This Game Called Life (Kingdom Book 4)

“Sure, come on.”


Jake followed her as she walked towards another door leading from the main room. The kitchen surprised him. The room looked as though it belonged to a professional chef. Pots and pans hung from a central rack with other serious looking gadgets that he couldn’t begin to name.

“What can I say, I like to cook!”

“I can see that. I’ll impatiently await an invitation to dinner.”

“I don’t like you enough to cook for you. Coffee, no problem, a meal is something completely different.”

Jake laughed at her rudeness even as MacKenzie rolled her eyes at him. “I was wondering where the real MacKenzie had gone. All that easy capitulation to my requests was way out of character.”

“The only reason you’re getting coffee is because you paid for dinner, and drove me home. So don’t read anything else into it.”

Jake made a pretense of considering her words. He knew she wasn’t going to lower her guard easily. Therefore, he was going to have to help her along, starting now.

“Understood,” moving to a stool by the counter, he shrugged out of his jacket and placed it on the back of his seat. Then he loosened and removed his tie. Removing his cuff-links, Jake rolled up his sleeves, as he watched her every move. He knew she was aware of him; he just didn’t know how much, and he wondered how long it would take her to look at him.

She lasted for as long as it took her to gather the accoutrements to brew the coffee. With that task complete, her reason for ignoring him was gone. Jake remained quiet, waiting to see what she would do next.

Spinning around, MacKenzie gave him a dirty look, and Jake grinned. Good, he thought, here was the reaction he had been waiting for.

“I hate it when you watch me like that.”

“How do I watch you, MacKenzie?”

“Like... I don’t know! All I know is I don’t like it, so stop it!”

“How am I supposed to stop doing whatever it is you don’t like if you can’t even explain it to me?”

“Don’t try to mess with me, Jacob!”

“Oh, I want to more than mess with you, MacKenzie; so I dare you to tell me how I watch you.” Aware that he had just moved the goal posts, Jake held her gaze without waver. With an inner smile, he realized he was enjoying pushing her buttons. Where MacKenzie was concerned, he could get two reactions; she could cuss him out, or she could be blatantly honest. He knew which he would rather, but only time would tell.

“You look as though you want a big bite of chocolate.”

Momentarily stunned at her words, Jake decided to play along. “You’re right, and I have a very sweet tooth.”

“That kiss was a one-time thing. It’s not going to happen again... ever!”

“Whatever you say,” Jake agreed, his gaze unwavering.

“I mean it, Jake!”

“I already acknowledged your statement, MacKenzie.” Jake saw a fleeting look of skepticism pass across her face but said no more.

“Well good, very good. How do you take your coffee?”

“Black with two full spoons of sugar,” his reply earned him another dirty look, and again Jake withheld his laughter. He knew she probably thought he was making another innuendo, but, in fact, that was exactly how he liked his coffee.

Taking the cup she offered him, Jake took the opportunity to ensure his hand brushed against hers. Her reaction at the contact only lasted a moment, but it was enough to give him all the answers he needed.





Chapter 10

With his cup in hand, Jake followed MacKenzie back into the living room and took a seat in the middle of the sofa. MacKenzie chose to sit as far away from him as possible wedged up in a corner. Sitting with her feet tucked away from him, she took a sip of her coffee.

“Am I forgiven?” Jake asked, breaking into the silence.

“As far as I’m concerned most of our encounters end up with you being rude to me, and while I’m at it, I’m going to add infuriating. Therefore, you’re going to have to be much more specific as to what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, it does seem that way, doesn’t it. Specifically, am I forgiven for my comment the first time we met?”

“Don’t even go there, Jacob!”

“Show them to me.”

“What...” MacKenzie sputtered to a stop. “No!”

“Come on, you know I’ve already seen them so you might as well just get it over and done with,” he coaxed.

“I said, no!”

“Okay, I respect your wish. But please accept my deepest apology for thinking that those boots you had by the doorway were big enough to fit me.” Jake said using an earnest tone.

By the way she looked at him, he could tell she didn’t know if she should believe his sincerity. “The size of your feet is nothing to be embarrassed about, believe me, I know, I too have big feet.”

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