Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“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.
“I’ll be back.” He wags his finger to tell me to move closer. Unable to resist the pull, I lean over the counter slightly, and then he leans in. He cups the back of my head, and his mouth is on mine in the briefest kiss. In a low whisper against my cheek, he says, “Don’t say yes to anyone, or I’ll have to break their legs. See you later, my beautiful little pervert.” Can you come from words and just a peck?
He leaves without another word. Bethany pulls me into the back room. “Give us a minute.”
As soon as we enter the kitchen, she says, “Girl, what just happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think you just got claimed.”
“Maybe he really liked the cookies,” I say.
“Holiday, dear. Those aren’t the cookies he wants,” Glen says.
“Glen, you’re a dirty old man.”
“I’ve been married a long time. That man wants your cookie served up to him to eat, and he’s single, wealthy, and your neighbor. Go for it.”
“I don’t know.”
“Girl, you know. Stop lying,” Bethany says.
“He’s probably just trying to get back at me for seeing him in his towel.”
“Honey, that man was jealous of Miles. He hasn’t even seen Heath.”
“Oh, shit. Yes. Our hot, young delivery driver,” Glen adds. “He has eyes for you.”
“I know, but I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested.”
“Hey, so what’s going on?” Heath says, coming up to us. “We have a lot of people waiting for service.”
“Holiday’s got a boyfriend now, so we need to keep all the other guys away because he’s not the kind of guy that likes men flirting with his woman.”
“You have a man?” he asks.