Chapter 33

Aquila shook his head. "No, it's not. I know. April told me about your father." Show me the struggle of the free market. ' His heart ached in doing so, apparently to ease all the pain she had caused. She glanced at his finger and then at his face. "Thank you," she said. She walked around him and towards a giant mixer in the corner of the room. Hope flared up in her chest. This indicated that he might be able to correct a mistake she had cherished. He can make amends for what happened to her, and he might be able to convince her. If he could, he would give up all the money she had to stay with her. It meant nothing. But then his stomach turned. Never before had he felt so vague. There were many people who depended on his company. Not to mention Rose 's Foundation. It was inevitable for him. However he wants it. When Atiya turned and smiled at him, he became sad as he watched the pain running down his gentle nose. She had just weighed it and poured it into the bowl in front of her. He gritted her teeth. He had to brace himself. She was not his, and on her terms she never was. She looked at him "It's a prescription. First you have to whip the sugar."

He glanced at his notecard, then turned to her. "cream?"

She smiled. "Mix the sugar and butter together."

He nodded, picked up her ingredients, and headed for the mixer. He was amazed at how relaxed Atiya was while measuring and mixing. He found her in her element. The dough was ready in no time. She wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. "Now we are waiting for the situation to calm down."

With a nod, he stepped over to two bar stools and leaned on one. "What are you doing?" she asked, walking past the counter to the stove. "Did you think I should wait?" he said, getting up and forking over to her. "Yes, but you wanted hot chocolate. In my world, you work for what you want." Her expression softened. I'm sure you've worked really hard to get to where you are today. "

Aquila gave her a small smile. He tried to ignore how her words entered his mind. She had been hurt before, that was all. It wasn't him. And the past was something he could handle. He reached out and put his thumb over her nose. She stood still and stared at him. Her cheeks flushed, revealing the freckles that covered her skin. He traced her finger from her nose to her cheek. "Aquila , me. . "

He dropped his hand. He couldn't hear the words again. "She's got flour on her nose," she said, turning to the pan on the stove. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her rubbing her nose several times and wiping her hands on her apron. "Thank you," she whispered as she walked next to him. "So, homemade hot chocolate. What should I do?" he asked, trying to ignore how good she felt having her around. In his heart, he admired the inventor of the stove. It was great to keep the burners so close together. She leaned forward and grabbed another pot. "While you're making it, I'll make it too. I'll show you how." She put a large pot of soup on the stove and poured a pint of her whole milk. "I keep the milk warm so it doesn't curdle when I pour it over the chocolate."

Aquila nodded. Makes sense. "Now let's open the chocolate chips." She grabbed the bag and yanked it open. After throwing half of it into the pot, she handed it to him. His finger touched hers. The touch of her skin sent an electric current through his arm. He gulped down and poured the chips into the pan in front of him. Atiya leaned forward and switched on the burner. She touched his shoulder. The sensation made him tense, but he exhaled slowly. He had to brace himself. He was within seconds of pulling her off the stove and embracing her in his arms. Luckily he managed and soon they were standing side by side stirring the chocolate. He watched the chips begin to liquefy.

"I want to make sure there are scratches on the floor or the chips will burn."

He looked at her "Like this?" he asked, pressing the spatula against the sides of the pot. She flinched. "Yeah, but not so violently." She reached out and wrapped her fingers around his hand. His heart beat quickly. She smelled so good and she felt so good lying next to him. "I want it to melt evenly," she whispered. He turned and looked down at her. She concentrated on her crossed hands as she moved the spatula around her pot. "Atiya ," he said. The strength of his voice matched the heat welling up inside him. She turned her gaze up. His heart trembled when she met him. She needed to tell him that she felt something in her eyes too. "Aquila ," she whispered. She bit her lower lip as she looked down into his mouth. He let go of the spatula and wrapped his arms around her. He put her hand on her back and pulled her towards him. She put her palm on his chest. "Can I kiss you?" he asked. She was so estranged from her past that he didn't want to force her to do something she didn't want to do. As she stood on her tiptoes, her gaze met his. Her lips were a few millimeters away from his. That was the signal he was looking for. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. They were warm and inviting. Her guttural moan echoed deep in her throat as he wrapped his other arm around her and deepened his kiss. Her body felt close to his. He moved her until she was pushed against the counter next to the stove. Her hand ran down his chest, where she ran her fingers through his hair. He couldn't deny that everything about Atiya Bailey made him complete. She was just what he was looking for. Deep down in her heart, he hoped she felt the same way. As if afraid to hurt her, he pulled away from her and she moaned in protest. "Aquila ," she whispered, enjoying the feel of his name on her lips. Her beautiful pink lips. "Are you all right?" he asked, looking into her eyes. When she lifted her eyes to see him, her eyes were heavy. She held it for a while, then wrapped her fingers around his hair and pulled him closer. "Don't ask me that, just kiss me."