Gloria definitely passed the business into very capable hands. Hands I can’t stop thinking about touching every inch of my fucking body.
“This is a business, isn’t it?” I ask, taking a seat at the counter right in front of her.
“It’s nine in the morning,” she says and chuckles. “You don’t typically get up before noon unless you have to.”
Her hair is swept off her shoulders in a high pony, and I want nothing more than to lean over and kiss the spot I know makes her moan. Instead, I show her I can be on my best behavior and prove she can trust me.
“Sometimes, I do. I saw you leave for work this morning, and you don’t usually work Saturdays.”
“Sandy’s brother’s wife fell last night,” she says. “I think that’s what she said. She’s helping around the house because her brother just had hip surgery.”
I nod. “Agnes. Heard about that. Slipped getting out of the shower.”
Laughing, she shakes her head. “Of course you know her.”
“It’s a small town, baby.”
“True. Speaking of, do you know the owner of Phoebe’s Phab Pastries?”
Know? No. Know of? Everyone does. “Not personally. Why?”
She sets a plate with a croissant in front of me. “Try it.”
“I’m not a man to turn down food,” I say. “Or anything you want to offer up for me to eat.”
Rolling her eyes, she playfully slaps my arm with the rag. “Just try it.”
I take a bite, and the buttery, flakey pastry melts in my mouth. “Wow.”
“Right? Our order got messed up thanks to… It doesn’t matter. I went to her bakery to see if she had anything I could buy to serve, and she gave me a selection to try out. It’s better than our normal shipment.”
“Yeah, it is. I might have to stop in and get something. How much do you think I can eat before I get fat?”
Misty laughs. “Phoebe’s really nice. So is her assistant, Sarah. But my God is Phoebe cheery. She might actually rival the sun when it comes to cheerful sunshine.”
“I’ve heard,” I admit. “I kind of want to introduce her to a few of our guys. The ones who have a permanent cloud hanging over their heads. It would be fun.”
“You’ve never met her?”
I shake my head and take another bite. “She moved with her grandma a few years ago, and she was always quiet. Never really went out or socialized, so it was a bit of a surprise when she opened up a bakery. Not counting drugs out when it comes to how happy she seems to be.”
Reaching over, she takes a piece of the pastry she gave me and pops it into her mouth. “Hey, if that’s what helps make these. I’ll buy them for her. The Venom did me a favor because I’m switching to her now. Nothing comes close to this.”
She now has my full, undivided attention. “What about the Venom?”
“Yeah,” she says and sighs. “I didn’t know if I should tell you or not. Not really sure what I did to piss them off, but they got involved with our bakery vendor.”
“Me.”
“Pardon?”
“That’s what you did to piss them off. You did me. Butch mentioned you earlier this week, and I told him to stay the fuck away from you. He’s taunting me.”
Misty takes my hand, and it shoots a jolt of desire straight to my groin. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not—”
“We’re getting a better price with a better product. He screwed over the vendor, so we actually win.”
