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The server motioned to the latter. “Atlas told me to tell you these are hotteoks, a sweet Korean pancake filled with some brown sugar and a mixture of seeds and nuts.”
“Thanks,” Mason said. The server nodded and disappeared.
They each took one of the pancakes. Aspen studied hers, turning it in her hands and inspecting it like she was a food critic before giving it the smallest lick. Pippa’s white teeth took the smallest bite of the dessert before she chewed. Mason’s eyes locked on to her mouth. A small dusting of powdered sugar crested her upper lip. She swiped her pink tongue over it. Damn if he didn’t want to taste it off her himself.
“I taste cinnamon,” she said before taking another bite.
Aspen finally tasted it. Her eyes widened. “This is really good.”
Two sets of eyes stared back at him. He opened his mouth wide and took a big bite. The dough was savory with a dash of salt, balancing out the nutty, sweet center.
“Ten out of ten for me.” Pippa put the other half back on the plate.
“Not going to finish it?” Mason asked.
She shook her head. “Saving room for this cheesecake.” She grabbed a fork and cut a bite-sized piece before slipping it between her lips. Her eyes rolled up, and for a moment, panic gripped his chest. But the moan of appreciation rumbling from her chest had his cock jerking to life once again.
“That good?” His voice came out strained.
Pippa grinned. “This is my favorite. Hands down. Nothing is better than peanut butter and chocolate, except peanut butter chocolate cheesecake. You might have created a monster, bringing me here. Now I’ll be craving this all the time.”
“Guess we’ll just have to do this again, then.” The words slipped from his mouth, exploding like an IED between them.
Tension thickened, making it hard to draw in a full breath.
She swallowed and locked her amber orbs on his, blinking twice. “That would be fun.”
He shouldn’t want her. She was a lot younger. He came with a ton of baggage, and a kid, but his body didn’t get that memo, if the steel rod in his shorts were any indication. He fought the urge to say more.
On the drive to her home, it took all his self-control to not reach over and take her hand in his as Aspen talked their ears off.
“Can you help me with my hair for the dance?” Aspen asked.
Pippa turned to Mason as if asking his permission, her eyes wide. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude on your special night.”
“Please? Tell her it’s okay, Dad,” Aspen pressed.
Mason focused on the road ahead of him. “It’s fine with me. Saves me from attempting another YouTube tutorial on how to do a chignon.”
Pippa tipped her head to the side as if looking at him in a new angle, like he’d surprised her.
“So, what’s your answer?” Aspen asked, her voice giddy with hopeful excitement.
“I think that would be fun.”
“Yay! I’m gonna see if Rachel and David want to come over and get ready too.”
“We could have some snacks,” Pippa offered.
“It would be like a mini party before the dance. Oh my God, it’s gonna be so fun!” Aspen squealed.
What have I signed up for now? How had one invite turned into a party? Tweens and their moms at his house getting ready for a dance, sounded like pure torture.
Mason flicked his attention to the beauty beside him. Maybe that made him a masochist, because he was looking forward to spending more time with Pippa—in any capacity.
Mason pulled up to the curb in front of the bookstore, then got out and walked around to open her door for her. Pippa said goodbye to Aspen, and gave Mason one last lingering glance before she climbed out.
He ground his teeth hard when she slipped from the car, her dog right behind her. Cherry fragrance permeated every breath he managed to suck in as she brushed against him and thanked him for dinner. His hands fisted at his sides, itching to touch her just one more time. But if he gave in, he’d cross a line neither of them should.
Instead, he got back in the driver’s side of his truck, his gaze following the most perfect ass he’d ever seen until she disappeared into her apartment.
He drove home where a cold shower, his hand, and fantasies of a sexy bookstore owner who tasted like cherry pie would consume him.
If only that would be enough.
