CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
"Okay," Phoebe said, staring deeply into his eyes. "This may be the most important question I ever ask you."
Last night had been a turning point for them. One that Ash knew he would never fully recover from. He'd made many women cry, and he'd even managed to comfort a couple of them--well, his sisters--when he'd been able to get them within arm's reach. But he'd never felt so completely stripped raw by another person's emotions before. Phoebe had clung to him the entire night, and he'd enjoyed sharing the small, cramped bed with her--even though they hadn't had sex.
Now the sadness was gone from her eyes. In its place was sheer determination and stubbornness. Ash stiffened his back, bracing his arm against the counter. He returned her serious stare and felt drawn into the pools of her dark eyes. "I think I know what you're going to ask me," he said. "It's about time we had this discussion."
Phoebe shook out her long black hair and swiftly plaited it into a long braid. She then walked to the sink where she briskly washed her hands. Grabbing the towel from the stove, she dried her hands before she once again looked directly into his eyes.
Ash puckered his lips and placed his hand on top of hers. "I know this could potentially be a deal breaker. I can practically feel the disappointment already filling the air."
She nodded. "Trust me. I'm well aware." She inhaled deeply and flicked her tongue out to moisten her lips. "All right, Ash." Her nostrils flared as she steadied herself for the difficult conversation.
"Crispy, chewy, or cakey?" she asked.
"Crispy, of course." Ash flinched. He was preparing himself, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to hear her answer.
"Ugh," she grunted, smacking her palm against the counter. "Cakey!"
"Cookies should be crispy." Ash thought she'd lost her usually sensible mind. "If I wanted something chewy, then I'd eat candy. If I wanted something cakey, then I'd eat cake."
Phoebe unwrapped two sticks of butter and tossed them into the mixing bowl. She then added a cup of brown sugar. "If you want a thinner and crispier cookie, then you have to add more butter and sugar."
"And that's enough butter?"
"Nope." She grabbed the electric mixer and hoisted it in the air. "Okay. Now you're gonna beat this until it gets fluffy."
"Are you sure about this? Shouldn't we add the chocolate chips?"
"We add them last." She glanced over her shoulder at the oven. "Did you turn it on?"
"Of course I did." He pushed up the long sleeves of his thermal shirt, then he took the electric mixer from her. "I didn't know I had this."
"You didn't. I had to run out and buy it today." She pointed back towards the stove. "I also bought a blender and electric can opener."
He switched on the mixer, stuck it in the bowl, and turned on the switch. "Electric can openers are for the lazy."
"Then I guess I'm lazy." She snapped her fingers, then pointed at the butter mixture. "Are you paying attention?"
"Yeah. You said that I need to beat this until it's fluffy. It doesn't look fluffy." He tilted the bowl in her direction. "It looks grainy."
Grabbing onto the mixer, she pried it from his hands. "That's good enough for now. Next we'll add the eggs and vanilla." She cocked her head in the direction of two smaller bowls. "Go ahead and pour them into the bowl. You'll mix that for a minute or so, then you'll add the flour and salt."
He followed her directions, adding the eggs and vanilla then the flour and salt. After a few minutes, she handed him the bag of chocolate chips. He grinned boyishly before opening the bag and dumping the contents into the bowl.
"How adventurous do you feel?" she asked, standing beside him and watching his progress. When she seemed displeased with his mixing skills, she removed the spatula from his hands and began to fold the dough. "I have some coconut and walnuts we can add."
He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "I'd like this first batch to be uncomplicated."
"First batch, huh?"
He snorted and tossed his head. "You realize you've just created a cookie-making monster, right?"
As she laughed, she smacked the spatula against the rim of the bowl. "Tomorrow I'll show you how to make meatloaf."
"Pass."
"What's wrong with meatloaf?" She held the spatula in one hand as she removed a bit of dough with her finger. She was about to pop that finger into her mouth when she changed course and held her finger out to him. "Try it."
"Are your hands clean?"
She pulled her hand away. Glaring at him from the corner of her eye, she stuck the dough into her mouth. "Now they aren't."
"That is gross. Unsanitary." With a thrust of his hip, he bumped her and sent her stumbling a few steps. "Please don't touch my cookies."
"Half of those cookies are mine."
"Like hell." He snatched the bowl from the counter and held it tightly against his chest. "You said you'd show me how to make my own cookies. You said nothing about us sharing them."
She made to grab the bowl from him, but he bolted around the kitchen island, protecting his precious bundle. "This is not open for negotiation, Phoebe."
"Don't you be greedy, Ashley Cooper."
Phoebe tried to reach for the bowl, but he held it high above his head. "I'm greedy. Very greedy."
"Seriously. Give me the bowl."
His response was to cover her face with his palm. "Thanks, Phoebe, I got it from here."
She stood still with his hand pressed against her face. He could feel her laughter reverberating through his hand. He felt like the funniest man in the world. Then, to his surprise, she stuck her tongue out and licked his palm.
"You have officially crossed the line, madam." He dropped the bowl onto the counter, walked to the sink, and scrubbed his hands clean.
She hovered near the kitchen island with a pleased smile on her face. "You only have yourself to blame." She pulled the cookie sheet in front of her, then removed a tablespoon from the utensil drawer.
"Big or small?" she asked.
His back was turned towards her as he dried his hands. He peered over his shoulder and saw that she was scooping dough into the spoon. "I like them big, just like my willy."
"You have a seriously overinflated opinion of yourself."
He rushed against her, pressing his overinflated self against her back. "A lesser man would be offended by such nonsense."
Phoebe sighed, lifted the cookie sheet from the counter, and opened the oven door. She shoved the sheet inside, then set the alarm. "Are you like this with all your women?"
He shook his head. "No. Just my wife."
"How unfortunate."
"Ain't it."
Happiness radiated from her, making him feel like he'd conquered the impossible. The solemnness that usually lurked around her had been banished, perhaps not forever, but hopefully for the rest of the night. While his cookies baked in the oven, he approached his wife and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer.
"I have an idea," he murmured, liking the feel of her tucked against him. "I'll trade you a cookie for a kiss."
Tilting her head, she revealed a crooked smile. "I thought you said this wasn't open to negotiation."
"I was playing hard to get."
She grinned. "Heaven forbid I get the impression that your affections can be acquired so easily."
Ash smiled when she flicked her finger against the small indentation in his chin. When she leaned forward and pressed her body against his, he felt the tiny pebbles of her erect nipples. Her lush mouth looked dewy, and he felt lightheaded, as if every ounce of air had been sucked from his body.
It began with a soft caress. Her lips skimmed his mouth for the briefest moment. Before he could object, she drew his bottom lip between her pretty white teeth, then pressed her lips fully against his.
He moved to deepen the kiss. But her hands fell away from his shoulders, and he felt the loss of her lips. He thought she was teasing him, but then she pulled out of his arms and yanked open the oven door.
Now that his senses were freed from her allure, his nostrils filled with the scent of burnt cookies. He moaned with disappointment when she tossed the sheet onto the stove. All the cookies were burnt.
Phoebe grabbed a spatula and shoved it beneath a cookie. She then twisted and held the cookie beneath his nose. A teasing smile hovered on her mouth.
"You said you like them crispy." She winked at him. "Are these crispy enough?"