Page 7 of Blood Sugar

Her lips parted and she took a step back. “Rowen?”

“We’re closed, but I’m glad you stopped by. Can I get you anything?” I asked. The case was fairly empty except the cookies I’d already restocked. “I just pulled some pumpkin bread and lemon loaf out of the oven, and croissants will be ready in about five minutes.”

She crossed her arms, hugging herself. I frowned, concerned with how anxious she looked.

“Um, actually, I’m supposed to start my new job. Here, in the bakery.” She bit her lip. “With you, I guess, if you’re Amelie’s brother.”

Silence stretched between us as my thoughts tried to untangle themselves from the mess she’d just made of them.

“Are you Mercedes?"

“Yeah, Sadie is short for Mercedes.”

My gaze traced over her hourglass figure, now clothed in a pink dress that hugged her curves and brightened the flush in her cheeks—and those lips!

I wanted to cross the room and crush her mouth to mine. All I could think of was how her lips felt on my skin.

Fuck!

Taking this beautiful vampire out on a date was out of the question if she was my new employee.

My jaw ticked as I stared at her. She was supposed to be upstairs with me, in my bed, with her teeth in my neck, not showing up as my new baker.

I hated myself for that thought. She was the one starting a new job, and she didn’t deserve her boss fixating on the feel of her body in his hands.

I was a worm.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my thoughts to quiet, instead focusing on her worried expression.

“Well, then I guess you are my new baker.” The words came out gruffer than I wanted.

Sadie’s lashes fluttered and she took another step back. Guilt churned in my stomach, but I wasn’t about to apologize to her—then I’d have to acknowledge that I’d had my tongue down her throat less than twenty-four hours ago. Somehow, it seemed best to pretend that didn’t happen.

“Come on, then.”

Huffing, I pushed off the counter and stomped back into the kitchen. Sadie let out a little yelp and hurried after me. Her cute little ballet flats were silent on the checkerboard linoleum. She looked gorgeous, but she was definitely not dressed for baking.

Why was she even getting a job at our bakery? She’d said she was new in town. She seemed like a stereotypical spoiled vampire girl who decided she wanted to strike out on her own and not live off her family’s money. She would probably make a poor employee.

“Rowen?”

My blood sparked in my veins at the sound of my name on her lips.

“Hestia, give me patience,” I muttered under my breath, turning to face Sadie again. My hands gripped the butcher-block island behind me.

“So is everything okay? I mean, I know this is kinda awkward, but I’m really excited about this job,” she said in a rush.

Those huge magenta eyes squeezed the air from my lungs, leaving an empty, stabbing feeling.

“Nothing is awkward,” I said sharply. “You’re my new employee, and we’ll be working together from now on. That’s all. I need to make sure you can keep up with a busy kitchen like The Wicked Whisk.”

“Of course,” she said, clasping her hands at her waist. Her bubblegum-pink manicure caught my attention. I knew how those nails felt against my scalp and digging into my back.

Shit. So much for keeping my thoughts professional.

I was screwed.

“Sorry, it’s just that you look a little…” Sadie hesitated, one fang showing as she bit her lip. “Angry.”