Just Desserts (3 page)

Suddenly, for some reason Daisy couldn’t explain, she wished it was her in his arms.

Chapter Two

For the second time in a month, Sebastian stood just outside The Sweet Shop, contemplating the desserts in the display window, or so he told himself.

Actually, he wanted to see Daisy again.

Pushing open the door, he walked inside. The shop was empty. Daisy stood, with her back to him, humming while she worked behind the counter.

“
Excuse me,” he said and she whirled around, her eyes widening.

That same feeling hit him again. His palms grew sweaty, his knees weak and the earth tilted on its axis. Oh hell. It hadn’t been a fluke. “What in the world are you doing here?”

She sounded less than pleased to see him, and he seriously considered cutting his losses and leaving. Again. “I’d like to order more cupcakes.”

Her brows rose. “Will you pay before you walk out of my store this time?”

He nodded.

“
Did you help Rose and Alexander get back together?” she asked.

“
They seem happy.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Alexander’s stop pestering me.”

She cocked her head to one side. “Why was your cousin pestering you?”

“
I assumed it was because he was lonely and missed Rose.”

“
Do you miss him pestering you?”

Yes. He pulled a face. “You really don’t expect me to answer that, do you?”

“
Not if you don’t want to.” She winked at him, and dusted off her hands, then moved to a nearby sink to wash them, returning with a smile. “So, how many do you want, Viscount?” she asked, her full lips twitching. “One
bwa-ha-ha
, or two
bwa-ha-ha
?”

“
Ah—” Sebastian began, flustered. Daisy sighed, her face flushing a little. “Sorry, that wasn’t very nice of me, and you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. So, how about one on the house to make up for it?”

Her apology sounded sincere, something he rarely encountered. So when it did make an appearance…“How about two…
bwa-ha-ha
?” Things like that happened. Although a part of him wanted to say—
See, I can be humorous, too
. As for her Sesame Street reference, his brother had guest starred on the show. Though Sebastian would never admit it, he had watched everything Christian had ever been in.

“
Oh.” She blinked, pretty eyes going round. “Two…it is.” Licking her lips, she glanced down and picked out the two he’d been coveting the most, then placed them on a green and silver plate. “Something to drink: coffee, hot chocolate, water, mil—”

“
Water.”

She handed the plate to him. “Most people want coffee or milk.”

Biting into the Christmas confection sent thrills of pleasure streaking through his taste buds. “Not most people,” he said around the first cupcake. What did one need with coffee or milk? Neither, in his opinion, served to enhance the flavor. Give him a roomful of sweets and an unlimited supply of water.

The bells on the door rang.

“
Excuse me, but I have another customer.”

He raised a questioning brow and concentrated on not dropping a crumb. Not only because he was fastidious by nature, but this manna from Heaven couldn’t be wasted. When Daisy returned, he practically had his nose against the glass, searching for the next candidate.

“
Berry Lemon is a customer favorite,” she said. “Or Red Velvet Dream.” The bells rang again. “Hold that thought, I’ll be right back.”

He straightened, watching Daisy as she handed an older gentleman a white box tied up with a green and silver bow. The man waved good-bye, and then went on his way, paying no mind to Sebastian or the two rather large Russian bodyguards standing on each side of her door.

“
Where were we?” She smiled and he scooted closer to bask in the warmth of that smile. “Make a decision?”

“
I’d like the two you recommended.”

In no time at all, she’d given him what he’d wanted. He walked to the closest table and sat down, centering the plate in front of him. To his eternal surprise, she sat down at the table for two, directly across from him. She placed a glass of iced water beside his plate.

“
Who are you looking for this time?” she asked.

You.
“No one.”

“
Are you up to something again?” she finally asked, her gaze assessing. It felt as though she could see through him, as though she could see through the mask he constantly wore in public. Outside his inner circle, he wasn’t exactly known for being the most gregarious bloke.

“
World domination,” he said. Not a total lie.

Sighing, she placed her chin in her hand. “Can’t help you there.”

“
Why are you sitting with me?” he asked, and then wanted to kick himself.

“
I like people.”

“
So do I.”

She dipped her head to hide a smile, but he’d caught it and wanted her to do it again. “You kinda have a funny way of showing it.” She glanced at the watch on her wrist. “It’s almost lunch time. Can I fix you something, or…I know! Want to help me fix lunch? After the first of the year, I’ll be offering cooking class. You can be my test subject.”

If her cooking was anything like her sweets, he’d never leave Holland Springs without her. “Expanding your horizons?”

Rising to her feet, she shrugged. “Thinking ahead. Can’t ever tell what will happen in business.”

Smart woman. “What does helping you ‘fix lunch’ involve?” he asked, standing and following her to the back.

“
You’ll have to take off your coat and put on an apron.” Her hips swayed as she walked, enticing him to quicken his pace. “Maybe even a hair net.”

“
A hair net?” He practically growled the question.

She laughed. “I’m teasing.”

He stopped when she turned to face him, her breasts brushing his coat. Desire burned through him, making his clothes too tight and his skin scorching hot. “And the apron?” he asked, his voice deeper than usual to his ears.

Her full lips parted. He wanted to kiss her, to taste her lips and nibble at them. Sweet or tart, he had to know. Dipping his head, he closed his eyes and—

“
That’s non-negotiable,” Daisy squeaked, sidestepping him, completely unable to stop looking at his gorgeous face.

His eyes opened, blue as the sky in winter. “Wasn’t aware this was a contract in the making.”

Heart pounding, lust raging, and knees wobbling, she fanned herself. “It’s hot back here, isn’t it?” She almost kissed him! Well, he almost kissed her, and she’d almost let him. What in the world was she thinking?

“
If you can’t take the heat…”

Narrowing her eyes at him, she said, “Did you just try to make another joke?”

“
Perhaps,” he said, his gaze roaming around her kitchen. Assessing and weighing everything he found it seemed.

“
Are you allergic to anything, besides people and good manners?” She almost smacked her hand over her mouth.

A smile quirked his lips. He unbuttoned his coat and shrugged out of it, hanging it on a hook beside hers. “No.”

“
And your bodyguards?” Two men stood like sentinels on either side of her front door. Whether they scared off any day-before-New-Year’s-Eve customers remained to be seen.

“
They won’t be joining us.”

Grabbing two aprons, she handed one to him and tied the other around her waist. What a contrast between the faded apron and fine suit he wore.
Oh my mercy
, she thought, he still had on his suit jacket. “You might want to take off that, too. Maybe roll up your sleeves.”

“
Plan on getting down and dirty, darling?” he asked in that accented voice of his, once again removing more clothes and bringing back the raging lust and wobbly knees.

She washed her hands and dried them. “Uh…no.” That really wasn’t a question he needed to be asking her, mostly because it should be a statement of fact. God help her if he ever took off all his clothes in front of her. She was liable to burst into flames and go all gooey inside, like a roasted marshmallow. “Wash your hands, too, please.”

Wordlessly, she began sorting the supplies they would need. Something simple and hearty would be good. Maybe turkey with avocado slices. There was yesterday’s chicken rice soup that could be reheated, enough remained of it for the two of them to share.

Sebastian moved closer, standing behind her. “What shall I do first?”

Grabbing a breast of turkey, she plopped it down in front of her. “Cut this into thick slices, please.”

His arms came around her, settling on each side of the cutting board. “Show me how thick…please.” He selected a knife from the stand and held it out to her.

“
Like this.” Taking the knife, she sliced through the meat. Just as she began to set the knife down, his large hand covered hers.

“
Again…please,” he murmured in her ear. He had to stop with those pleases. Those pleases with that voice…a total recipe for her undoing. “I want to make sure it’s perfect for you.”

Muscle memory kept her from totally losing her composure as his skin, hot and smooth, caressed hers. They moved together, the knife an extension of them. “Almost an inch thick, that way it’s still juicy and tender when you bite into it.”

“
Hmm.” His lips brushed the lobe of her ear. “And the avocado? I’m rather afraid I need more guidance before tackling that on my own. Please.”

Could she hire him as permanent help? They could prepare everything like this, hand to hand, back to front, his voice in her ear and his mouth on her skin. Yeah, her lady parts were all for that.

Her lady parts were out of their mind.

Flexing her fingers under his, she dropped the knife. “You’ll manage.” She ducked under his arm and almost ran to the freezer. Nothing she needed was in there, except the cold air. A cold shower would be better, but she would work with what she had.

What a day this had turned into. She leaned against the door.

Four years to the day, her mother’s passing still made her heart ache. Still served to remind her that she was alone. Then
he
had walked in again, all beautiful and cold. And practically giddy over her desserts this time

She couldn’t help but smile and tease him.

Sometimes, there were people you met and BAM!—instant connection (even if it did take a second meeting). Not love at first sight or this is my soul mate. Just…this person makes me feel something other than loneliness. Or sorry for myself. Based on what she’d read about Sebastian on the internet, he was more alone than she was.

An estranged brother, an indifferent cousin, and a seriously evil father in the hospital. Not to mention his mother. However, Sebastian wasn’t exactly a saint. He maneuvered, bought, and sold companies like they were part of a Monopoly set. Then there were the rumors of the Russian Mafia connection, and of his family’s English title being bought from the rightful heirs.

Don’t even get her started about all the women he’d been rumored to have been with—socialites, princesses, and models. All accused him of being scorching hot in the bedroom and cold as Antarctica everywhere else. His response to it all—absolutely nothing. He neither denied nor confirmed.

It was almost gentlemanly.

She blinked. Maybe she should stop reading those gossip sites. Who knew if any of it was true?