Page 69 of His Turn

“Good,” I say. “That’s better. Now eat your breakfast and make small talk with me.”

“Why should I?”

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” I say.

“You never told me anything, Elias.”

Elias. Bric. Bricman. Who does she think I am? “I did tell you. You need limits and I’m here to provide those limits. That’s why you should stay. You need my limits, Nadia. Very badly. So sit the fuck down and eat your fucking breakfast.”

She sits.

I’m stunned. But I hold it in because this is way too much fun to laugh and risk pissing her off just yet.

“It’s cold,” she says, looking down at her plate.

“Hmm. I guess it is. Let me make a new breakfast then. Would you like coffee?”

“No,” she says.

“Orange juice?” I offer, turning back to the stove and starting again.

“Sure.”

“Good. See how nice this is?” I ask, breaking more eggs onto the griddle. I get the bacon and pancakes started too, then get the toast ready in the toaster before I grab the OJ from the fridge and pour her a glass. When I turn to set it down, she looks at me with tears in her eyes. “Why are you crying?”

She wipes her face but only says, “Thanks,” as she takes the glass of juice from me and drinks.

I turn back to the griddle and push the bacon around. Check the pancakes. Keep an eye on the eggs. “What kind of houses do you like?” I ask her.

She huffs some air, so obviously frustrated with me.

“Modern?” I prod. “Or traditional?”

“Traditional, I guess.”

“Good to know. I’ll tell Lawton to concentrate on traditional then.”

“Who’s Lawton?”

“My real-estate guy.”

“I don’t think I want to move in with you,” she says.

I flip the pancakes and the bacon, then turn to her. “You’re staring at my ass, aren’t you?”

She tries not to smile, but doesn’t quite succeed.

“And of course you don’t want to move in with me. That’s practically the point of making you.”

“You can’t make me do anything, Bric.”

“Elias, Nadia. You need to choose a name for me. So let’s just go with Elias. And yes, I’m very good at making reluctant women do my bidding. So I can make you move in with me. I’d just prefer if you gave in a little to set the proper tone. Plus it will save us time in the house hunt. What neighborhood do you like?”

“This game isn’t going to end the way you think,” she says.

“Maybe this game never ends? Ever think of that?”

She actually laughs this time. But I don’t see it. I’m back at the food.