Well, here comes the consequences, David Fucking Brenner.
The taxi pulled up to the address and she tapped her card to pay before exiting and staring up at the building. Gleaming glass and chrome, just like every other new build in the city.
Sucking in a breath, she squared her shoulders and marched toward the doors. The doorman opened them for her, bidding her welcome. She stopped at the desk inside the impressive lobby.
“I’m here to see David Brenner,” she said, watching the man in the black suit and tie stare at a small pink note.
“Ah, yes. Mr. Brenner called down to say he was expecting you. Take the elevator to the 71st floor. It opens right outside his front door.”
She thanked him and headed upstairs. The elevator doors opened right in front of an impressive white door, inlaid with gold. She rolled her eyes. Swallowing down her growing trepidation, she walked to the door and raised her hand to knock.
The door swung open, revealing a shirtless David wearing low slung jeans, socks, and a guilty smile.
“Come on in,” David entreated, his gray gaze lingering on her lips before snapping back up to her eyes. He pushed the door wide and spread his arms wide. “Welcome to my humble home.”
Diana crossed the threshold, her heart hammering, and a chuckle tore from her chest.
She blinked, her gaze catching on the opulence spread before her.
“You call this humble?” she snorted, teasing.
He chuckled in return. “Well…I am still working on baby proofing everything. I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to have to climb over a baby gate every time I need to piss.”
Diana couldn’t help but giggle at that. “Isn’t it a bit early to put up baby gates?” she asked, moving farther into the large open living area and tossing her purse on the nearest surface.
David shrugged, and Diana fought to keep her gaze from roaming over the expanse of sexy, tightly muscled man chest, and then dropping to take in the man’s six pack and delicious V.
“It’s never too early to be prepared. Besides, I have to get used to it, right?” He met her gaze, his eyes twinkling. She smiled, unable to stop her chest from tightening.
“I suppose so,” she answered, breaking eye contact to spin slowly and investigate David’s “humble” digs. David closed the door and moved to stand beside her. She felt his gaze on her, burning her. She didn’t look.
“You said you’d feed me,” she blurted, eager to end the heavy silence into which she’d thrown herself.
“Yes…well…” The sound of self-consciousness in his tone made her spin to gape at him. David lacked confidence in something. “I seemed to have burned your lunch.”
She drew herself up, tilting her head. She sniffed, an acrid scent hit her nostrils. “How so?”
He lifted his arm, his biceps flexing, to run a hand through his already disheveled hair. Damn, she’d never seen him look so…human. And it was beyond appealing.
“I tried to follow the instructions on the box, but I seemed to have forgotten to put in the milk. Also, I left the pot on the hot burner, which made the butter evaporate—needless to say, I’m never getting the smell of scorched processed cheese powder out of my nostrils.”
She choked back a laugh. “What did you make?”
His smile was sheepish. “I called your mom to ask her what your favorite lunch food was. She told me it was macaroni and cheese, but not just any macaroni and cheese, it has to be Kraft macaroni and cheese. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to find a store around here that doesn’t sell only organic foods. I had to go to a convenience store.” He sounded so put out and shell-shocked, Diana couldn’t hold back the laugh any longer.
She laughed, holding her belly as her giggles spilled from her.
Rather than sneer at her as she expected him to, David laughed along with her, the sound of his deep chuckles making her pussy ache. Damn.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she asked, “Was any of it salvageable?”
His smile dropped. “I don’t think so, but you can take a look.”
David led her into the large, spacious, ridiculously clean chef’s kitchen. Well…mostly clean. The entire countertop on the left side of the stove, between the stove and sink was covered in the makings for macaroni and cheese. The box that clearly showed Kraft on the front, was lying on its side, the instructions facing out where David could read them.
God…the man tried. Give him some credit for that at least.
Why am I so bloody nervous? Oh, that’s right, my future is standing right in front of me and I feel like a bloody loser because I can’t even make simple macaroni and cheese from a box!
“You really did a number on this poor mac and cheese,” Diana remarked, a soft smile on her lovely face.
Keep it there!
“I am no home chef, that is for certain,” he teased, finding a strange joy in self-deprecation.
She snorted, her smile growing. “No, you are not.”
“We can order in?” he offered, hoping she was still willing to stick around after the macaroni and cheese debacle.
She met his gaze, her green eyes shining with something like wariness. He understood why she’d be wary, but he wanted to wipe that look from her eyes forever. He wanted her to trust him, to put her trust in him, and to let him take care of her as she deserved to be cared for. For as long as they both lived.
“I wouldn’t mind some of the mac and cheese from Panera,” she finally replied. “Oh, and a bowl of the cheddar broccoli soup, and two baguettes. And an unsweetened iced tea.” She rattled off the rest of her order then turned back to the pot on the stove.
“Right. I’ll go put on a clean shirt then order us some
