Melting Into You (Due South Book 2) by Tracey Alvarez Page B

patented teacher-stare gua ranteed to intimidate even the most rebellious student.
    “It was a nice kiss.”
    “Nice?” Nice, as in boring, mediocre, and I’ve kissed men way more exciting?
    “Yes, nice.” That pretty shade of pink popped onto her cheeks again, and the wooden spoon became a ra ttling blur.
    Well, now.
    Call him an arrogant SOB, but that blush probably meant she was lying. He was tempted to out Ms. Murphy’s dishonesty by showing her just how un-nice-like he could kiss.
    He folded his arms. “That was more than nice, and you know it.”
    Kezia gestured for the bowl. “Carrots next.”
    When he refused to pass them, she huffed out a sigh. “That kiss was a mistake, and it can’t happen again.”
    Yeah, yeah, yadda, yadda . Beautiful, passionate woman plays hard to get. Been there, done that, got the woman ‘cause they never really tried too hard. Kezia had her “teacher stare,” well, he had the secret weapon of the verbally challenged male—a killer smile.
    He used it. “We have chemistry.”
    The results were unexpected. Instead of melting into a lustful puddle and instructing him in her sexy-strict-teacher voice to “Kiss me again, big boy,” Kezia brandished her wooden spoon at his nose.
    “We have nothing. Nothing and no possible future.”
    Ben’s stomach contracted into a cold, tennis-ball-sized lump, and he held up a hand. “Whoa, sweetheart. I wasn’t talking about us having a future.” He manfully avoided a full-body shudder. “I kissed you, not proposed a lifetime commitment.”
    One dark eyebrow winged up, and incredibly, she flashed him a wry smile. “Because you don’t do co mmitment.”
    The onion sizzled and spat as she lowered the spoon into the pot and stirred.
    “Nope.”
    Not the romantic kind of commitment, anyway. That was for dreamers like West. He hoped his best mate and his sister would make a go of it, but in his heart? He figured he’d be caught between blood and friendship at, oh…about the seven-year-itch mark.
    He had enough commitments. Including a bloody-big unexpected one in the next room. He wasn’t offering to take on another two. Even if Kezia did happen to stir up stuff in him that had previously lain dormant.
    He sucked in onion-tainted air, prayed his voice would come out steady. “Is that what you’re looking for? A wedding ring and a white picket fence?”
    She barked out a laugh and muttered in Italian, shaking her head. “I had a wedding ring and a white picket fence. I don’t want them again.”
    The knot in his gut loosened. Yes! Maybe they could explore this attraction casually...
    Kezia interrupted his mental victory punch.
    “But I have a commitment—Zoe. I’ll do nothing to jeopardize my relationship with her and the relationship I have with your family.”
    Shit . Shot down in flames.
    Or…he could look at Kez’s rejection as a temporary setback. A very temporary setback.
    “All that jeopardy from one kiss?”
    “Yes.” She tossed her hair and waved an imperious hand. “Now fetch me the jar of sauce from the pantry or we’ll never get this Ragú done.”
    He bared his teeth in a grin. “I’m yours to command, mistress.”
     
    ***
     
    The look on Jade’s face as she tasted lasagna for the first time made every uncomfortable second Kezia had spent stuck in the kitchen with Ben worth the effort. She beamed as the girl held up her plate for more.
    “It’s really good,” Jade said. “Can we have this at home?”
    Ben forked up another mouthful and raised an ey ebrow. “Kiddo, didn’t you hear the smoke alarm go off when I burned my first attempt at cheese sauce?”
    Jade giggled. The sound triggered a dull ache behind Kezia’s breastbone. Ben and his daughter still weren’t comfortable with each other, but after the girls insisted the four of them play Junior Monopoly while the lasagna baked, some of spikiness smoothed out a little.
    The front door slammed as they finished washing up the dishes. Shaye swept into