Chapter 96
Aria’s POV – The Next Morning
“I know I don’t have to.” I dried my hands, positioning myself at the counter. “But watching you butcher the recipes is painful p>
I picked up a samosa wrapper, filled it with the meat mixture, and began folding with practiced ease. Triangle, fold, triangle, fold. “See?” I held it up. “Not a crumpled napkin p>
“Show-off,” Damien muttered, but his eyes were warm.
“Please.” I started another one. “This is basic. You’re just incompetent p>
“Ouch.” But he was smiling.
“Mama’s good at everything!” Noah declared.
“Not everything,” I said quietly, finishing the second samosa. “Just the things I had to learn p>
Damien moved closer, reaching for a wrapper. Our hands brushed, and I jerked back like I’d been burned.
“Don’t,” I said sharply.
“I was just”
“I know what you were doing.” My eyes flashed. “Keep your hands to yourself p>
Noah looked up, confused. “Why are you mad at Daddy p>
“I’m not mad.” But my voice was tight.
“You sound mad,” Noah observed with the brutal honesty of a three-year-old.
“Grown-up stuff,” I said tersely. “Don’t worry baby p>
I focused on the samosas, folding with more force than necessary. Damien hovered nearby, uncertain.
“Can I help?” he asked quietly.
“You can stay on your side of the kitchen p>
“Aria”
“I mean it.” I didn’t look at him. “Last night was” I glanced at Noah. “We’ll talk about it later, when little ears aren’t listening p>
“Fair.” He stepped back. “But we are going to talk about it p>
“Oh, we’re definitely going to talk about it.” My smile was sharp. “You made sure of that p>
He had the grace to look guilty. We worked in tense silence, Noah chattering to fill the void. I made samosas as Damien attempted meat pies under YouTube’s guidance, failing spectacularly.
“Why is the dough so sticky?” He held up his hands, covered in the mixture.
“Because you didn’t flour your surface.” I gestured at the counter. “And you’re using too much water p>
“The video said”
“The video is for people with basic cooking skills.” I rinsed my hands. “Which you clearly lack p>
“I’m learning p>
“You’re making a mess.” But I moved in front of him, reaching back to take his hands. “Here, like this p>
The moment I pressed back against his front, I felt it. His entire body went rigid, breath catching audibly. I guided his hands forward around me to the dough, and I felt the unmistakable evidence of his arousal against my butt.
He was hard. Already. From just this simple contact. Something wicked sparked in me—a need to even the score from last night. To make him suffer the way he’d made me suffer.
“You need to be gentle,” I said, my voice deliberately breathy. I pressed back closer, ostensibly to guide him better. “Fold it, don’t mash it p>
“Gentle.” His voice came out strangled. “Got it p>
I shifted slightly, my butt rubbing against his crotch—innocently as a low groan rumbled in his throat, so quiet only I could hear it.
“The dough needs to be worked slowly,” I continued, moving my hips just slightly as I guided his hands. “With patience. You can’t rush it p>
“Aria” My name came out as a warning.
“What?” I tilted my head, pressing back against him again. “I’m just teaching you. Isn’t that what you wanted p>
His hands stilled in the dough, trembling slightly. “You’re playing with fire p>
“Am I?” I shifted again, feeling him twitch against me. “I thought I was just showing you how to make meat pies p>
“Mama, you’re squishing Daddy again!” Noah giggled.
I jumped forward like I’d been burned, my heart racing. But not before I felt Damien’s sharp intake of breath, the loss of my warmth clearly affecting him.
“Right. Sorry. I was just—teaching.” I couldn’t quite keep the satisfaction out of my voice.
“Teaching.” Damien turned slightly, adjusting his stance carefully, his jaw clenched tight. When his eyes met mine, they were blazing. “Very educational p>
“Well, you needed the help.” I moved back to the sink, washing my hands again. My own body was betraying me—heat pooling low in my belly, my pulse racing. “Your technique was terrible p>
“My technique,” he said slowly, his voice low and rough, “was just fine. Until you decided to demonstrate p>
“I don’t know what you mean.” But I couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
“Liar.” The word was soft, dangerous. “You know exactly what you did p>
“Daddy, why is your face all red?” Noah asked innocently.
“Because Mama’s making me work hard,” Damien said, his eyes never leaving mine. “Very, very hard p>
The double meaning wasn’t lost on me as heat flooded my cheeks.
“Shut up,” I muttered.
“Make me,” he challenged quietly.
I whipped around, ready to snap at him, but Noah was watching with curious eyes. “Daddy’s being silly,” Noah declared.
“Daddy’s being something,” I muttered, returning to my samosas with renewed focus but my hands were shaking slightly.
Two could play this game, I thought. And I’d just proven I could make him suffer just as much as he’d made me suffer last night. The knowledge was intoxicating.
They finished their disasters—only slightly burned—and we sat down to eat. Noah dominated the conversation, talking about his upcoming birthday party, blessedly oblivious to the sexual tension crackling between his parents.
“And I want a dinosaur cake!” He bounced in his seat. “A big T-Rex with teeth p>
“That sounds terrifying.” I cut his meat pie into smaller pieces, grateful for something to focus on besides the way Damien was looking at me. “Are you sure p>
“Very sure.” He nodded seriously. “Tommy’s having a boring car cake so mine will be better p>
“Competitive already.” Damien caught my eye, and the heat there made my breath catch. “Wonder where he gets that p>
“Definitely from you,” I said, but my voice came out softer than intended.
“I was going to say you.” He took a bite of samosa, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’re the one who built an empire out of nothing. Who fights for what she wants, who isn’t afraid to make her opponents… uncomfortable p>
The emphasis on the last word sent a shiver through me.b”I do what’s necessary,” I said quietly.
“I’ve noticed.” His smile was knowing. “Very effectively too p>
“I don’t know what you mean p>
“Don’t you?” He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “I think you know exactly what you do to me, Aria. And I think you enjoyed proving it p>
My cheeks burned. “I was teaching you to cook p>
“Is that what we’re calling it p>
“Yes.” I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. “And now I need to shower. You two clean up this kitchen disaster p>