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Never.
“Tomorrow is the big day,” my mother announces to all the gathered staff at the end of the day. “It’s going to be our best Valentine’s Day ever so we all need to be on the ball!”
Charlotte is standing next to me, close enough that our arms are touching. It’s skin on skin, so I’m barely able to listen to one word my mother is saying. I’m too busy imagining throwing Charlotte over my shoulder and carrying her into the back to ravage her on the large bags of flour.
“Right, Malcolm?”
I snap back to attention. All eyes are on me.
“What’s that?”
My mother rolls her eyes and then snaps her fingers a few times. “On the ball, Malcolm! You’re supposed to be setting an example!”
“I was going over the inventory in my head.” Which is kind of true. I was imagining going over the inventory with Charlotte under me.
“You and Charlotte are closing,” my mother says as she looks at her clipboard.
I glance at Charlotte’s blushing face and grin. Perfect. I’m going to have my sexy little Valentine all to myself tomorrow night.
Exactly what I wanted.
I can still taste her on my tongue and it’s making me hard again.
“Get a good night’s sleep,” my mother says. “We should be really busy tomorrow. We’re going to be tearing through cherry pies.”
I can’t help the wolfish smile on my face. Tearing through a cherry pie is exactly what I have planned.
We gather our things and dress up warmly after my mother dismisses us for the night.
“Good night,” Charlotte says shyly when we walk outside.
“It’s dark out,” I say. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m walking you home.”
“I was hoping you would,” she says as she tightens her scarf. “But I didn’t want to ask.”
“Ask next time,” I tell her as we start walking. “I’m here for you. I’ll take care of you.”
Her pretty eyes drop to the sidewalk, but I can tell she’s smiling behind that wool scarf.
We talk the entire way and with every word she says, I fall deeper and deeper in love. I love hearing her talk. I love hearing her voice. Her laugh. Her everything. She makes me feel like life is worth living. She makes me feel hopeful about the future and ecstatic about the present. I guess this is what life feels like when you’re in love.
“You’ve seriously never ridden a bike before?” I ask when we turn onto her street. “How is that possible?”
She shrugs. “I just never had the opportunity. I grew up in New York City and I never had one when we went on vacation.”
“I’ll teach you,” I promise her. “As soon as the snow melts.”
“I’m nervous,” she says with a laugh. “I’m going to look ridiculous.”
“We all look ridiculous when learning to ride a bike. I did.”
“Yeah, but you were probably five years old! I’m twenty-three! I’ll be the laughing stock of the town.”
“Never,” I say in a fierce tone but with playful eyes. “I’ll break the jaw of anyone who laughs at you.”
She clasps her hands in front of her chest and swoons playfully. “My hero.”
Our steps slow to a stroll the closer we get to her aunt’s house, then we outright stop at the end of the driveway when we arrive.
Her scarf is tucked under her chin and I nearly groan when I see her lick those sexy lips.
“Will you be my Valentine, Charlotte?”
That smile… God, it wrecks me every time. It feels like she’s grabbing my heart and squeezing it.
“Depends,” she says with a grin. “What kind of benefits do I get as Malcolm Burns’ Valentine?”
I step in and take her in my arms. “You get the full package. Anything you want. Anything you’re ready for.”
“A kiss?”
I lean in to kiss her soft lips, but she puts a palm on my chest to stop me.
“Is it safe to kiss outside in the winter?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are our tongues going to stick together?”
I laugh as I look at her. She’s so damn cute.
“If there’s one person I wouldn’t mind getting my tongue stuck to, it’s you.”
She laughs. “Awww. That’s sweet in a weird gross kind of way.”
We’re both smiling as I lean in and kiss her.
She tastes so good, but I want more.
I want to taste every part of her.
And tomorrow, I plan to.
Tomorrow, I’m going to devour that sweet cherry pie waiting for me…
CHAPTER SEVEN
Charlotte
* * *
Oh my god, it’s crazy today! The bakery is packed and there’s a huge line-up of people waiting for desserts to bring home from our heart-shaped cookies, chocolate-covered strawberries, and of course, our famous cherry pies.
Lindsay is on fire at the cash and the staff is moving at full speed, making more desserts as fast as they can. I’m trying to help, but mostly, I’m trying to stay out of the way.
