Free Cursed by Charmaine Ross Page A

you’d still be asleep.”
    “Where were you?”
    He hesitated, a pause so short it was almost imperceptible. “I just went out to get some food for us. How are you feeling?” I let it go, not wanting to cause an issue.
    I shrugged, “I’m feeling much better, thank you. I’m really not used to sleeping so much. Well, not before I slept for a century anyway.”
    “It’s good to see you up and about. Sit down.”
    I sunk onto one of the stools that lined the island bench. I noticed glowing blue energy panels were set into a glass backsplash, like others set throughout the house. I knew that they opened and closed, but other than that, they were a mystery. I pointed to one, “What do those things actually do?”
    “They are control panels. That one’s for the kitchen. You can turn any appliance on or off. Look.” He pressed a part of the closest panel, which lit beneath his finger tip, and the kettle started to boil. He swiped his finger across the panel, and the lights above the island bench he stood at blinked on. “Of course, you can just use voice technology if you have dirty hands. Fridge.” At his word, the door to the refrigerator opened. I hadn’t even noticed it as the front matched the white of the cupboards. I breathed in some relief as I recognized apples and various vegetables on the shelves. “Close.” The door closed with a quiet tap of the cushioned seal.
    “Oven,” I said. The door to the oven slid sideways, revealing silver shelves. There was a hum as it started heating. “I didn’t mean to turn it on!” I said, now nervous I’d somehow wrecked his appliance.
    “It’s okay. It starts when the door opens and automatically corrects the heat temperature when you place the food inside.”
    “You mean I don’t have to set the temperature?”
    “I have to admit, it does make cooking easy.”
    Vegetables scattered around the gunmetal stone bench tops. A delicious smell came from a pot on the stove. Saliva flowed into my mouth like a river. “I hope you like pumpkin soup.”
    He’d cooked. For
me
. I nodded, finding my polite tongue. “I do.”
    Julius spooned some soup into a bowl and set it on the table where another bowl was already steaming. He looked different out of his doctor’s scrubs. A black T-shirt stretched tightly over his biceps sloping to a smooth stomach. It was tucked into straight-leg dove-gray pants that molded to his lean, toned thighs.
    Suddenly, this was way too personal, way too close. I sat so still in the chair. This was out of my realm of experience, sitting in a kitchen with a man I was getting to more than just notice.
    “Eat, Katia. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
    I scooped some soup and closed my eyes at the taste. It was so much better than the scraps I normally ate on the run. And even better knowing he’d cooked it. For me. I put my fingertips to my lips. “Hmm.”
    I opened my eyes to find him chuckling. “At least I know you’re going to love my chicken no matter how badly I cook it.”
    “Do you often go out of your way to cook a chicken badly?”
    He looked at me, brow raised, spoon halfway from the bowl to his mouth. Surprise had him in its grip. To my complete amazement, I smiled. I didn’t know I had it in me to make even half a joke. His mouth tipped, and he chuckled. I bit my lower lip and drew my attention back to the soup, fighting to stop smiling, but it felt so dammed good to at least feel lighthearted for a little while.
    I peeked at him as I dipped my spoon into the soup. “Thank you for these clothes. They are lovely.”
    He nodded, the humor escaping his face to be replaced with deep sadness. Then anger flashed.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said.
    He half smiled. When he returned his gaze to me, the anger had disappeared. “You don’t offend me. They are my wife’s clothes.”
    I was stunned. I didn’t expect him to be married. I was surprised when a wave of jealousy slapped me. Immediately, I swatted