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I was shitty at not getting attached, though.
I’d just have to figure it out.
Bauther showed up with lunch a few minutes early. I met him at the back door of the bakery, and couldn’t help the thrill that rolled through me when I saw him.
“Hey,” I said, not bothering to fight my smile.
“Hey. You look good.” He tugged lightly on my ponytail, and I made a face.
“Didn’t have much time this morning.”
“I figured. Your hair is even prettier when I know it smells like me.”
I laughed and pushed him lightly. He took a staggered step back, making me snort. The man was so solid, there was no way I’d actually moved him.
Stepping back up to my side, he laced his fingers through mine.
My chest warmed.
“Are you okay with eating in my truck? People will stare at us and take pictures if we eat inside.” He gestured to the bakery—which was also a coffee shop that sold candy. Long story, but it was called Coffee & Toffee & Cake.
Bauther and Madd were both pretty well known by the humans, especially the ones in the city. They’d been leading the Wildwood pack for ages, and there were more than a few social-media-stalker pages about both of them.
“Definitely.”
He opened the passenger door, and held my hand to help me inside.
Inside his truck, I found takeout boxes of Chinese food.
Yumm.
“Pick whichever you want,” Beck said, his fingers ruffling my hair lightly. I made a face at him for playing with the strands, and he tugged in response.
We both opened our boxes and took bites.
“Okay, this is incredible,” I said around my mouthful of food. It sounded more like, “Ohey, iss iss irrerible.”
His hand landed on my thigh, and squeezed lightly.
I took another bite to stop myself from doing something crazy, like climbing on top of him and drinking his blood.
At the passing thought, my fangs itched and started to descend.
I shoved another bite in my mouth.
Friends with benefits.
That’s all we were.
Friends with benefits.
“How’s your day going?” he asked, distracting me from my desire to jump his bones.
I launched into a description of the newest cookies I was frosting (I was the shop’s cookie decorator, though I did other stuff too). He asked questions, and kept me talking.
The conversation flowed naturally. By the time my alarm went off to remind me I needed to go back to work, I could hardly believe how fast it had gone by.
Bauther texted me at three, while I was showering. I poked my head out of the shower to read the text, and couldn’t help the thrill that raced down my spine.
