I stood frozen in the kitchen, hands coated in flour and chocolate smeared across my apron, as Kaelen's footsteps grew louder in the hallway. My heart pounded so hard I swore it was trying to escape my chest. The chocolate raspberry cake batter sat half-mixed in the bowl, my grand gesture of gratitude now feeling pathetically inadequate.
When Kaelen appeared in the doorway, I knew immediately I was in trouble. His jaw was clenched so tight I could see a muscle twitching. Those incredible green eyes had taken on that eerie alpha glow that made my stomach flip.
"Hi," I squeaked, wiping my hands nervously on my apron. "You're home early."
"I wonder why," he said, his voice dangerously quiet as he stepped into the kitchen. "Perhaps because my head of security informed me that you decided to take an unescorted stroll through downtown Seattle?"
I straightened my shoulders, trying to look more confident than I felt. "I just went to the grocery store. It's literally three blocks away."
