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Nik grinned, instantly deepening his dimples, and she fought the urge to leap into his arms. If it wasn’t for the fact she was hiding a child from him, she would have been happy to see his face.
He reminded her, “I have every right to be here, or have you forgotten that I own this bakery now?”
Her stomach plummeted. “Didn’t you tell me to go home and wait for annulment papers?”
He shrugged. “Changed my mind. It isn’t just a woman’s right, you know?”
“What do you want from me, Nikolas? I know you aren’t so hard up that you care about a tiny bakery on the other side of the country.”
He walked down the display case and checked out the delicious confections. “I did my homework,” he said. “Your bakery is building up quite a reputation in neighboring towns, but that isn’t enough to be a success. I was shocked to discover you don’t have a website. Why aren’t you shipping your product to customers around the country?”
She physically pushed him in the door’s direction with hands against his solid chest. The wall of muscle was too much for her to move. He didn’t budge.
Touching him made her knees feel weak, and that fueled her anger. “Get out. Your business expertise is not wanted here. Go check out your casinos, your factories, your oil wells, or your football team. Leave me and my little shop alone before I get really mad.”
“But you are so cute when you get mad.”
She curled her fists and seriously thought about punching him. He might not think she was cute if she broke his nose. It galled her to no end that he thought he could barge into her bakery and take over. His ego was out of control.
“Leave!” She shoved him again. “Now!”
He pulled out the document she had signed giving him the bakery. “You really shouldn’t talk to your boss like that. It’s disrespectful.”
“Boss? You will never be my boss again. Not in this lifetime. Or in the next one.”
“If you don’t want me to be your boss, I will sell this little bakery right out from under your cute little butt. I already have an interested buyer waiting in the wings.”
Lie! It had to be a lie. Nik didn’t hate her enough to sell her business.
Did he?
“I don’t understand,” she said. “You told me you wanted your pound of flesh, and I was willing to give it to you. In Nevada. Then you told me to go home. You practically ran me out of Vegas for the second time. Why are you here trying to ruin my life now?”
He shook his head. “I am not trying to ruin anything. Honestly, I am here to help you.”
“What if I don’t want your help?”
“Stop being so stubborn.”
Without asking for permission, he walked around the display case and went into the kitchen. She followed. He opened drawers and checked the freezer. Not a word passed his lips during his search. It was almost as if he’d forgotten she was there.
When he was done, he shrugged. “Good news. It’s not as bad as I expected it to be. Some of your equipment needs an upgrade, and I think you need a bigger building to work in, maybe something closer to the city.”
Her stomach muscles clenched. His interference with her business was both unexpected and unwanted. Couldn’t he see that?
She swallowed her pride. If he wanted to help, fine. As long as he left town, he could buy her whatever equipment he wanted.
She pasted on a half-smile and nodded. “I will agree to your suggestions, all of your suggestions, if you go away. Right now. Leave.”
His eyes slowly narrowed. Like a shark, Nik could smell blood in the water, and it always excited him to the point he couldn’t let go. She could tell by his expression that he was getting ready to attack. A hundred options raced through her mind. Somehow, she needed to throw him off the scent.
The bell above the door rang.
A customer entered.
Before Chloe could move or think, Nik took her place behind the display case. “Welcome to Sweet Expressions,” he said with a beautiful smile on his face. “What can I get for you today?”
The day flew by with Nik helping behind the counter. Having someone else working with customers gave Chloe time to bake extra goodies. At first, she was surprised at how easily Nik took to the role of bakery employee. Then she reminded herself that he could turn on the charm instantly. The women that entered her shop during the morning hours, both young and old, blushed and giggled as Nik shamelessly flirted with them.
