And now, Grace. The third person in my life willing to stand up for me.
She’s glowing under the heated compliment. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure what to say when Wren was teasing you, and maybe I should have kept my mouth shut–”
“No.” I don’t let her finish whatever nonsense she was about to say. “You did amazing. You silenced them.” I laugh in disbelief. I would have never guessed my farm girl fiancée would be able to silence a room of Caines while telling them how much she loves me.
It wassweet.Pure.Everything they’re not, and it felt soreal.
She bites the inside of her lip before smiling softly. “Well…okay. Thank you.”
I should back up. I should give her space. But she’s looking up at me with those pretty hazel eyes, and I can still remember the way she tasted when I kissed her plush pink lips.
This is all supposed to be fake. A means to the end. I was supposed to keep my distance and not let myself get sucked into her orbit. But then I had to practice chemistry with her, loosen her up so she didn’t look so stiff around me in front of my family. And it worked, clearly.
But now I know what her lips taste like, and I want more.
I could lean down and get a second taste easily. Would she let me? Would she allow my lips to part her, to taste the sugary sweetness of her mouth? Or would she push me away, reaffirming the boundaries she put in place.
The ding of the elevator and the sliding open of the doors is what stops me, snapping me out of the haze of lust. I take a step back, and she sucks in a breath. The tension is still lingering between us as we step out of my parents’ building.
“Oh!” Grace says, excitement coating her voice. “My favorite bakery is right down there. I didn’t even realize when we drove this way–”
I don’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
“What?” Her head turns to me, tilted in confusion. “No, I wasn’t saying that we should go right now–”
“Let’s go,” I repeat, this time taking her hand and leading her in that direction. “You deserve a reward for that performance, I think, don’t you?”
Slowly, another smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, and I relish the sight of it.
“Yeah, sure.”
I signal for Wallace to meet us there and walk down the city sidewalk with Grace until we arrive at the pink brick storefront she’s proclaimed as her favorite bakery. The scent of sugar and butter hits me in the face as we enter, but Grace’s eyes light up.
“They have the best chocolate chip cookies,” she tells me as she eyes up the case.
“Then we’ll take a dozen.”
Her eyes widen. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Do you want the cookies?”
“Well… yeah, I guess so…”
“Then we’ll get them.” I take a step closer to her, peering into her hazel eyes. “I don’t do anything I don’t want to, Miss Morgan. If I say I’ll get you cookies, you should know it’s because Iwantto get you cookies. Now, all chocolate chip, or is there another flavor you’d like?”
That beautiful pink shade colors her cheeks as she nods, stepping back to put a bit of distance between us. “Just the chocolate chip, please.”
Once we’re sitting at one of the cafe tables, Grace plucks a cookie from the box, setting it on her napkin as she breaks a piece off. She moans when it touches her tongue, eyes closed as she savors the sweet treat. The sound is heavenly, and I think I’ll bring her more cookies if she continues to let me hear it.
“These are amazing.” She opens her eyes, looking right at me. “Are you not going to have one?” she asks, gesturing to where my napkin sits empty.
“I don’t do sugar.”
Her eyes narrow at that.
“Like, nothing sweet at all?”
“No.”
