Cook Brothers: The Whole Flipping Family Read online

  “Yeah. That sounds like a good idea to me. As your professor, I insist we do that instead.”

  I giggle and shake my head, watching him smirk. “Somehow, I don’t think that’ll help.”

  “You never know,” he says with a wink. “I didn’t say the portraits couldn’t be action shots. Especially if you’re the subject and I’m taking them of you mid-orgasm.”

  Someone clears their throat, breaking the moment. Jax and I turn our heads and meet the disapproving eyes of an elderly couple looking truly scandalized.

  “I’m so sorry for my friend here. He seems to be under the impression coffee shops are the ideal places to proposition students,” I tell them, trying to hold back a laugh when they both glare at Jax. One look at my professor and I find his eyes wide before narrowing when he meets mine.

  “Actually,” he says to them, “my student just offered me sexual favors for a good mark. As an upstanding member of the teaching fraternity, I couldn’t possibly consider her request.”

  They gasp again, their heads turning between us like they’re watching a tennis volley.

  “Kids these days,” the woman mutters before they both stand and leave the coffee shop.

  “That wasn’t very nice of you,” Jax says they’re gone.

  “And saying I’m swapping sex for grades was?” My lips twitch, as he at least has the decency to look guilty—only for a second though. “So, should we actually talk about the assignment now?”

  He nods, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a piece of paper. He hands it over the table to me, his fingers brushing mine as I take it from him. My eyes snap to his when he doesn’t let it go straight away.

  “I won’t swap sex for an A, but I’m open to sampling the goods,” he murmurs.

  I tug the assignment brief from his hold. “Don’t you remember, I’ve sampled already, and it will forever be associated with the most embarrassing moment of my adult life. Your mom thinks I was getting myself off while everyone was downstairs.”

  “Well… not everyone.”

  He reaches out and grabs my hand again, tangling his fingers with mine, sending jolts of lust straight to my core. “One day I’ll erase that memory for you and show you exactly what I was about to do before I was rudely shoved off the bed and onto the floor.”

  “Oh, really?” I scoff. “How about I keep that as spank-bank fodder for later, and before you make me squirm any more in my seat, we talk about the assignment.”

  “You’re no fun,” he grumbles half-heartedly as I chuckle at his pouting lip.

  “We both know that’s not true, but I’ll make sure to prove to myself later tonight just how much fun I really can be.”

  His head drops down, and a pained groan escapes his lips. “Barbie is a cock tease.”

  “And Ken has no fucking idea yet, but he will,” I say with a beaming smile.

  An hour and another coffee later, I’ve got a better idea of what Jax expects for this assignment, and a few concepts to work with. Having paid the check, Jax stands and rounds the table to pull out my chair, before sliding his hand to rest on the small of my back and leading me toward the front door. Walking in at the same time we’re walking out is one of the girls I recognize from class. I freeze, my body tensing up. Jax is seemingly oblivious, his hand pressing against my shirt.

  The student looks from me to Jax then back to me again. She scans me up and down with what looks like a bitter taste in her mouth before turning to Jax. I step sideways and out of his reach.

  “Bar—”

  “Professor Cook, I didn’t expect to see you here,” she says, moving in front of him.

  Jax, being Jax, appears unaffected by this turn of events. “Ah, Chelsea, is it? Did you decide to go off-campus too?”

  Chelsea’s head jerks back. “My partner and I have finished our meeting already. I was just coming here to grab a brownie. I’ve been told it’s the best for miles.”

  “Good to know,” he replies with a half-grin. “Veronica is without a partner for this assignment so I’ve offered my services.”

  “Oh,” she says, her eyes widening. “I didn’t know that was a possibility. If I had, I might’ve volunteered to work alone.”

  Oh, hell no, bitch. I bite my lip to control the green monster sparking to life inside of me.

  Jax laughs. “Maybe next time, Chelsea. We were just leaving so I’ll see you in class next week?”

  Chelsea steps aside, giving us room to pass by. “Absolutely. Have a good day.”

  Jax nods and again rests his hand on the small of my back to usher me outside.

  My body is still tense as we begin the walk back to campus.

  “Does this class as a date?” he asks, turning toward me. “And if so, how many dates does it take for me to see you naked again? Preferably horizontal and underneath me.” His voice is laced with sex, and a weaker woman would fold there and then and beg him to take her, anywhere and everywhere.

  Thankfully, I’ve never been described as weak or meek, for that matter. My mother would call me stubborn. My father would say strong-willed. Gilly would describe me as brave, whereas I just like to think of myself as a woman who knows what she wants and will no longer settle for anything less. I want a man to make an effort for me. Someone who won’t shy away at the challenge of making me theirs.

  Jax may have followed me upstairs at the engagement party, but he didn’t require any further instruction whatsoever after he walked into that room. He definitely hasn’t let the complication of me being his student assuage his interest in me. So, either I have a magic vagina and he’s pussy whipped, or he’s going to prove what I saw that first day I met him. He loves the challenge and he likes to come out on top. Although that’s a position I like as well, so we may have to compromise.

  “What are you thinking, Barbie?” he asks, putting his hand on my arm and moving us out of the middle of the sidewalk and into the entrance of a narrow alley between buildings.

  “I’m wondering if this clueless act is all a ruse and you actually know what you’re doing after all.”

  “Why’s that?” he asks, his eyes showing a glint of amusement. He totally knows what he’s doing.

  “Because you may have kept your distance before last weekend, but now… you’re actively working on driving me crazy.”

  “In a good way?” he says, his lips twitching.

  “In a ‘we should stick to crowded places or else I’m never going to be able to keep my hands to myself’ kind of way.”

  He leans closer. “And that’s a problem?”

  “Lewd acts in a public place won’t look good on my record.”

  He drops his head, his shoulders shaking with his quiet laughter. Unfortunately, it also brings him just that little bit closer, and I catch the scent of his woody cologne.

  “But maybe getting together near campus isn’t a good idea either. That Chelsea isn’t dumb. I doubt she bought your excuse about us meeting just for the assignment.”

  His expression turns serious. “We’re covered in that regard, beautiful. There’s nothing anyone can do to us.”

  “Nothing official. It doesn’t mean they can’t ruffle some feathers and poke some bears,” I say.

  He lifts his chin, his amber eyes capturing me as they bore into mine. “I’ll make you a promise,” he says. “In all meetings relating to school, we’ll make sure we’re around people.” He steps in so we’re almost touching. “In all matters relating to us and me winning you over…” he looks down between us, his perusing gaze like scorching flames licking first down, then back up my body, “. . . all bets are off. Hold on to your panties, Barbie. Ken’s got his eyes on the prize.”

  He meets my eyes, and the look of absolute determination in them makes my breath catch.

  “I’m not about to drop the ball now when everything I want is finally within reach. But I will say that while we are taking things slow, it doesn’t mean I’m not gonna enjoy driving you crazy by telling you all the things we’re
going to do once we get there.” With a dazzling smile that has me near-on dripping with need, he lifts his chin and steps back, turning around and walking away.

  My eyes drop to his mighty fine ass and I watch him go, letting out a long, slow breath as my lips curve up.

  Yes, I definitely think I’ve met my match with Jax, and I can’t wait to see what his next move will be.

  I also can’t wait to see what he’s going to do to win the chase because he’s halfway there already.

  10

  Ronnie

  Jax—What are you doing on Saturday night?

  Ronnie—Washing my hair?

  Jax—Can you do that after I cook you dinner?

  Ronnie—You can cook?

  Jax—Have you met my mother? There was no way she was going to raise four sons and a daughter without all of us being able to cook, clean, and look after ourselves.

  Ronnie—Doesn’t Cohen live at home?

  Jax—Co left home then returned. He’s a work in progress.

  Ronnie—I’ll reserve my decision on whether to accept your kind invitation or not based on whether your version of cooking is hot dogs or fine dining.

  Jax—Don’t knock hot dogs. They can be very delicious when done right.

  Ronnie—Important and vital question: hot dogs with or without ketchup?

  Jax—What are you, an animal? No ketchup can go anywhere near a Chicago hot dog. That’s sacrilege and warrants immediate eviction from the city limits.

  Ronnie—So does that mean you’re NOT cooking me hot dogs?

  Jax—I’m cooking dinner, not a seventh-inning snack… unless eating you as a snack is on the table?

  Ronnie—Does my Dream House still have a table for me to put my snack on?

  Jax—And now I need a cold shower. A man can only take so much. Saturday, 7 p.m. Come prepared to eat.

  Ronnie—Oh, I’m always ready for that; it’s you who took THAT off the table.

  Jax—I’m trying to be well-behaved here.

  Ronnie—I know. And it’s so much fun. Just don’t have too much of it without me. I prefer being an active participant.

  Seven o’clock Saturday night, I’m once again on the doorstep of the glorious pink lady. She’s starting to be stripped bare though, which is both sad and exciting. The idea of such a majestic queen reclaiming her former glory is appealing just as much as the idea of her being made over to continue her reign for years to come. I’m excited to see her transformation.

  When the door swings open, Jax fills the void with his matching beauty. I’ve dated extensively in the past: a lot of suitable future husbands in my parents’ eyes and a few antichrists dressed up in Tom Ford, but also some ruggedly handsome men who I’ve been genuinely attracted to. None of them hold a torch to the palpable chemistry I’ve found with the man standing in front of me. It’s part of the reason I wanted him to work to get me.

  He gives me butterflies at the mere thought of seeing him. A message with his name on my phone makes my heart skip a beat, and his touch sets my body on fire until I’m sure I’ll explode.

  But it’s not purely physical, which makes it all the more special to me. He cares about me, about school and relationships and future dynamics. I haven’t had to set any rules because he thought ahead and made sure that nothing could happen between us that will hurt me or what I’m working towards. April told me he had already asked her about my former career, the one I walked away from, and she explained exactly what she said and in what detail. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that he hasn’t broached the subject as yet, as if he knows it’s something that should be brought up by me.

  He’s giving me a level of control over this thing between us that I have not felt in my past, and the freedom that he is gifting me is as attractive as that gorgeous smile he’s sending my way.

  “Are you just going to stand there and ogle me like you did in class? Or are you going to grace me with your presence in the kitchen?” he says, holding his hand out with a smirk.

  I lace my fingers with his and step inside when he gives me room and shuts the door behind us. “You mean there is still a kitchen to cook in?”

  “Only a stove. And I may have called by mom and dad’s house this afternoon to borrow some dishes and utensils.”

  “Aren’t we a good boy scout.”

  “Well I couldn’t exactly set up a fire and cook fine dining for you in the living room. That would make Jamie’s head explode.”

  “And dating his fiancée’s best friend hasn’t already?”

  “Ah… I haven’t exactly brought it up, and neither has he, so I’m guessing April hasn’t told him.”

  “You don’t think telling him yourself would be better?” I ask, surprised at this revelation.

  We reach the end of the hallway—which looks more like a building site than it did on my last visit—and enter the kitchen. This room is not as broken down as I had expected. There’s still a countertop and cabinets, minus their doors. The freestanding stove has two saucepans on top, one big and one not so big but deep, and the smell that hits me is divine.

  “You weren’t lying about being able to cook.”

  He releases my hand and moves to the counter. He lifts a wooden spoon in one hand while taking the lid off one of the pots. “Nope. It relaxes me. It helps quiet the mind.”

  I cross the room, standing to the side and peeking over his shoulder. “So tell me, what gastronomic creation do I get to try tonight?”

  “Spaghetti bolognese a la Jax.”

  “I seem to recall liking the taste of Jax,” I quip, nuzzling his shoulder through his tee and giggling when he groans in amused frustration.

  He looks down, his eyes filled with heat—and it’s not from the stovetop. “You’re killing the gentleman in me.”

  I rest a splayed hand on his abs, lifting up on my toes, bringing my mouth to his ear. “A gentleman in the street and a freak in the sheets is my favorite kind of Jax.” I brush my lips against the hinge of his jaw before ending his misery and stepping back, putting some much-needed distance between us. “Do you need help with anything?”

  “Nope. I just needed to stir the sauce then let it simmer for a little longer,” he says, replacing the lid and putting the spoon down on top of a folded kitchen towel. “Now, let’s go get comfortable.”

  “Yes,” I cheer, making a show out of doing a fist pump.

  Jax chuckles, shaking his head at me, his eyes shining with amusement. “I hope you’re not too disappointed with my cooking.”

  “I’m not sure anything you do could ever leave me wanting,” I reply suggestively.

  “You’re killing me, Barbie.”

  “The feeling’s mutual,” I hum as he sweeps his arm out, ushering me through the door leading toward the living room.

  Stepping inside, I stop dead in my tracks, and it’s not just because of the numerous candles lining the room, their light flickering against the bare walls. There’s also a plush, grey blanket spread out on the floor in the middle of the big space. Sitting beside it are two large wine glasses and a bottle of white.

  A pair of strong arms circle my waist as Jax stops behind me. His warmth cloaks my back when he moves in close and rests his chin on my shoulder.

  We stand there for a while, comfortable silence stretching between us.

  “What are you thinking?” he asks, his breath warm against my skin.

  “I’m thinking I’ve grossly underestimated you.”

  He chuckles and presses a kiss to my neck. “I guess you like it then?”

  “I think I’m losing the battle to resist the chase.”

  “Don’t resist,” he murmurs, soft and rough. “Just go with the flow. I meant it when I said I want to build this. It’s not just about sex and physical attraction. It’s more.” Jax’s tone is stronger now, and his emphasis on the word ‘more’ sparks those butterflies of mine to life.

  “I like that,” I say, turning my head.

  He smiles against my lips. “Good. Bec
ause there’s so much more where that came from.”

  We’re so close now I can barely think straight, especially with his heat at my back, his lips on my neck, peppering barely there pecks.

  “Does more include sex?” I rasp. “Because I’m all onboard for the sex.”

  He chuckles as he straightens, putting his hand on my shoulder and turning me around. Then his mouth crashes down on mine and he kisses me long and deep—just how I like it. He eases his lips off mine, and I unashamedly chase them, not wanting to stop.

  His amused gaze drops to my pout. “All in good time, Barbie. I’m enjoying the challenge of the chase.”

  Pulling back, I tilt my head. “Is it really a challenge if you’ve already had me?”

  He dips down so he’s all I can see, his eyes a darker, deeper brown now. “I’m not going to stop until I know you’re not going anywhere. When I know there’s nowhere else you ever want to be.”

  I stop breathing. That’s the only explanation. Because five long seconds later, my eyes roll back and I lose my legs from under me.

  “Shit,” Jax curses before I sag against him and everything goes black.

  “Ronnie… Ronnie… dammit… Co? Yeah, Ronnie just fainted. It’s been two minutes and she’s still out.”

  I’m not… well, not really. My limbs feel heavy but warm. Jax’s heartbeat thrums against my side.

  I slowly open my eyes to find my head resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped tightly around my back, his hand on my hip, and his deep voice rumbling in his throat. “Wait. I think she’s waking up,” he says, obviously on the phone to his EMT brother, Cohen. I try to move into a sitting position but a wave of dizziness hits me. Great, a dash of vertigo. Just what I need. “Yeah, I’ll call you back if I need you… or I could take her to the ER. I know. Thanks, brother. Talk soon. Bye,” he says, ending the call.

  His hand comes to cup my face as he shifts sideways on the couch where I now realize we’re both sitting.

  “Hi,” I whisper.

  He smiles, and I feel like I could move mountains and scale tall buildings—light-headed or not—as long as he keeps looking at me the way he is right now. I snuggle in closer and shift so my head is nestled in the crook of his neck. When I sigh in complete contentment, he chuckles and rubs his hand up and down my back.