slammed into her ribs and face had heated. Dang man obviously
just had sex and had probably escorted his ‘date’ to the door right before Kerri
had come down.
Oh how she’d wished the floor
would’ve opened up and swallowed her whole. Which was stupid. They were adults.
So he’d had sex. Big deal.
But it had been a big deal, and she
didn’t know why. She also didn’t know where to look, so she’d grabbed the oven
mitts and pulled out her pot pie.
“That smells great, darlin’,” he’d
said, moving to stand behind her. “I worked up an appetite. I’m starved. Can I
have some?”
She smirked as she rearranged a tray.
She bet he’d worked one up. Probably went all out, got very physical and sweaty
when he had sex. And that’s when she’d nodded, putting a stop to that dangerous
train of thought. His lips had twitched, no doubt reading her mind and laughing
at her. She’d handed him a knife and told him to help himself before she’d
exited the room like it was on fire.
The next day, she’d moved out and
hadn’t spoken to him since except for a quick answering wave during her visit
with Emma and Jordan on Thursday, but they hadn’t talked.
Tonight, though, tonight she
wouldn’t be able to avoid him. But that was okay. No doubt the opposite sex would
surround him, and he’d be too busy to spare her more than a passing hello. And
so would she, between seeing her old friends Jen and Kevin again, and dealing
with the food. Although Emma made her promise to forget the prep once the party
started, Kerri vowed to be too busy to pay attention to the red-blooded cowboy
and his dang lop-sided grin.
That man’s mere presence engulfed,
fogged, made her do the stupidest things, and since she hadn’t been firing on
all receptors since the earthquake, she couldn’t afford the fogging.
“Did they set up the Sterno?” Emma
asked, breezing in from the pantry. The cook grabbed the hot pads off of the counter
and opened the oven to check on her salmon.
Kerri nodded. “Yes, it’s all set up
and waiting for us to start.”
She washed her hands and began to
fill up the appetizer trays. Jordan had insisted on a simple menu, so Kerri
opted to make Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Cheesy Barbecue Popcorn and her own
favorite, Strawberry Flowers stuffed with a cream cheese mixture of powdered
sugar, almond extract and grated chocolate.
Her mouth watered at the thought.
She loved anything strawberry, the chocolate was a bonus.
For the main course, Emma and Kerri
had split up the duty by each cooking three different dishes. Perfect week to
move into her parents’ house. This gave each cook their own kitchen and space
to create. Emma made Barbecue Beef Short Ribs, Chicken and Drop Dumplings and
Salmon Croquettes, while Kerri made Beef and Beer Oven Stew, Catfish Provencale
and Jordan’s favorite—Three Cheese Lasagna.
Earlier today, she’d borrowed her
dad’s SUV and carted her food over to store in the McCall’s industrial
refrigerator. With a double oven and warming racks, it had been super easy to
heat the food at the ranch.
Kerri just wanted everything to go
well. Jordan and Cole deserved this celebration.
She started to fill the last
appetizer tray when Emma shooed her away like an annoying fly.
“Leave that to me. You go upstairs
and change for the party. Guests have already started to arrive. You should be
out there mingling,” the cook insisted. “There are plenty of servers here to
help me. Now, go and enjoy yourself.”
“All right.” Kerri laughed. “But
I’ll take this last tray out and then go up and change.” With a smirk, she
scurried from the kitchen before Emma could take the tray from her.
Several people were already there,
including her sister, wearing a beautiful, backless red dress. Her fiancé,
equally dapper in black dress pants and white silk shirt, couldn’t take his eye
off Jordan. They were in the middle of the room, talking to the new arrivals. A
few women and Connor, she
just had sex and had probably escorted his ‘date’ to the door right before Kerri
had come down.
Oh how she’d wished the floor
would’ve opened up and swallowed her whole. Which was stupid. They were adults.
So he’d had sex. Big deal.
But it had been a big deal, and she
didn’t know why. She also didn’t know where to look, so she’d grabbed the oven
mitts and pulled out her pot pie.
“That smells great, darlin’,” he’d
said, moving to stand behind her. “I worked up an appetite. I’m starved. Can I
have some?”
She smirked as she rearranged a tray.
She bet he’d worked one up. Probably went all out, got very physical and sweaty
when he had sex. And that’s when she’d nodded, putting a stop to that dangerous
train of thought. His lips had twitched, no doubt reading her mind and laughing
at her. She’d handed him a knife and told him to help himself before she’d
exited the room like it was on fire.
The next day, she’d moved out and
hadn’t spoken to him since except for a quick answering wave during her visit
with Emma and Jordan on Thursday, but they hadn’t talked.
Tonight, though, tonight she
wouldn’t be able to avoid him. But that was okay. No doubt the opposite sex would
surround him, and he’d be too busy to spare her more than a passing hello. And
so would she, between seeing her old friends Jen and Kevin again, and dealing
with the food. Although Emma made her promise to forget the prep once the party
started, Kerri vowed to be too busy to pay attention to the red-blooded cowboy
and his dang lop-sided grin.
That man’s mere presence engulfed,
fogged, made her do the stupidest things, and since she hadn’t been firing on
all receptors since the earthquake, she couldn’t afford the fogging.
“Did they set up the Sterno?” Emma
asked, breezing in from the pantry. The cook grabbed the hot pads off of the counter
and opened the oven to check on her salmon.
Kerri nodded. “Yes, it’s all set up
and waiting for us to start.”
She washed her hands and began to
fill up the appetizer trays. Jordan had insisted on a simple menu, so Kerri
opted to make Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Cheesy Barbecue Popcorn and her own
favorite, Strawberry Flowers stuffed with a cream cheese mixture of powdered
sugar, almond extract and grated chocolate.
Her mouth watered at the thought.
She loved anything strawberry, the chocolate was a bonus.
For the main course, Emma and Kerri
had split up the duty by each cooking three different dishes. Perfect week to
move into her parents’ house. This gave each cook their own kitchen and space
to create. Emma made Barbecue Beef Short Ribs, Chicken and Drop Dumplings and
Salmon Croquettes, while Kerri made Beef and Beer Oven Stew, Catfish Provencale
and Jordan’s favorite—Three Cheese Lasagna.
Earlier today, she’d borrowed her
dad’s SUV and carted her food over to store in the McCall’s industrial
refrigerator. With a double oven and warming racks, it had been super easy to
heat the food at the ranch.
Kerri just wanted everything to go
well. Jordan and Cole deserved this celebration.
She started to fill the last
appetizer tray when Emma shooed her away like an annoying fly.
“Leave that to me. You go upstairs
and change for the party. Guests have already started to arrive. You should be
out there mingling,” the cook insisted. “There are plenty of servers here to
help me. Now, go and enjoy yourself.”
“All right.” Kerri laughed. “But
I’ll take this last tray out and then go up and change.” With a smirk, she
scurried from the kitchen before Emma could take the tray from her.
Several people were already there,
including her sister, wearing a beautiful, backless red dress. Her fiancé,
equally dapper in black dress pants and white silk shirt, couldn’t take his eye
off Jordan. They were in the middle of the room, talking to the new arrivals. A
few women and Connor, she
Similar Books
