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I weighed my options. I could turn and head straight back to the guys, but that wouldn’t get my beer ordered. I could steer clear of her and order my drink from the far end of the bar. Or I could sidle right up to her.
But then what? Did I act like she didn’t exist or say hi to her? I was out of practice with this stuff.
No, I wasn’t going to let her intimidate me. I walked straight up to the bar.
“Hey man,” Bo said. “The usual?”
That was when Piper turned and looked at me. It was also when I realized she wasn’t just standing at the bar, waiting for her drink. She wore an apron—the same apron the servers wore.
“You work here?” I asked.
I was closer now, and the sight of that beautiful face immediately did things to me. I wanted her already, and I was an idiot if I thought I’d get a second chance.
“Yep.” Her eyes widened slightly as she looked around. “Can we talk for a second?”
My heart was hammering against the wall of my chest as we walked. She’d put her hand on my arm to tug me away from the bar. Now she walked in front of me, giving me a front-row seat to that perfect round ass.
An image flashed through my mind as she stopped in the hallway that led to the bathroom. It was an image of her on my table, head thrown back, those perfect light pink nipples hardened into pebbles.
For a brief moment in time, I thought she was mine. But really, I’d give anything to be hers.
Piper stopped in the hall, looking around. Once she’d verified we were alone, she spoke.
“I’ve been moonlighting.”
I wasn’t following. Maybe it was the fact that I was standing so close to her. She smelled like apples. Maybe pears. Hell if I knew. It was some sort of fruity scent that I could breathe for hours.
“My boss doesn’t know I’m trying to get a job at the bakery,” she said. “They didn’t have an opening when I came to stay with my best friend. She’s working there, and her boss promised me the first open slot. But I had to bring in some money to help pay rent.”
So she was in town to work for the bakery? Or to hang out with her friend? I wasn’t sure what was going on. One thing was clear, though. Piper didn’t want Bo to know she’d been delivering muffins for money.
“You’re working for the bakery and this place, then?” I asked.
“Mostly this place.” She glanced over my shoulder, then returned her attention to me. “I graduated with a degree in business, but I want to run a bakery. I just have to learn some professional techniques.”
Wouldn’t culinary school have been a better bet than getting a business degree? What the hell did I know, though?
None of it mattered right now. What mattered was what had happened between us that morning and whether she was cutting me out of her life for good.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” I said.
She took a deep breath and nodded, closing her eyes. “Thank you. And about this morning…”
“Piper?” A middle-aged woman suddenly appeared behind her. I recognized her as one of the servers I’d seen working here over the past few months. “Bo’s looking for you.”
She flashed a knowing smile at me before turning and walking off. It looked like she was putting the two of us together. I hoped it wouldn’t cause trouble for Piper.
“Sorry,” Piper said. “I have to go.”
“Wait!” I said. My pride was screaming out for me to wait, but my heart wouldn’t let me walk away without nailing something down. “Maybe tomorrow night we could meet for dinner?”
I held my breath and waited. If she rejected me right now, it’d be the lowest of the lows. I’d have to accept the fact that what we’d had was a one-time thing.
But her mouth slowly spread into a smile. “I’d like that.” The smile turned to a frown, though, as she looked off to the side. “But not here. I think I need a night off from this place.”
“Why don’t you come up to my cabin?” I asked. “I’ll cook you dinner.”
Man, was I pussy whipped. The very definition of it. The thought of having this woman all to myself again in my cabin was enough to have me doing almost anything. Including cooking.
