“Of course.” He parked the mower and followed me inside, wiping his neck with the towel. His body glistened in the early morning sun. Unfortunately, he pulled the t-shirt hanging from his back pocket on instead of staying shirtless. It had been on the tip of my tongue to tell him I didn’t mind. My gaze roamed his body like a hungry wolf. So much temptation in such a large package.

I held open the door for him.

He stepped in, his nostrils flaring before alarm filled his eyes.

My head whipped around. Smoke wafted from the kitchen. “Shit.” I rushed in and dumped the charred and smoking pancake into the sink, cranking on the water. Even more smoke billowed from the metal basin. I shoved at the window, cracking it open.

I grabbed a towel and swung it around overhead to keep the smoke away from the detector on the ceiling.

Dare rushed past me. “I’ll take care of the other pancakes.”

More smoke billowed from the pans. He turned off the flames and dumped the rest of the burnt pancake remnants into the sink. Coughing, I kept up my fanning.

He ran them under the running water, so they didn’t become charred messes.

My eyes watered, prickling from the burnt butter and batter-turned-smoke-bomb.

Fresh air flowed into the room. Now the smell wasn’t solely charred breakfast fumes, but also freshly-cut grass. He’d opened two other windows and the front door, leaving the screen closed.

“Thanks.”

“It’s the least I could do after you made these for me.”

“What? No, I didn’t. I’d made them already.”

He got even closer. He smelled like grass and sweat. I’d never thought it would appeal to me, but I wanted to grab him and pull him against me.

Our bodies brushed against one another with each breath. “When are you going to learn, I’m always watching you, Bay?” He stared into my eyes with a fire that required at least three towns worth of fire departments to put out.

I locked my knees, trying to keep myself upright. If I fell to the floor, I wouldn’t be as close as possible to his lips. The ones getting closer at an excruciatingly painful pace.

I sucked in a shuddering breath and stared into his eyes. “You are?”

He nodded like it was a solemn admission. “I saw you grab the vanilla and the chocolate chips. The little dance you did when you flipped each pancake.” His finger skimmed down my arm.

Goosebumps accompanied the pounding of my heart. I swallowed like I’d never done it before. “I thought you might be hungry.” My voice was breathy.

“I’m always hungry.” His lips crashed down onto mine. Both of his hands wrapped around my arms, anchoring me to him.

Everything froze before roaring forward like a speeding train. I fisted his sweaty damp shirt in my hands, pulling him closer although we were interlocked.

The backs of my legs, banged against the table toppling the cups and banging it against the wall.