got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Monique piped in as she strolled into the kitchen. “Play nice with my brother,” she said, sidling up to Josh and stroking a hand over the flat plane of his stomach.
His face flushed as she leaned up to kiss his cheek, but there was no denying the sparkle o f appreciation shimmering in his dark blue gaze. Taylor snickered harder as Sebastian turned away from them with an exasperated huff and a longsuffering roll of his eyes.
“Give me that,” the blonde said, snatching the spatula from Josh’s hand. “They just got home. The last thing they need is you burning their house down with your attempts to cook.”
Taylor burst into laughter as Josh’s mouth fell open.
“Me?” he choked . “Your brother is the one who was burning breakfast!”
Monique pinned him with a pointed expression. “I find that very hard to believe. You, on the other hand…”
“Seriously?” Josh’s voice raised another octave. “Baas, tell her.”
Sebastian strolled past the pair, mug in hand. “It sounds to me like my poor sister is speaking from experience, Josh. Maybe I should send her a sympathy card the next time I hear you are making dinner.”
“Oh you should .” Monique’s bright green eyes shone with mirth as she nodded. “You definitely should.”
Laughing even harder, Taylor leaned against the island and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her sides throbbed in protest, but it was a good pain.
Despite the first batch of bacon, the rest of the food had turned out perfectly. The lighthearted banter continued while they ate, though Josh dominated most of it with his playful razzing. Content and full, Taylor watched Sebastian polish off the rest of his eggs and down the remainder of his coffee.
Sensing her stare, he glanced up over the rim of his mug. “What would you like to do today?”
Distracted by the clatter of plates and silverware beside her, she looked over to see Monique already starting to clear the table. Muttering a quick apology, Taylor started to stand to help, but Sebastian curled his fingers around her wrist, his touch gentle but halting.
“Sit down and answer me,” he ordered. “My sister wants to help you. Let her.”
“Okay, but she’s not helping. She’s doing everything by herself.”
She paled, seeing his expression harden.
“Easy you two. Just relax, Taylor. I got this,” Josh said, springing to his feet and gathering the rest of the table’s contents in his arms.
“I’m not crippled,” she mumbled.
Sebastian’s intense eyes continued to bore into her like two hard drills. He gave a tense roll of his shoulders before speaking. “No, Taylor. You aren’t,” he agreed. “You seem to move quite well considering how often you keep edging your toes up to the line. Do you need a reminder of what happens when you decide to cross it?”
She lowered her head, twisting her hands under the table. Her stomach started to sink. “No.”
“Good, because I am getting very tired of having this discussion. Next time, I won’t warn you. I will just take you upstairs and we will decide where to go from there. Is that clear?”
Swallowing, Taylor nodded. “Yes, sir.”
She flushed, feeling a somber pall suddenly hang in the air as well as the empathy that rolled off Monique as the blonde stood frozen by the sink. Shame coiled through her. This wasn’t how she’d wanted to start their day, and she certainly didn’t want to feel anymore inadequate in the striking blonde’s presence than she already did. Everything about the woman was so perfect. So beautiful. With her willowy frame, long legs, and a smile that could knock a man dead, Sebastian’s sister was far better suited for some exotic photo shoot than doing menial housework in their kitchen.
Feeling his demeanor grow even more impatient, she grimaced. “I’m sorry,” Taylor mumbled. “I’m just not used to everyone fawning all over me. I don’t mean to come across as
His face flushed as she leaned up to kiss his cheek, but there was no denying the sparkle o f appreciation shimmering in his dark blue gaze. Taylor snickered harder as Sebastian turned away from them with an exasperated huff and a longsuffering roll of his eyes.
“Give me that,” the blonde said, snatching the spatula from Josh’s hand. “They just got home. The last thing they need is you burning their house down with your attempts to cook.”
Taylor burst into laughter as Josh’s mouth fell open.
“Me?” he choked . “Your brother is the one who was burning breakfast!”
Monique pinned him with a pointed expression. “I find that very hard to believe. You, on the other hand…”
“Seriously?” Josh’s voice raised another octave. “Baas, tell her.”
Sebastian strolled past the pair, mug in hand. “It sounds to me like my poor sister is speaking from experience, Josh. Maybe I should send her a sympathy card the next time I hear you are making dinner.”
“Oh you should .” Monique’s bright green eyes shone with mirth as she nodded. “You definitely should.”
Laughing even harder, Taylor leaned against the island and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her sides throbbed in protest, but it was a good pain.
Despite the first batch of bacon, the rest of the food had turned out perfectly. The lighthearted banter continued while they ate, though Josh dominated most of it with his playful razzing. Content and full, Taylor watched Sebastian polish off the rest of his eggs and down the remainder of his coffee.
Sensing her stare, he glanced up over the rim of his mug. “What would you like to do today?”
Distracted by the clatter of plates and silverware beside her, she looked over to see Monique already starting to clear the table. Muttering a quick apology, Taylor started to stand to help, but Sebastian curled his fingers around her wrist, his touch gentle but halting.
“Sit down and answer me,” he ordered. “My sister wants to help you. Let her.”
“Okay, but she’s not helping. She’s doing everything by herself.”
She paled, seeing his expression harden.
“Easy you two. Just relax, Taylor. I got this,” Josh said, springing to his feet and gathering the rest of the table’s contents in his arms.
“I’m not crippled,” she mumbled.
Sebastian’s intense eyes continued to bore into her like two hard drills. He gave a tense roll of his shoulders before speaking. “No, Taylor. You aren’t,” he agreed. “You seem to move quite well considering how often you keep edging your toes up to the line. Do you need a reminder of what happens when you decide to cross it?”
She lowered her head, twisting her hands under the table. Her stomach started to sink. “No.”
“Good, because I am getting very tired of having this discussion. Next time, I won’t warn you. I will just take you upstairs and we will decide where to go from there. Is that clear?”
Swallowing, Taylor nodded. “Yes, sir.”
She flushed, feeling a somber pall suddenly hang in the air as well as the empathy that rolled off Monique as the blonde stood frozen by the sink. Shame coiled through her. This wasn’t how she’d wanted to start their day, and she certainly didn’t want to feel anymore inadequate in the striking blonde’s presence than she already did. Everything about the woman was so perfect. So beautiful. With her willowy frame, long legs, and a smile that could knock a man dead, Sebastian’s sister was far better suited for some exotic photo shoot than doing menial housework in their kitchen.
Feeling his demeanor grow even more impatient, she grimaced. “I’m sorry,” Taylor mumbled. “I’m just not used to everyone fawning all over me. I don’t mean to come across as
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