skin on her lower back between the waistband of her jeans and her cropped top.

I hear her take a deep breath, but I pretend not to notice as I work on the knot she tied. I don't know how she managed to tie it this badly- or why. An apron doesn't require a triple knot, but I get it undone after a minute or so.

Talia lifts the apron off her head, but it gets caught in the bun her braids are in. I help her out and she finally gets it off. She turns and lets out a breathless chuckle. "Well that was a group effort" She shoots me a smile that almost seems nervous.

I hum, staring down at her. Now that she's turned around, she's standing pretty close to me. She hasn't seemed to notice yet.

"Thanks for that" She whispers, and I nod. "Happy to help" I find myself whispering as well.

I then feel the urge to glance down to her lips, and I know I need to move away from her quickly.

"Food's getting cold," I say, clearing my throat as I sit back down in my chair. "Right," She nods, folding her apron and placing it on the kitchen island before she comes back over and sits down.