Page 57 of Baby, It’s Hot Inside

She visibly relaxes into my presence, nearly sagging against me, and something inside me blooms. She makes me feel like a king sometimes. Like I’m the most powerful man in the world, at least in her world.

Pete, the ass, looks up at me. “I’m just talking to Roni here. Don’t see how it’s your business.”

“Well, the Candy Jar is my business so anything that happens inside of it is as well.”

“I wanted to buy some cherries and Roni was refusing,” Pete tosses out.

Which is not at all what happened. Fucker. “Roni reserves the right to refuse customers if they’re being obnoxious and disrespectful.”

Pete snorts. “What are you, her dad?”

“Actually no,” I say, then I wrap an arm around Roni and pull her snug to my side. “I’m her boyfriend.”

She looks up at me and grins. Then one of her small hands runs up my torso then back down stopping just shy of my belt.” Sometimes I like to call him ‘daddy,’” she says in her sassiest voice.

“That’s fucking disgusting,” Pete snaps. Then he looks at Roni. “No wonder you’re still a virgin if this is who you’re going home with.” Then he turns on his heels and leaves.

Roni’s fingers curl into my plaid shirt, right at my belly and I feel like an idiot for wanting to suck in my gut. It’s not like I can hide my stomach from her. She knows what I look like.

And really all I’m thinking about is the fact that this girl’s hands are on me and she’s a virgin. I have to get some physical space between us before I do something we both regret. I grab her hand and remove it from my body, then take three steps backwards.

“Is what he said true?” I ask.

She swallows and nods.

“Nothing to be ashamed about, Roni, you hear me?”

“Thanks for coming over to help. He kinda gives me the creeps.”

I rub at the back of my head. “Yeah, about that. Only problem is now everyone is gonna think we’re a couple.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I finally recognized who he is. That’s Janice McClay’s nephew which is why I didn’t think of his name right away. He only spent a year or two here. But his aunt—”

“Is the biggest gossip in town,” Roni fills in.

“Yep,” I say.

“Would it be so bad for everyone in town to think we’re dating?” she asks.

Fuck no. I wish I could claim her in front of the whole goddamn town. But she deserves so much better than an ugly old bastard like me.

She chuckles, puts a hand on my arm. “Nash, are you okay? You look a little terrified.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting into. Playing pretend is a dangerous game.”

“Have you pretended to date a lot of women in town?” she asks.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” What I really mean is that everyone will know I’m not pretending anything, that I’m head over ass in love with this woman. Instead I say, “No one is going to believe you and I are actually dating for real.”

She shoots me a glare and pops her fists on her hips. Goddamn she’s delicious. “You think you’re too good for me? You think, because you’re a successful businessman and I’m just some Latina who couldn’t cut it at college, that we don’t belong together?”

I’m already shaking my head. That fiery temper of hers makes me smile. “No, because you’re gorgeous and I’m an old fart.”

She laughs. “Oh my God, you are so ridiculous. You are not an old fart. Don’t you know that silver foxes are in?”

She takes a step closer to me, reaches up and touches my beard, then brushes the hair over my ear.