Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

“Yes,” he says dryly. “Your creative way of telling me you’d like to remodel has been noted. It’s
your home now, too; if you don’t like the furnishings, just tell me and we’ll pick something out
together.”
Well, that didn’t go to plan at all.
Sighing, I give up on annoying him and finish splattering my pages. Once I’m finished, I gather up
all my paint supplies, wash out my brushes, and move my pictures to the long dining table we didn’t
use before so they can dry.
Marie wakes up from her nap while I’m doing that and notices Calvin is home. She eyes him up,
then prances right over and rubs up against his leg.
“Hey, girl,” he says, leaning down to pet her.
She purrs and pushes her head against his hand.
“Traitor,” I mutter.
“I’ll get Marie dinner while you shower and clean up for dinner,” Calvin says.
“What are we having tonight? Another five course meal, I presume?”
“Tonight we’re having vegetable tempura for an appetizer, then chicken teriyaki and teriyaki beef
short ribs—two separate courses.”
“Of course.”
“Ryan will make enough chicken so he can prepare you a spicy chicken bowl for lunch
tomorrow. Then for dessert, we’ll have a dish of mango ice cream.”
My mouth waters just hearing that menu. “That all sounds amazing.”
“Glad you think so.”
I turn, startled, at the sound of Chef Ryan’s voice. He flashes me a faint smile and heads to the
kitchen with his totes full of supplies. “Oh, hello,” I say a bit shyly. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
It’s ridiculous to feel sheepish in his presence. I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but he doesn’t,
and the idea that he thinks I’m some faithless person rankles. Maybe Calvin doesn’t care what he
thinks, but I do.
In a subtle attempt to show him things are not all rainbows and unicorns in spoiled, rich man’s
girlfriend land like he probably thinks, I turn to Calvin right in front of him and ask, “May I have my
phone back, please?”
Calvin glances up from petting my faithless kitty. “Why?”
“Because I haven’t had access to it all day while you were gone, and I would like to check my
missed messages and work emails. You said I could do my work while I was locked up here all day,
but I don’t have my laptop, so without my phone, there are things I was unable to do.”