Page 76 of The Jaded Notes

Breakfast should feel mundane, but there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.

Iend the call and start down the hall toward her. Livianna’s standing in the middle of my kitchen, draped in my shirt like it belongs to her.

A crisp blue cotton button-down hanging from her tiny frame hides the marks I left on her, and it’s enough to get my heart racing...again. The sight of her is enough to awaken every possessive instinct I own.

Her eyes drag up my body, slow and assessing, like she’s weighing whether she wants to keep looking at me or bolt.

“That was a long conversation.” She shrugs and hooks me with that unblinking stare. There’s curiosity in it. Suspicion too.

“You seem to have found your way around well withoutme.” I offer a suggestive smile and cross the space between us, unhurried, every stride intentional.

Her attention doesn’t waver and neither does mine. The air tightens between us. Her in my button-down, moving through my kitchen like she’s planning something far more dangerous than breakfast.

“Coffee?” I point toward the pot. “Or we can have espresso. Your choice.”

“Whatever you prefer is fine with me.” Her grin sharpens. It’s the kind that hides a dare. She pivots toward the pantry, bare legs whispering against each other with each step. “But I’m taking care of breakfast.”

What is she up to?

My brow lifts, but my eyes stay locked on her. “Is that so?”

She opens the pantry door and disappears inside. “Are you going to tell me who was important enough to interrupt us this morning?”

She’s fishing, waiting to see if I’ll take the bait.

“I was talking with a friend, Livianna.” I let the words hang there, casual enough to pass, definitive enough to remind her not every door in my life is open to her.

“You keep your contacts close enough to cut into your Sunday?” She peeks out at me.

I step closer until she has to tip her head back to keep my gaze.

“Some things aren’t up for discussion.” I hold her stare. “You’ll learn which ones.”

“That’s fine, Jax. I wasn’t trying to pry.” She inches back. “I was merely thinking it must have been someone important since you stopped everything to take the call. Considering what we were about to do, I just thought…”

Her dad’s words whisper in my ear.“Livianna doesn’t give up when she wants something, so be careful when dealing with her.”

Sure, he was talking about me mentoring her, but I knowthis wicked little firecracker. And she’s digging for information. She’s not going to get it.

I give Livianna a little more to keep the peace. “The person I was talking to is someone I’ve known for a long time. So yes, it was important.”

There’s a moment of tension between us so thick it’s almost impenetrable. Both of us are holding our ground.

Typically, this kind of behavior would have me rethinking whether I should be involved with a woman. I don’t tolerate partners who challenge me like this, but I knew Livianna would be different. She’s always known how to get under my skin.

That’s why I have such a strong desire to defuse her. I need to regain my sense of control when I’m around her, but so far I’m failing miserably.

She breaks the silence and nods. “Okay then. It’s settled, so we can end the discussion. Besides, we still have plenty of time to finish what we started in the bedroom after I cook you an amazing meal.”

“I like the sound of that.” I glance at the shelves, thankful she didn’t push me too far. “What ingredients do you need and I’ll help you find them?”

“I can handle finding everything.” She steps deeper into the space, scanning the area like she owns the place. “You can just stand there looking handsome.”

My jaw ticks. She’s trying to get a reaction and I’m fighting the urge to give her exactly what she wants.

“You’re bold this morning.”

“Am I?” She emerges with a box of pancake mix and a bag of chocolate chips.