Now the day had come to an end and I wasn’t sure how to handle the evening.
“How about pizza, a movie, and some sleep before we hit the bakery bright and early?” Pax asked as he came up beside me in my room where I had stood thinking about the day after I’d changed.
His words reminded me of another big thing that happened that day. Paxton said he took a new job after he and the guys talked. My heart sank and fear kicked in that he was leaving. But then I was floored when I found out that his new job was to bake and help me at the shop every day.
I couldn’t believe it and I also couldn’t tell him no because I wanted him there. For many reasons.
We’d gotten home and he had run to his place for something, saying he’d be right back. He’d taken the key and locked me in, still in protective mode.
Now that he was back I was glad he had a plan since I’d been clueless on how to handle things.
It sounded wonderful.
And by the look of the bag he had in his hand, he was staying over.
That was even better.
ChapterTwelve
PAXTON
Who knew bakingwith Capri could be so fun.
Only problem, it was like foreplay that I couldn’t take all the way quite yet.
I’d been sporting wood all damn day.
ChapterThirteen
CAPRI
The day wasn’twhat I’d expected.
Since I was a toddler, I’d worked side by side with my parents in their bakery. Early mornings baking with my mother, her singing to me as we prepped and made the most mouth-watering pastries, was one of my favorite memories. Then helping my father out front of the shop with the customers, watching the easy way people gravitated to him and listening to him boast about his wife’s skills was endearing.
I missed them so much.
When I found the available space and started my own business because it was truly what I loved and knew how to do, I never imagined working closely with anyone like I had with my parents. I had a couple of employees, one younger girl that was in high school that helped when she got out of class, and then one guy who did deliveries for me on certain days of the week.
But early mornings, baking, preparing for the day, and getting things set up, had been me alone for years. I found I preferred it because I couldn’t imagine sharing that time with anyone but my mom and dad.
I was wrong.
Having Paxton there with me was refreshing. It put a whole new spin on work when we talked, laughed, flirted, and even had a flour war through it all.
I did need to buy a lot more flour and it was a mess to clean up, but totally worth it.
As I wiped down the tables out front, getting ready to open, I couldn’t help but smile while remembering the biggest surprise of my day.
I’d teased Paxton, “If you keep eating all my goodies, I won’t have any for the customers.”
He stood next to me, shoving the last bite of a blueberry muffin into his mouth. Giving me a charming flash of his dimples, he moved us so my back was to the countertop and he was in front of me. I held my breath waiting to see what happened next.
Taking his strong hands, he placed them on my hips and lifted me so I was perched on the table. Then his hands moved to my inner thighs and he pushed my knees apart and stepped between the vee of my legs. My breath expelled from my lungs.
“I have a big appetite, darlin’. Maybe I should just nibble on you instead.”
He leaned in and kissed his way up the side of my neck, then did as he said and nibbled my earlobe. A whimper slipped from my lips right before he claimed them in a kiss that would wreck me for any other man but him.
