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Holiday
I wake up at four to get to the bakery on time for the rush. Waking up is more like an exaggeration because I never went to sleep. In fact, I tossed and turned, did yoga, baked the new recipe, taste-tested half of them, wrote an apology, and then made little hearts around the letter so I tossed it out. Seriously, I’m running on nothing but coffee and utter embarrassment this morning. What does he think of me?
Thankfully, the neighbor probably kept normal hours and tried to avoid the crazy girl next door, who was salivating over his naked form. God, he’s got to think I’m some horny slut ready to pounce, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Well, not completely. Only the slut part could be taken away. I’ve never gone all the way with a guy before, but for him, I’d make the exception.
When I pull up, of course I’m the first one here, but it won’t be too long before they all arrive. So, I start my routine and get everything together. I move around without saying a word, dashing from one oven to the other and then to the cooling racks repeatedly all morning. I didn’t even notice when the team came in.
Bethany stares at me as I pull the next round of cookies from the oven and set them on the rack. I turn around to set the oven mitts down when she stops in front of me so I can’t move. “What is up with you?” she asks.
“What do you mean?” I reply, looking at her with surprise.
“You are frantic today.”
“I don’t know what you mean. We’re busy.”
“Did that asshole give you a hard time when you dropped off the cookies?” The wordhardpounds in my brain. He was getting hard, all right.
“No. I dropped off the cookies. I didn’t sleep well,” I confess.
“You are a terrible liar. What happened? I can go beat down his door and kick him in the nuts.” A sudden rush of jealousy shoots up through my chest. What if he’s not dressed when she comes to the door and he lets her in?
“Oh, God, don’t do that. I dropped off the cookies, and I must have interrupted his shower. He was in just a towel.” I turn my head around and slam it down on the counter, avoiding the obvious jokes. I spent the entire night thinking about how mortified I was and what he must think of me.
“It’s not that big of a deal. He wouldn’t have answered the door if he didn’t want you to see it,” she says.
“It’s worse. I couldn’t stop staring, so he slammed the door in my face.” Bethany laughs so hard that I swat her. “What’s so funny?”
“You were staring at his face or…. something else?” she says with a laugh stuck in her throat.
“The something else,” I answer and then throw my head back on the steel counter.
“You better bake some extra cookies to apologize. Is he at least good looking?” she asks.
“That would be an understatement. Hotter than these ovens.”
She laughs so hard. The door chime rings behind us, saving me for the moment. “Customers, but this conversation isn’t over.”
She steps out front while I finish sliding the cooled cookies off the sheet and into the display holder. Once they’re neatly done, I push the door to the storefront open to stock the display cases. Except standing in line is none other than the new grump neighbor, fully clothed, and he’s still so sexy. He smiles and then winks.
I blush instantly. “Let me get these before you drop them,” Bethany says, taking them from my hands. “Go handle Miles.” I walk up to the cash register and ask, “What can I get you this morning?”
“A brownie, and a date to the Christmas party at the center,” Miles answers.
I’m about to tell him no for the twentieth time this month because I never go with anyone.
“Take the brownie and move on,” that deep voice rumbles. He moves to stand in front of Miles and won’t take his eyes off me. His large frame is bigger than I remember, and his eyes are brighter green and brown, making a perfect hazel like a pistachio.
“Hello. You must be our newest resident,” Bethany says, interrupting the stare-down between us.
“Yes, James Snow.” He brings his attention back to me. “When do you get off?”
“I was ordering,” Miles complains, dipping his head around the counter, but he’s no match for the size of James and has to step back or he’ll fall. Bethany grabs a brownie and packs it.
“Here you go… on the house.” She shoves it at Miles. “Have a good day, Miles.” She leans on the counter next to me with her hands on her elbows and stares at James. With a big old grin, she asks, “Do you have a brother, cousin, or maybe an equally hot friend?”
He ignores her. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Seven,” Bethany answers for me.
