Sweet Surprise (14 page)

His dark eyes scanned her face and the impact burned all the way to her toes.

“The place looks great.” He came closer to the display case, and over the lingering aroma of warm sugar, she caught the freshly showered and warm cotton scent he wore like an intoxicating cologne. “Smells great too.”

“Thank you. I had a lot of compliments on the cabinets and the table you made,” she said, trying to keep things on a more professional level rather than the very personal one it became the other day. “I could probably get you some business if you have a card I could hand out.”

“I appreciate that, but I’ve got more than I can handle now.”

“Oh.” Unease thickened the air with the unspoken words she knew must be said. And she’d get right on that just as soon as she found the courage. “Well, if you change your mind.”

“I’ll be sure to let you know.” His casual hand-in-his-pocket manner contradicted the intensity in his expression. “So, how’d opening day go?”

“Much better than I imagined.” Curious as to why he’d driven all the way from San Antonio at the end of the day, she flashed a tense smile. Not that she didn’t appreciate his efforts. She totally did. As Sabrina had said, he’d had a hand in putting the place together. Without him, she’d have a less-than-perfect bake shop. But keeping her embarrassment over climbing him like a tree was near impossible.

“Of course, most of those who came in were family, friends, or other shop owners. The following weeks will tell the tale of whether I can actually pull this off or not.”

“I’m sure you’ll be a huge success.” He rocked back on the soles of a pair of well-worn cowboy boots. “The aroma drifting out of this place is irresistible.”

“That’s nice of you to say.” She laid her hands on the display case, drumming her fingers impatiently on the glass. “So . . . I guess we might as well talk about the elephant in the room. Please let me start by apologizing for what happened the other day, I try not to be so impulsive.”

“No need for an apology.”

“Oh, but there is.” She rushed to explain. “I’m really not that kind of woman. Well, I was. But I’m not anymore. And I wanted to tell you that, but you left so quickly. And honestly, I was stunned by my behavior.”

“I left because I figured you’d pretty much made your point.”

His smile put her somewhat at ease.

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I was throwing mixed signals all over the place.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I play catcher on the station’s softball team.”

She’d never noticed, but the slightest dimple formed at the corner of his mouth when he smiled a certain way. “It’s nice of you to not make me feel like a pathetic mess.”

“Look. You said stop, so I did. I respect that you had enough wherewithal to put on the brakes when I might not have.”

He might not have?

What exactly did that mean—other than the obvious?

“Regardless, that was very out of character for me. I’m
really
not in the habit of throwing myself at men I barely know.”

“Then maybe we should take the chance to get to know each other a little better.” The dimple flashed again as he leaned against the display case. “Just in case you’re inspired to launch yourself in my arms again.”

“Oh. No.” Her face heated. To divert her humiliation, she grabbed a towel and began to wipe down the counter. “I can assure you that was a onetime thing.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Her head came up, and she searched for a trace of sarcasm in the comment. To her utter relief, she found only a healthy dose of flirtation.

“I’m glad you came back,” she said.

“Are you?” His head tilted. Just barely. But it was enough to let her know he was as curious as she about whatever this was heating up the space between them.

She nodded. “I really appreciate the help you gave me putting the place together. And I wanted to . . .”

“You wanted to what?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I guess I wanted to be able to share the moment with you. I know that probably sounds ridiculous. We barely know each other. But there you go. I’m happy you’re here. Happy you got to see the results of your hard work. Even if I did my awkward best to scare you off.”

“Not much frightens me.”

No doubt. He was a big, hunky fireman who ran into burning buildings. On purpose.

“Look, I don’t want to be presumptuous or overload you with my personal issues. Especially not today.” Unable to meet his eyes, she glanced down at the decades of scuffs marking the floor. “But after the divorce, I swore I’d take things slow. I swore I wouldn’t make any more mistakes. I know it’s impossible to predict what will happen down the road, but it’s not just about me anymore. I have Izzy. And she comes first.”

“I understand.”

“On the other hand . . . I can’t deny my attraction to you, and—”

“Fiona?”

The dark edge to his voice brought her head up. “What?”

While she’d been studying the heel marks on the floor and blabbering like a fool, he’d moved to her side of the display case.

Close.

So very close she could feel the heat radiate from his body.

“Just so you know, I didn’t drive all the way from San Antonio for an apology. And I didn’t come back to make you feel bad about what happened.” He reached out and cupped her cheek in one big hand. “Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact.”

The memory of being in his arms and kissing him until she was mindless with pleasure, flashed back, and her heart took off like a wild rabbit.

“I came back because even though I shouldn’t, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” His thumb stroked gently over the swell of her cheek, and his dark gaze swept over her like he was thinking far beyond the flavors of her cupcakes.

“I came back because you intrigue the hell out of me,” he said in a silky-smooth voice that rumbled deep in his chest and hummed through her blood. His sexuality reached out like a coil of rope, tangled her up, and reeled her in.

With the buzzing in her head, all she could manage in response was a blink.

“So how about we grab a cup of coffee and get to know each other a little better?”

“That sounds . . . nice.”

“You don’t sound too sure.” He glanced up at the clock on the wall. “It’s closing time, Fiona. Your choice. Do I stay?” His gaze swept over her face. “Or do I go?”

For years she lived in a state of confusion, anger, and rebellion. And she’d made some really dumb choices. She hoped to God she wasn’t about to make another.

“Maybe I could interest you in a cupcake? I still have banana toffee, spice chai latte, peanut butter and jelly, red velvet, and a few other flavors left.”

Luscious male lips curved into a smile. “Which is the most sinful?”

“Well . . .” Talking about something she was familiar with set her feet back on terra firma. Marginally. “If I had to pick one of my personal guilty pleasures, I’d go with the salted caramel. It’s a caramel cake filled with salted caramel, topped with caramel buttercream, and drizzled with dark chocolate and salted caramel.”

“Then put me down for guilty pleasures.” A dark brow lifted. “As long as you’ll join me.”

Just looking at the man was a guilty pleasure. And she didn’t have to look too far to imagine all kinds of sinful trouble they could get into.

“Would you like a latte or mocha instead of coffee? It’s on the house.”

“I’m more of a simple black coffee with regular sugar kind of guy.”

“Oddly enough, so am I. Why don’t you go ahead and have a seat while I lock the door and brew a fresh pot. I’m pretty sure anything left over from this afternoon will taste like battery acid.”

“Sounds good.”

As she walked away, the heat from his gaze warmed her backside. When she locked the door, she realized she was a whole lot out of practice on how to behave around a man who didn’t have the name
Wilder
attached to him. For the first time in a long time, she was about to wade into uncharted waters.

Although new and exciting, it left her feeling unstable, like she’d stepped aboard a sailing sloop in torrential waters. Yet even as she lifted the glass display dome and set the cupcakes on two small plates, she snuck a glance to where he sat with his long legs stretched out in front of him, looking way too masculine to be settled in one of her pink Victorian bistro chairs. Mike was a gorgeous, sensual man. He made her want things she hadn’t even thought about in a long time. And she couldn’t help wonder how long she’d really be able to take things slow.

A fresh case of nerves fluttered in her stomach as she turned over the
CLOSED
sign, then went to put on a fresh pot of coffee. She grabbed the cupcakes and set them down on the table. “I’ll get the coffee and be right back.”

“Fiona.” He caught her hand and drew her to stand between his knees.

She had no choice but to look down into those sultry dark eyes and that suggestive smile that made everything inside her hum and tingle.

“Don’t be nervous,” he said.

“I’m not.”

“Yeah. You are. And if you bite that bottom lip any harder, I’m going to have to administer first aid.” He smiled. “Although that might not be a bad idea.”

“I guess I’m just not very good at this whole getting-to-know-you thing.”

“Relax. It will be painless. I promise.” His callused thumb caressed the top of her hand. “But just to clarify . . . everything I said a minute ago? Completely true. I do want to get to know you. But . . .”

Dang it. She hated
buts.
Because they were always followed up with something you didn’t really want to hear.

“But, I’ve got to be honest. I think you’re an incredibly sexy, beautiful woman. And right now, I’d like nothing more than to lift you back up onto that counter and finish what we started the other day.”

Okay, so maybe in the case of that one
but
in particular, she’d be willing to make an exception.

T
he dividing wall between the kitchen and the front of the shop gave Fiona a much-needed moment and some space to digest what was happening.

Mike wanted to get to know her.

Cool.

He also wanted to lift her up on the counter and pick up where they’d left off.

Very hot.

She’d almost had to fan herself with that revelation.

Mike was an incredibly sexy man who appeared to have everything it took to make a woman blissfully happy. If she were in the market for a mindless, all-pleasure-no-guilt fling, she’d definitely be tempted to give him a ringy-ding-ding.

Heck, she’d put him on speed dial.

But there was too much at stake.

Like it or not, she had to take it slow. And with a superhot kiss already in the books, she wasn’t doing a very good job at holding up her end of the deal.

Inhaling a calming breath, she carried the cups and a coffee carafe to the table. She noticed his untouched cupcake as she set his cup down, poured the coffee, and joined him. “You didn’t need to wait for me.”

“Yes, I did.” He grinned as he dumped a spoonful of sugar into his coffee and stirred. “My grandmother would whack me if I didn’t mind my manners.”

“But she isn’t here. So how would she know?”

“Oh, she’d know. She’s got eyes in the back of her head that somehow spin out over the universe.”

Fiona laughed. “Is your family in Texas?”

He shook his head. “Southern California.” He dipped his fork down into the frosting and cupcake. When he took a bite, his eyes closed, and he let go a satisfied moan that vibrated all the way down to her girl parts.

Then those sensuous lips of his curled again. “You were right,” he said. “This is deliciously sinful.”

She took a bite. “And it will probably count as supper for me.”

He looked up from the dollop of buttercream on his fork. “I’d be happy to take you to get something to eat.”

“I appreciate that. And though actual food in my stomach sounds great, I don’t have time. I have cupcakes in the oven and more that need to go in. Then I still need to frost them all tonight. Otherwise, I’ll have to get up at four in the morning.”

“You need to eat,” he said. “Especially with such a busy schedule.”

“It’s easy to forget about your own needs when you’re focused on taking care of a child, not to mention adding on a venture as big as this shop.”

“And then there are those who forget about the child and focus only on themselves.”

“Single moms are often pretty hard on themselves. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you’d like or had planned.” Nervous energy flowed through her fingertips as she repeatedly crumpled, then smoothed out her paper napkin. “There are those who just give up. The rest of us are either trying to make up for the absence of the other parent, or we’re trying to pay our dues for the wayward decisions we might have made.”

“Sounds a lot like regret,” he said.

She shrugged, avoiding a confession of the whole story. “I don’t regret having Izzy. In many ways, she saved me.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility for one little girl.”

“She’ll never know. But I’ll also never forget.”

Those dark, devastatingly good looks softened. “You’re quite a woman.”

“I’m no better than any other mom out there trying to make it on her own. And hopefully, I’ll never be any worse.”

The oven timer dinged, and she excused herself to remove the cupcakes from the oven and put in the new batch. There were a ton of things she could and should be doing. But for the moment, she was enjoying just talking to him.

Okay, so looking at him wasn’t so bad either.

When she came back into the front area, she half expected him to be gone, because really, she’d never expected him to be there in the first place. But there he sat, sipping his coffee. She refilled his cup, then sat down again.

“Of course,” she said, picking up the conversation, “all my good mommy points go out the window on the days when Izzy begs for a puppy. On those days, when I have to push her request aside, I might as well wear a pointed hat and carry a broom.”

He laughed. “She does seem obsessed about having a dog.”

“Dogs are a big part of the Wilder family. She can’t understand why everyone else has one except her.”