I arched a brow. “Scone hour?” Intrigued, I stalked a little closer. “Tell me more.”
“Mm-hmm.” She undid her apron. “It’s the most exclusive event of the afternoon. But you missed it. Blueberry, lemon, and white chocolate.”
“Tragic,” I said, stepping closer. “Although those sound pretty good. I am sad to have missed them. You know what a sweet tooth I have.” I licked my lips a little bit, my heartbeat picking up. The only sugar I wanted was right between her thighs, but we needed to get back to a good space first, so I needed to wait. “Guess I’ll have to survive on coffee.” I wasn’t lying. Anything she made seemed to be a solid weakness for me. I wasn’t sure if it was because she had her beautiful hands on it or because she specialized in sweet things. I wasn’t much of a reader, but I could eat. I smirked at her. Speaking of eating…
Her mouth curved, faint and fleeting. “I can manage that.”
She kept busy making me coffee, offering me a nice view of the curve of her ass while she did it. Not that I minded. The scent of dark roast filled the space between us. Her movements were steady, but her shoulders were tense, as if she were holding the weight of the world.
I braced my hands on the counter. “Wade told me he stopped by.”
“Did he?” Her tone was casual, but her back stayed turned. “You two talk about me often?”
I cleared my throat. “Well, sugar, I’m not going to lie to you. Wade and I talk about you all the time lately.”
That earned a small, reluctant huff of laughter. “He’s just doing his job.”
“So am I,” I said. “My job is you.”
That made her pause. She turned slowly, holding out the mug to me. “You’re not my bodyguard, East.” The faint tremor in her hand told me everything she wasn’t saying. “I’ve told you that this isn’t your mess.”
“Yeah,” I said, taking the mug, brushing her fingers on purpose, “I’m not your bodyguard. I’m the guy who’s falling head over heels for you.” I let that thought out into the world for the first time.
Her breath caught, and her gaze darted away. “You are?” she stammered.
“That’s right.” I took a slow sip, watching her over the rim. She bit her lip, worrying it back and forth in her teeth. “You really think you can push me away? No way is that happening.”
Her eyes lifted, and a flicker of anger hid genuine fear underneath. “I’m falling for you. Too much.” The words were just a reluctant whisper, but they were there, and I’d take them and hoard them for myself. My heart leapt. “I just don’t want to be another thing you have to fix.”
I set the mug down gently. “Good,” I said. “Because I don’t want to fix you. I just want you exactly how you are.”
She blinked. A small sound escaped her throat, somewhere between disbelief and something softer. “You make it sound so simple.”
“It is simple.” I kept my voice low, even. “You just don’t want to believe it yet.”
Her laugh was quiet and a little broken. She rubbed her hands over her face. “God, you always do this.”
“Do what?” I was confused by this beautiful woman, who had every part of me, even if I was having trouble admitting it.
“Say things like that and make me want to…” She stopped herself, biting her lip. “You make me want to stop pretending I’m fine.”
I stepped around the counter before I could think better of it. She didn’t back away this time. Her chin tilted up, defiant and vulnerable all at once, and I saw the glimmer of unshed tears before she dropped her gaze.
“Lila,” I murmured, reaching for her hand. Her fingers were small and trembling slightly in mine. “You don’t have to pretend around me.”
Her voice came out as a whisper. “If I stop pretending, I might fall apart.”
“Then fall apart,” I said. “I’ll still be here. Isn’t that what having a relationship is all about? Being there for each other and not being perfect. I’m here for the mess and everything in between.”
That did it. The first tear slipped free, and then she was moving — stepping into me like she’d run out of places to hide. My arms came up automatically, wrapping around her, pulling her close until her forehead pressed against my chest like she liked to do.
“Gonna rub your boogers on me, Lila Merrick?” I teased, laying my head against her hair.
“Part of the package, Easton Holt. You want all of me?”
“Definitely.”
“Then you get the boogers too.”
