He stepped behind her and reached around for a bun. “What if I promise to be a good boy?”
She snorted and swatted his hand. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Fuckboy. Yeah, he could hear the phrase on the tip of her tongue.
“She knows you well,” Melody teased.
Not as well as I’d like.
Avery snagged Jo’s jacket off the chair she’d occupied earlier and stuffed it into her bag, then slipped out of his thicker sheep-skin lined coat. Should be nice and warm.
“Here.” He held it out for her. “No buts.”
Poised to argue, the mouth he wanted to kiss snapped shut, and she stuffed her arms into sleeves that hung past her fingertips.
“See, I know you, too,” he whispered into the hair at her temple, relishing the way she trembled before he turned her around to roll up the sleeves. “There.”
Charlotte handed Jo her bag. “I’ll talk to my realtor and schedule a meeting. We’ll make a day of it—lunch, shopping. Melody could join us later for a side trip to the spa.”
“Sounds lovely, thank you.” Jo pulled her hair from under the collar of his coat, sending the sweet scent of cookies wafting around him.
This couldn’t be good. “What’re you two up to?”
“I told Jo she needs to start looking at the best locations for her pâtisserie.”
“I already talked to Linc about it. He’s putting together a list. I thought I told you.” He was lying out his ass, but he’d make it happen if it kept Charlotte out of the mix. Wedding business was one thing, but the beginnings of a friendship… He couldn’t let that happen.
“Oh well,” Charlotte said, “we can still plan a girl’s day out.”
“Even better.” Jo turned to him, her eyes sparkling, and he felt like a dick, but hopefully, she’d understand.
After a round of hugs and goodbyes in the foyer, Avery walked Jo down the porch steps toward his truck.
“I feel funny leaving without boxes,” she said, her voice light and airy. “I’m used to carting tubs of leftovers back to the shop.”
He released a billowing cloud of steam on a long breath, and along with it, his resolve to caution her about spending time with his family. No need to spoil her night. Or his. Tomorrow would take care of that. “I’d call that a sign of success.”
“You’re mom’s sweet.” She glanced over her shoulder, and her small hand slipped into his. “She’s watching through the side light.”
“I’m surprised she’s not on the porch.” He brought her hand to his lips, a thought taking hold. “She’s sappy like that. Always watches us until we’re out of sight.”
“You’re lucky to have that.”
“I am.” He was pretty sure they’d put his mom’s suspicions to rest but just in case… “We should give her one last show.”
Spinning her around, he walked her against the side of the truck, his back to the front door. His hands snaked inside his coat, finding warmth along the flare of her hips. Her hands landed on his shoulders, applying pressure when he lowered his head. Hers reared back.
“Relax. I’m not going to kiss you.” As much as he wanted to, she’d probably start quoting her damn rules again and kill the vibe. “But if you angle your head a little to the side, it’ll look like we are.”
“You really are bad.” But she leaned into him, anyway, and tilted her head just so. “Like this?”
In the glow of the fairy lights in the front flower bed, blue eyes met his for confirmation, and for a moment, he fell intothem. He’d never noticed the ring of gray around the edges. “Yeah, just like that.”
Her quick breaths turned to fog on each exhale and mingled with his slower ones. “Should I do something else?”
An X-rated string of porn flicked across the screen in his mind, Jo as the star. Fuck, but he wanted to do every single one of them to her…with her.
He cleared his throat. “Like what?”
