Escaping The Beast: A Darkhills Romance (The Darkhills Series Book 2) by Elizabeth Greene (young adult books to read TXT) 📕

Lucian glanced over his shoulder at her from where he was preparing the chicken.

“Am I not preparing your meal to your liking?”

“No, you are. You really are, I just, this feels awkward.”

“I assure you, Katherine, I do not mind cooking for you, truth be told I rather enjoy being in the kitchen.”

“OK, so keep cooking but just, please give me something to do,” she wrung her hands in front of her.

“Would you like some wine or to select some music to play?” Lucian asked.

“No, I just,” she looked at his dark eyes and took a deep breath, “people don’t cook for me Lucian, I’m not used to having someone take care of this sort of thing for me. It makes me feel really uncomfortable. I’ve been self-sufficient for practically my whole life so please, can I just chop or stir something?”

Lucian stopped what he was doing and strode over to the sink and began washing his hands. Katherine cursed her stupidity as he began untying the apron that he wore. She’d managed to insult him. Her plan to win him round had backfired, all because she couldn’t deal with someone being nice enough to cook her dinner.

“Lucian, I’m sorry,” she began as he approached her, only to freeze when he reached over her head and looped the apron around her neck.

“Turn around,” he instructed, then proceeded to tie the strings at her back, “could you peel and cut the potatoes while I finish up with the chicken?”

She breathed out a sigh of relief and accepted the potatoes that Lucian handed to her before he crossed the kitchen and delved into the fridge.

She smiled as she selected a chopping board from the rack and rummaged in a drawer for the peeler and a suitable knife. When she looked up, Lucian had placed a glass of cool, white wine in front of her, along with a small bowl of olives.

“If you thought I hadn’t heard your stomach growling, you were mistaken,” Lucian smirked at her. “I suggest you chop the potatoes into small pieces, they’ll cook quicker that way.”

“Yes, chef,” she replied with a mock salute.

Between the two of them, the potatoes and chicken were in the oven in no time. Katherine wiped down the work surface before leaning back against it and popping a couple of olives in her mouth.

“Thank you for letting me help,” she said as Lucian put the finishing touches to a plate of fresh salad leaves. He turned and rinsed his hands in the sink before coming to stand in front of her.

“Oh sorry, Lucian, your shirt,” she pointed to a few dark spots of balsamic that had splattered on his white shirt, “you should’ve kept the apron.”

He glanced down at himself and waved a hand dismissively.

“Better my shirt than you risk ruining your dress. You look lovely, by the way.”

“Thank you, well I’m pretty sure I did look lovely, I’m not sure the apron goes with the look, but it served its purpose,” Katherine, shrugged with a smirk as she removed the coverall and folded it neatly.

“Your beauty is not so fickle as to be dependent upon the clothes you wear, Katherine.”

Katherine blushed fiercely. Damn, he was good.

“Well, thank you, Lucian, that’s very generous of you. I could say the same about you,” she smiled at him.

“I had still better go change,” he smiled back.

“No, please don’t worry about it, it doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”

He held her gaze for a moment before nodding his agreement.

“Very well. Would you like some more wine while we wait for your meal to cook?”

Katherine shook her head.

“I’m not much of a drinker. A lifetime of watching your parents overdo it, instils a certain appreciation for moderation,” Katherine placed her glass down and stepped forward. “Do we have time to get some air?”

“Of course, have you had a chance to see the meadow or if you wish I could take you up to the top deck of the observation tower, there is a good view of the chasm.”

“I’m not exactly wearing the right footwear for a stomp in the meadow,” Katherine lifted one spiky heeled foot in a demonstration, “could we visit the courtyard, with the roses? I can’t figure out how to get in there, but it looks pretty.”

“Of course,” Lucian offered her his arm, “it’s only accessible via my private suite, but I’ll show you the way so you can visit it whenever you like.”

“Is it a private garden? If you’d rather I didn’t-”

“It can be viewed from most rooms within the main mansion, it’s by no means private,” Lucian waved his hand to dismiss the notion.

“And yet no-one can enter. People can see the beauty but it remains out of reach. Why does that remind me of someone?” Katherine teased, thinking the garden was the perfect metaphor for the man by her side. He was alluring in every sense of the word and yet, he liked to hold the power by keeping people at arm's length and maintaining control.

“I could say the same about you, Miss. Daxton,” Lucian replied as he swept the tapestry aside and led her up the stairs that led to his private quarters.

“Oh so we’re back to formalities, very well Lord Nightingale, I’ll admit I can be a little guarded, but it’s not without good reason,” she countered as she waited for him at the top of the staircase.

“I do not doubt it. However, it’s not always necessary to keep things out of reach,” he suggested as he offered her his arm once more.

“Says the man who lets everyone look at the pretty roses but doesn’t let them touch.”

“You have some in your room.”

“Ah but you controlled that. You decided which ones I could have.”

“I suppose. But I am allowing you access now,” Lucian made a gesture with his hand and the doors to his suite and to the balcony beyond swung open.

“How do you do that?” Katherine