“Hi,” she says, grinning as we just stand face to face in her doorway. I’m not sure if I should kiss her now or wait until I’ve made it clear to her that what I want is something more than physical. I want the world with her. And I want that starting now.
“I, uh, thought we could go for breakfast. Maybe talk a little?”
Her smile falls slightly as her brow tightens. “Oh. OK. I’ll just get my bag then.”
I let out a slow breath as she disappears inside, wondering if I’m fucking this all up by trying to hold back. I get a sense from her that she wants to be as physical with me as I want to be with her. But since she’s under the impression I’m leaving in just under a week, I don’t want to do anything further without her understanding that I intend to claim her as mine. Something I’ve never wanted with a woman before now.
“What’s the best place for breakfast?” I ask once she reappears wearing her coat and slipping her bag over her head so it sits across her shoulder. “You mentioned a coffee shop last night?”
“I did. And there’s a bakery too. They do coffee and everything they serve is fresh out of the oven. I’m kind of obsessed with their cronuts. Yvette does this lemon syrup glaze that just makes love to your tastebuds.”
“Raunchy,” I say with a chuckle as we make our way to my truck. “I think we should definitely go there then.”
She laughs as she gets into the passenger seat. “I thought you might like the idea of that.”
Seems she knows me already.
“Can I ask you a question?” she asks once we’re on the road heading into town.
“Ask away. I’m an open book to you, Dot.”
“Good to know. Because I’ve been thinking about something you said last night. You mentioned bad ideas, and it seems like you think I’m one of them. Is that really what you think here? That we’re a bad idea? Because if we are, I’m kind of confused as to why you’re here at all. I mean, you seem to be the person chasing me.”
“I’m definitely the person doin’ the chasing, Dot. I want what I want. And what I want is you.”
When I glance at her, she is fighting a smile and her cheeks are blushing up an adorable storm. “That partisgood to know. But that doesn’t tell me why I’m a bad idea.”
“You, Dottie Fox, are the best thing to ever happen to me,” I say, reaching across and taking her hand in mine. “I want to make that part real clear, because the bad idea had nothing to do with how I feel toward you.”
“Then what?”
“Duke. He’s gonna have my balls when he finds out I crossed a line with his sister.”
“Well, to borrow from a time when I was less mature than I am now—Duke isn’t the boss of me. Technically, I’m the boss of him right now since he lives on the property I own, but that’s neither here nor there. Point is, who—or whom, I can never get that right—I choose to spend time with isn’t any of his concern.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” I say, lifting her hand to my lips and planting a kiss against her knuckles. “But he is my oldest friend. And I really would like to have his blessing.”
“I can understand that. But his blessing forwhatexactly?” she asks, giving me a coy smile as I pull to a stop outside the bakery on Main St.
“Sweeping his little sister off her feet, of course,” I say, giving her a wink as I cut the engine then hop out of the truck, taking a deep inhale of the fresh Whisper Valley air, that interestingly, smellsexactlylike that candle and seems to whisper on the breeze,home…home…
While I used to think I was born to wander and roam, I’m suddenly starting to think I was simply searching. And now, as I take Dottie by the hand and head inside the bakery, I think I might have finally found it.
DOTTIE
Ifinish somewhat early since I only had two clients wanting tiny pieces booked in today and head over to the garage to watch Theo looking all filthy and manly as he cleans out a carburetor. It’s strange, because when my brother looks like this, I’m completely grossed out and don’t want him anywhere near me until he’s had a shower and doesn’t stink like motor oil. But with Theo, it’s the total opposite. Iwanthim near me. And I don’t care how filthy he is.
Actually, the filthier, the better as far as I’m concerned…
I smirk to myself as I enjoy my dirty thoughts while checking out his ass as he leans over.
“Having fun over there?” he asks, straightening up and turning to face me.
“I’ll admit I was enjoying the view.”
“Is that right?” he says, dropping the part in his hand and sauntering over to me. “Maybe you want to take a closer look?”
“I totally do,” I say, grinning and laughing and having the most wonderful time as he leans over me on the stool I’m sitting on, and braces his hands on the workbench behind me, lowering his face until his lips lightly brush against mine.
