Contracted To You-Chapter 67: A kiss

After enjoying a satisfying lunch together, Evie stood up, ready to clear the dishes, but before she could make a move, Ezra was already on his feet.

"I’ll take care of it," he offered, his voice steady as he began to gather the plates.

Evie pressed her lips together, feeling a teasing nudge from her mother. "He’s such a gentleman, isn’t he?" Janet remarked.

"Evie’s the one teaching me," Ezra replied, sending a wink Evie’s way that made her blush slightly.

Oh please, Evie thought, Ezra had always been a gentleman since they first met; he was merely complimenting her in front of her mother.

He had always upheld that standard—except when he was annoyed and let his frustration show, and that side of him was one Evie didn’t appreciate.

As Ezra headed off with the dishes, Janet leaned closer to Evie, their conversation dipping to hushed tones now that she had taken a seat. "He’s different," Janet stated.

"I know," Evie responded, nodding in agreement.

The kitchen was distant enough from the dining area that Ezra couldn’t overhear them, allowing for more candid conversation.

Janet leaned back against the wooden seat, observing Ezra as he worked. "He’s not like most men; he volunteered to do the dishes without a second thought. He must really care about you," she said, a soft smile lighting her face. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Evie couldn’t help but smile back. "He’s like the perfect guy," Janet added, her gaze fixated on the tall, handsome figure in the kitchen.

Sure, Ezra could be annoying and stubborn, but Evie appreciated everything about him. Maybe he was the perfect partner for her, and she intended to ensure nothing came between them.

"Mom, I’m going to help him," Evie declared, and her mother nodded in approval. Evie stood up and made her way to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Janet settled onto the couch, fatigued from preparing the meal they had earlier; it had indeed worn her out, and at her age, fatigue was a common foe.

Ezra felt Evie’s presence as she approached. "I told you I’d handle it," he reminded her.

"I know," she replied, staying put and not leaving like he thought she would. "I just wanted to see if you’re doing it right."

Ezra paused, raising an eyebrow. "Are you calling me incompetent?"

Evie smirked, moving to the sink to rinse the plates. "You know I didn’t say that."

"You’ll get water on your dress," he noted, eyeing the dampening fabric of her pretty yellow dress.

"Hold on," he said, catching Evie’s curiosity.

He stepped aside and grabbed an apron, slipping it over her head and tying it behind her. "That should do it," he said as he resumed washing the dishes.

While Ezra remained dry and composed, Evie realized again how he effortlessly managed everything. She had just joined him in the kitchen but she was getting messed up.

"Now look who’s incompetent," Ezra teased, causing Evie to narrow her eyes, lifting a plate to hit his head playfully. Ezra ducked just in time.

Taking a deep breath, Evie smiled despite her annoyance. Ugh... this irritating Ezra.

"Even if I get the cloth wet, I brought extra clothes, so it doesn’t matter," Evie shot back, turning to him.

"How did you know to bring an extra pair?" he inquired as they continued cleaning.

"You never know when an emergency might happen," she said thoughtfully. "I brought one for you too," she added, letting him know that she had considered him.

"Thanks," he replied, though he shrugged it off. "I doubt I’ll be needing them."

Evie rolled her eyes, but inside, she relished their banter.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Ezra remarked, "By the way, you look really good in yellow."

Evie turned to him, cheeks flushing. "Really?"

"Absolutely," he affirmed. "When I saw you in that sundress and those double buns, you looked like a ray of sunshine, someone who deserves to be cared for."

She felt her blush deepen.

"I promise to take care of you, Evie. Even when I’m old and can’t do much, I’ll always look out for you," he added, prompting an amused chuckle from her.

"You’re so sweet," Evie muttered to herself.

"Huh? What was that?" Ezra prodded, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Nothing," she quickly retorted.

"I caught something about sweet..." he teased.

"I didn’t say anything," she insisted, but Ezra decided to let it go.

Did she really think he was sweet? He wondered. Knowing Evie, she’d never admit it outright.

After finishing the dishes and neatly setting them on the rack, Evie removed her apron and placed it where it belonged. She patted it lightly, a small smile crossing her lips as she recalled that it had belonged to her mother.

As she turned around, she jolted in surprise. Ezra stood before her, hands casually at her sides. Evie felt the instinct to step back, but the wall blocked her. "Where do you think you’re going?" Ezra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" Evie demanded, trying to steady her breath while grappling with the realization of how close he stood.

Ezra’s finger brushed a tendril of her hair, twisting it gently. "I’ve been a good boy, haven’t I?" he started.

"And what’s your point?" Evie countered.

"You owe me a reward, Evie. I haven’t had a taste of you today," Ezra asserted, leaning in closer.

Evie’s heart raced; she recognized the implication in his words. A kiss—that’s what he wanted. "But we did that yesterday and the day before that," she whispered, biting her lower lip, unaware of how enticing she looked to him.

"But what about today?," he replied, making his intentions even more clear.

"Ezra," she said firmly, and he raised an eyebrow in response.

"If we kiss every day, one of us might end up bored with it. It would be better to space them out, to keep the excitement alive," Evie argued, unaware that her words sounded incredibly foolish to him, though he chose to keep that to himself.