“This building is two blocks from a grade school and four from a high school.”
“So many kids,” she said, not clear where he was headed with this.
“So much foot traffic,” he said. “And I have that big customer area in front.”
“You do.” She burrowed in closer, loving the rumble of his voice when she pressed her ear to his chest.
“So maybe I make some cupcakes. For the foot traffic.”
The idea hit her like a thunderclap, and she straightened, sleepy brain revving. “Foot traffic. Cupcakes! Yes.” She reached forward and paused the movie. “Get the moms after they drop their kiddies off. Serve coffee, let them hang out and chat. Maybe buy a premade birthday cake while they’re there. This could be huge for you.Huge.”
Her brain was off at a gallop, racing toward a future where she’d helped build this place into the most in-demand bakery in Chicago.
“Already got a few quotes on a fancy coffee maker.”
His interjection pulled her back, and she laughed in delight. “My marketing genius! You don’t need me anymore.”
“Yes I do.” The lightness fell from his tone, and she smiled gratefully at him.
“Okay, then I won’t go anywhere.” Rather than tie herself in knots looking for deeper meaning in his words, she focused on what a foot-traffic business model would do for her advertising strategy. “Did you lock in any more vendors this week?”
“Yep. I’ve got the suppliers all lined up to start ingredient delivery on Monday. And I took two more orders for wedding cakes.”
“That’s fantastic!” She rubbed her hands together and cackled. She’d never get tired of seeing her plans come to fruition. “So what do you say to a grand-opening event? Do a little advertising, invite our friends, lure the neighbors in to sample your wares?”
“Yes. Smart. And I may need to hire some help soon.”
“Oh! Already?”
He nodded. “I’ve had a couple of inquiries, one from a current Dora employee.”
“Let’s definitely poach that bitch’s staff.” She could juggle a little revenge along with her business launch. “So how close are we to doing this?”
“Very close. Like two weeks from now close.”
“I’ll start making the arrangements,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Erik, it’s really happening.”
His lips winged upward, and she lost her breath at how gorgeous he was and how frequently he smiled these days. Hadn’t that expression been rare once upon a time?
“Are you ready for bed?” he asked.
“Only if you’re coming too.”
He hugged her close. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
They raced through the meal cleanup, and once they made it to bed, he showed her that it wasn’t just that indoor sex was more dignified than clawing at each other like animals against the wall of a van. He showed her how he could soothe her busy mind with sweet, drugging kisses and quiet her needy skin with the slow pass of his fingers across her arms, her breasts, her back, hereverywhere.He showed her what it felt like to entrust your heart to someone worthy, and when he twined his fingers around hers and pushed into her so slowly that she could feel the fullness and the weight of him, he showed her what forever could feel like.
Twenty-Seven
Erik woke the next morning to Josie’s fingers walking across his chest.
“Tell me your secrets.”
He grunted. “I told you my secrets yesterday.”
“Not just the sad ones. I want the fun ones too. I want to know you.”
As his brain slowly came online, it raised an alert: this wasn’t a jokey request.
