Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck

Author:Jennifer Wilck
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-05-28T20:11:33+00:00

* * *

A tic-tac-toe board? Sarah shook her head. Xs and Os she could handle. Three in a row—no problem. But add in the axe part, and she was toast. The instructor correlated certain squares with certain areas of the target. By looking at the board, you determined where you needed your axe to land. All you had to do was throw for that spot. Easy peasy.

Except it wasn’t. Not in the slightest. She could throw the axe. She could hit the target three out of four times. But hit a specific area of the target on purpose and win at tic-tac-toe?

This was their fourth game and Aaron had won the previous three with ease. He was on track to win this one, too. She sighed.

“Hey, don’t worry.” He removed his axe from the target and returned to the ready position. “This is your first time. You’re doing great.”

“You’re saying that because the loser has to buy the winner dinner.”

He turned his broad grin on her, and she retreated a step. His smiles were blinding, especially when they were directed at her.

“There is that.”

She aimed and threw the axe. It bounced and landed on the ground. “You know, for someone who works with food every day, you’d think going out to eat wouldn’t be exciting.”

“It isn’t.”

She frowned. “Why did you make the bet?”

“You weren’t listening.” He shook his head.

“Of course I was.”

The muscles in his forearms rippled as he placed the axe on the stump before turning to her. “What did I say?”

She swallowed. “You said loser buys winner dinner.”

“Pitiful.”

“You’re the one who suggested betting on tic-tac-toe.”

He stepped closer, and she resisted the urge to step away. “I said the loser provides dinner. Big difference.” He took another step toward her, reminding her of a tiger stalking its prey.

“It’s the same thing.”

He laughed. The rumble of his voice traveled along her spine. “No, it’s very different.”

“How so?”

One last step and he stood toe-to-toe with her. His breath was minty. His body heat wrapped around her like a warm blanket. His blue irises glowed, specks of darker and lighter blue winking like light shining on a diamond. “Winner gets to choose.”

“Choose...?”

He glanced at the tic-tac-toe board. “I won. I choose a meal...that you cook.”

His words doused the heat consuming her. “You want me to cook for you?”

“I do.” He puffed out his chest and smiled at her.

“I don’t cook.”

“Right. Everyone cooks, Sarah, even if it’s not a gourmet meal. Pasta, eggs—”

“No, seriously, I don’t cook.”

He retreated a step and finally, she could breathe.

“How do you eat if you don’t cook?” He quirked a brow.

“Takeout, business dinners, Matthew...”

Aaron circled her, his eyes roving over her slight frame. “I guess it’s why you stay thin. He must not take you to good restaurants.”

When Matthew mentioned how thin she was, he meant it as a compliment. Coming from Aaron, however, it was definitely not a compliment.

Resentment built inside of her. “I’m sorry if I think it’s important to watch how I look.”

He held up his hands in surrender.

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