Whatever it was on the plate, he'd eat it and buy the rest of them to take back home.
He had a feeling he'd be able to eat his weight in it and not come close to satisfying his hunger.
Ruth wasn't speaking.
Her face was red with heat and her lips were slightly parted, almost on a gasp.
In a word, Ruth Baker looked... kissable.
"Dad," Katie's voice was soft and chiding at the same time, almost as if he was the child and she was the parent.
He tore his gaze away from Ruth and looked at his daughter. "Hmm?"
Katie leaned forward with one hand cupped loosely around her mouth. "It's Miss Baker, dad."
He didn't get it, shaking his head and leaning in to hear his daughter's words clearly.
"That cinnamon you're smelling," she softly explained, "it's Miss Baker. That's what she smells like."
Well, shit.
Nick swung his gaze around and saw Ruth's tongue sweep out and trace the full swell of her bottom lip.
Katie continued on as she lifted a piece of peppermint bark to her lips. "She always smells like cinnamon and sugar, dad. It's the most incredible thing."
Yes, he had to admit.
If it was indeed Ruth that smelled like cinnamon sugar, it was incredible.
It was the stuff of dreams and only meant that it would be even harder for him to keep his distance from her.
He'd barely kept himself away when it was her lush curves and her glorious silken curls that kept him up late at night, dreaming of her body under him, over him, surrounding him. Now that he could put a scent to his hunger, he was going to be well and truly in hell.
How was he going to keep his hands to himself with her in the same room wasn't an easy prospect, but the one saving grace was his daughter.
He'd never do anything in front of his daughter that was disrespectful.
Right, his inner grinch reminded him,like when you act like an ass every time Ruth looks your way.
Yeah, he needed to change his tune when it came to their neighbor. It wasn't just that she was willing to help out with Katie's dance company. His daughter really seemed to like her. She was and always would be his main priority. So if it made Katie happy, it certainly was on his list of important things to do.
"You haven't tried anything," Ruth's soft question reached his ears, "are you not a fan of sweets?"
The first thoughts in his head weren't anything he could say out loud. First, because his daughter was there. Second, because he could only imagine Ruth taking offense to his thoughts and banning him from her kitchen... and the rest of her life.
"Dad," Katie saved the day, again, "try one."
He reached out his hand and picked up the first cookie his fingers touched. It was some kind of sandwich cookie, but it certainly wasn't an Oreo out of a package. "These look fancy." He held it up closer to his mouth so he could see what was inside the sandwich between the two swirling golden cookies. Some kind of cream and a jam, if he was right. "Look like they'd taste fancy, too."
"Ugh," Katie gave him a look that said she was getting frustrated more than she normally did with him. "You have to put it in your mouth and taste it to know what it tastes like."
He grimaced and caught sight of Ruth out of the corner of his eye. She was barely holding back a smile, or maybe even a laugh at his expense.
Nick bit into the cookie and tasted the cookie first.
Buttery goodness.
Like heaven on his tongue and then he tasted more.
