Desires, Sweets, Secrets (Men of NatEx #2): A Package Handlers Novel Page 7

  “I know,” I confirm, my skin starting to itch with where this conversation is going. We’ve been down this road, and I’ve promised to do my best for her, but that’s not enough. “Can we please just have some fun tomorrow?”

  She faces me, which I notice from the corner of my eye, but she waits several seconds before responding. “I already agreed to do it,” she says. But then she turns away and smiles, probably thinking I can’t see it.

  But I do. And I’m glad she’s happy about spending time with me. I don’t want her to continue to hate me for what I did five years ago when I’ve grown up a lot since then. But it’s not like I don’t deserve it, so a smile from her is a win in my book.

  My book also says that I tend to want things I can’t have. Or things I’m not supposed to have. Like married women, women with boyfriends, and bakery owners named Meli. And, if she’s now two of those three things, that makes me want her that much more. Which means I have to work even harder to be the man Dani needs me to be. Especially when Meli seems to want me just as much. So that begs the question:

  Why are we fighting so hard?

  Chapter 6

  Amelia

  Saturday morning rushes are intense. I should have put this together before, but apparently, I’ve been leaning on my sister’s habit of “happening to show up” on the weekends to help out more than I’ve realized. Now that the baking is done, I feel like I can breathe. We’ll sell until we run out and then the workday will be done.

  I’ve always enjoyed having my afternoons open. Until perhaps now. Going home feels like a mistake if I can happen to run into Jeremy at any given moment. That’s the last thing I need to do right now, and running into Cadence would be even worse. I still haven’t seen her at the house, but I did put two and two together—she’s the local real estate agent whose face I’ve seen everywhere. So she’s probably super busy being super successful, which makes her even more perfect.

  Sigh.

  I just need to stay busy here. That’s what I can do to keep myself occupied until this weird infatuation passes.

  When the bell above the door rings for what feels like the eight hundredth time this morning, I don’t bother checking to see who it is. My sister, as she checks in on the customers who fill the tables around the bakery, greets them. I pour some more coffee for the customer here at the counter and, without looking, send a typical greeting to the new one approaching the counter. But, when I finally lift my head, I know I should have looked before. I should have given myself the mental preparation needed for this encounter.

  Jeremy, in all of his lean, muscular, impossibly attractive glory, is walking this way, flanking his sister. She’s leading the way, but he’s all I see as they head toward me. With a shaky hand, I give the woman in front of me her coffee and wish her a great day. Then I straighten my apron and face the two new customers in the bakery.

  “Hey!” Danielle waves, having no clue about the inner turmoil roiling through me. “We’re here to get those muffins, finally.”

  “Oh, good,” I tell her, trying to smile. I jut my thumb toward the door to the kitchen. “They’re in the back. Go ahead and get them if you want.”

  “Thanks!” She passes the counter and swings through the door, leaving me with her brother.

  Her engaged brother. Her sexy brother. Her brother who flirts with me when he shouldn’t. The one whose arms feel delectable around me and whose hands would feel amazing on my—

  “Are you gonna help this guy or stare at him all day?” my sister mutters in my ear as she passes me, nudging me in the arm with her elbow. She picks up the coffee pot and the water pitcher, smirking at me while raising and lowering her eyebrows a bunch of times.

  It’s enough to jolt me back to reality and make introductions I probably shouldn’t make. “Cass, this is Jeremy, Danielle’s brother and my neighbor.” I point to Cass. “And this is my sister, Cass. She helps out here sometimes.”

  She sets the water pitcher down, grinning at me like she knows exactly what I didn’t say out loud about Jeremy. Which is dangerous. If she knows who he is and what I think of him, God only knows what might come out of her mouth.

  Luckily, all it is this time is, “I don’t have the baking gene, but I can pour a mean glass of water.” Her grin is huge as she reaches a hand out to him.

  He matches her smile as he shakes her hand. “Well, I’m glad to see that Meli has some other help around here. She shouldn’t do it all herself.”

  Cass’s eyes flash so wide that I’m worried they might fall out of her face. “Oh, Meli here could still use some more help. Say, do you have a business degree?”

  Before Jeremy can answer, I stick my elbow into her side. It’s partly as payback, but it’s also because we already filled that position and we don’t need any more bogus interviews.

  “She’s not being serious,” I tell him. “Don’t listen to her.”

  “Rule of thumb,” Cass says, popping a hand on her hip. “Always listen to your sister.”

  Jeremy’s laughter smacks me right in the heart. “You know, Dani would probably say the same thing.”

  “What would Dani say?” Danielle herself asks as she breezes through the door with the container full of chocolate chip muffins. “It better be something good.”

  “Dani would say that I’m the best brother in the whole world.” Jeremy steals the muffins from her, pops the lid open, and removes one. As he bites into it, Dani swats him on the arm.

  “And you better be saying I’m the best sister in the whole world, even though I’m the only one you’ve got. Who brought you these muffins?” She raises a joking eyebrow at him. “Hmm?”

  “Okay,” he says around a mouthful of food before swallowing, “but who made these delicious muffins?”

  They both look at me, and if I’m not mistaken, my sister points her gaze at me too.

  “I think customers need coffee,” I tell her, hoping she’ll leave and not make this more awkward than it is. “Or water. Either one.”

  “Everyone looks fine to me,” she says, shrugging. Then she points a finger at Jeremy. “So, what are you two up to today?”

  Danielle eagerly answers. “Oh, we’re going mini golfing today! Then we’re going to get food.” But she points to the container of muffins in Jeremy’s hand. “If he doesn’t get full from eating all of those.”

  “Please.” He pats his belly. “I’ll be hungry then, too. Don’t you worry. I’m a growing boy.” He pops more muffin into his mouth and winks. At me.

  Why? Why, God, why? Why are my panties melting? Why is my heart stuttering? Why can I feel the erotic electricity in the room like it’s vibrating straight from my core?

  Why?

  “You know what?” Cass asks, putting the coffee pot back down in its place—which means all hell is about to break loose. “That sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it, Meli? And I bet you could use a little fun. Say, why don’t you go with them?”

  She’s got to be kidding me.

  “Cass,” I start, wondering why daggers aren’t literally shooting out of my eyes as I aim them at her, “I’m working, and it’s rude to just invite someone else to—”

  “That’s a great idea!” Danielle squeals, clapping her hands. “You should totally come!”

  I swing my gaze to her and shake my head. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly—”

  “You could too possibly,” my sister interrupts. “Your part of the job is done. I can watch the bakery and close up. Derek has Aria.” Her mischievous smile turns pondering as she says, “Though Aria probably has the control.” Then she shakes her head and smiles again. “But whatever. I’m free!”

  Seriously, I need to figure out how to make my eyes shoot daggers already. Before I stomp on her foot so she’ll stop fucking talking.

  “See?” Danielle’s wide smile is nearly impossible to say no to. “Come with us!”

  All three of them are looking at me, and I can’t take the pressure of having to make this decision. Do I ac
tually go with them even though my sister invited me along? Or do I make up an excuse as to why I need to stay back? But then I realize that Jeremy hasn’t said anything. Is he warring with himself, wanting me to go but thinking of his fiancée? Does he want me to go with? I know what I want the answer to be, but I want to hear it come from him.

  When my phone buzzes in my pocket, I use it as an excuse to take a break from the decision-making process. But the number flashing on my screen gives me anything but a break from making a decision. It reminds me just why decisions need to be made. That that leaves me less decisive than ever.

  “I don’t know.” I gaze around the bakery like I’m worried about leaving, which I technically am, but my sister can handle it. “Maybe I should stay here,” I say, glancing at Jeremy from under my eyelashes.

  He takes the bait. “I mean, by all means, stay here if you’re, like, allergic to fun or something.” He takes another bite of muffin—the last one—and brushes his hands together to get rid of the crumbs. “Or if you’re scared I’ll beat you at mini golf.” Then he stuffs his hands into his pockets. And smiles at me.

  It’s a wicked smile. A smile full of I dare you.

  Well, that settles that.

  I untie my apron and hand it over to my sister without taking my gaze away from Jeremy. I’ll meet his I dare you with Try me if that’s what he wants. But first…

  “Take this, Cass. And then meet me in the kitchen. I need a word with you.” I say it all while looking at Jeremy, but once she’s taken my apron and started toward the door, I direct some words at him. “I’ll be right back. And then I’m gonna kick your ass at mini golf.”

  He chuckles as I follow behind my sister. “I’ll hold you to it,” he promises to my back.

  As I think, He could hold me to anything—to the wall, to a bed, to his body, the door swings shut behind me and my sister grabs my wrist.

  “Holy hell, Amelia,” she whisper-shouts at me. “You didn’t tell me he was fucking gorgeous.” She lets me go and fans herself. “How could you not go?”

  “Well, number one,” I start, holding a finger up in the air and matching her whisper-shouting, “I wasn’t invited, you jerk. You can’t just invite someone along for other people’s plans!”

  “Apparently”—she folds her arms over her chest—“you can. Did you notice that you’re going with them now? Or did you already forget because you’re so caught up in how hot he is?”

  “Ugh!” I tip my head back and stare at the ceiling, hoping an answer will come to me up there. “I told you about the fiancée, right?”

  “You did, but his sister is also encouraging you to go. You don’t have to make it about him.”

  Except that’s the only thing this is about. I’d want to go whether or not Danielle were here. But she is, and Cass is right. I can focus on that instead. Even though I threw the gauntlet down with my challenge out there.

  “Fine,” I sigh. “Don’t burn the bakery down while I’m gone.”

  “I won’t even touch the oven,” she promises, a borderline-evil smile on her lips.

  I roll my eyes at her, but I walk back out to the front of the bakery nonetheless. Dani’s already on her phone, but Jeremy must have been watching the door. Because the moment I walk through it, his eyes are on me, a devilish gleam in them.

  “You ready to get your ass beat?” he teases.

  “You wish,” I mutter, grabbing my purse from behind the counter—unable to keep my smile under wraps.

  “Don’t have too much fun, you guys,” my sister calls, grabbing the coffee and the water again.

  “Yeah, yeah.” I wave behind me as I pass the counter’s edge.

  “After you,” Jeremy says, gesturing with his arm for me to go ahead of him.

  I dip my head and start walking, if only so he doesn’t see the blush on my cheeks. Danielle’s ahead of me, but Jeremy pulls up the rear. So, when I peek behind me to check on my sister one last time, I catch his gaze instead. And the look there nearly stops me in my tracks.

  He’s licking his lips as he stares at my ass.

  Which makes wonder what the hell I’m getting myself into. And why I’m looking forward to it so much.

  ∞∞∞

  Jeremy

  “Another hole in one?” Dani hollers excitedly. “She’s wiping the floor with you, bro.”

  That isn’t a lie. I’m losing. Badly. But is that because of her talent or because I’ve been letting her win? She’ll never know. And I’ll never admit it.

  Meli giggles, the sound sending a feeling like freefalling straight to my gut. “Am I ever,” she agrees with Dani. “I’m so glad I got to witness this.” Once she’s retrieved her ball from the hole, she props herself up with her club and twirls her ponytail with her finger, waiting for me to take my first swing. “It’s all yours,” she says, gesturing to the green.

  I point my club at her. “You’re on.” Then I think of a way to make this seventeenth hole a little more interesting. “In fact, if I get a hole in one here, you need to get dinner with us too.”

  “I thought that was a given already,” Dani chimes in, her phone not in her hands for once. “It’s not like we’d drop her off before getting food, would we?”

  “I guess we’ll see,” I tell them, bending my knees and lining my club up to the ball for my swing.

  “And what happens if you don’t get a hole in one, then?” Meli asks, putting a hand on her hip. “Do I get something instead?”

  “If you want,” I answer, pausing my prep for this hole. Then I stand up straight and inject some innuendo into my tone. “What do you want, Meli?”

  Her eyes flash with understanding. We’re not just talking about dinner and she knows it. I offered up dinner because, even though she’s kicking my ass like she promised she would, I don’t want this day to end. She’s not the kind of woman who needs me to stand behind her and show her how to golf, which makes her even more attractive. She’s a go-getter, independent. She doesn’t need me, and that reels me in like nothing else.

  “Hmm.” She taps on her lip, knowing we have to dance around this with Dani here. “How about you mow my lawn again?”

  I point my club at her. “You have yourself a deal.”

  “Again?” Dani asks. “When was the first time?”

  “Earlier in the week,” Meli answers casually. “Your brother broke my lawn mower, which he still hasn’t fixed—”

  “Hey now,” I interrupt. “You told me not to—”

  “So then,” she continues like I didn’t say anything, “he used his to mow both of our lawns.”

  Dani’s head jerks back like she’s shocked. “Wow. Maybe you are growing up,” she says to me. “Doing nice things for people without needing to be asked. Though”—she gestures toward Meli—“you really should fix her mower, Jer.”

  “Oh my god,” I groan before getting ready to take my swing again. “You two together is a thing of nightmares.”

  “Keep talking, mister.” Meli folds her arms over her chest, her club dangling from one hand. “You’re just wasting time before you get a sunburn while mowing my lawn.”

  “On the way home, we’ll swing by the store and get some aloe for that burn!” Dani cackles, and then she and Meli slap hands for a high five.

  I wave them off, pretending like they’re bothering me, but really, I’m loving this. Knowing that these two already get along is another notch in the win column for me. Now, I just need to get them both on board with something more happening between me and Meli. It may be an uphill battle, but it seems like one I can handle—gladly.

  For now, I line my shot up, take a deep breath, and swing with just the right amount of force. As the ball rolls, I find myself torn. I wouldn’t mind mowing her lawn again. If it means she has some free time to do some other stuff she loves or needs to do, then sign me up. But I also want her to stay with us today. So I let fate decide which one ends up coming true—with full intentions of making the other one happen anyway.

&
nbsp; Luckily, fate is on my side and the ball sinks into the hole on my first try. It’ll be much easier to show up with my lawn mower than it would have been to persuade her to have dinner with us. So I’m glad I don’t have to do that.

  Meli’s jaw falls to the ground as Dani shouts, “Oh! No way!” looking like she can’t believe what just happened. But then she starts a little dance. “Amelia gets to come to dinner!” Without us, she heads to the next—the last—hole.

  “That’s right,” I tell Meli as I pass her, using a finger to close her jaw for her. Then I lean in toward her ear, my eye on Dani to make sure she doesn’t see us. “But don’t worry. I’ll still mow your lawn.”

  As if on cue, that telltale shiver ghosts down her spine. It’s as though I’m addicted to making that happen. Addicted to proving how much she’s affected by me. Addicted to her. Because, while I’m this close, I get my favorite whiff of flowers and cupcakes, this time with a hint of coffee from the bakery. And it’s delicious.

  ~~~~

  We’re ten minutes away from the restaurant when my phone rings in the cup holder. Dani lifts it for me so I can see who it is. Matt’s name flashes on the screen, so I answer it once I’ve made the next turn.

  “What’s up?” I ask.

  “Hey,” he says. “Cade and I are on your front porch, but you’re not here.”

  “Oh, we’re on our way to dinner right now,” I tell him. “What’s going on?”

  “Well, shit.” He starts to laugh. “We brought dinner for you guys. Dani texted Cade something about dinner, but we must have gotten our lines crossed or something.”

  I pull the phone away from my ear and ask Dani, “Did you tell Cadeence about dinner?”

  “Umm…” In the passenger’s seat, she swipes her screen. “I told her we were getting dinner after golf.”

  “Did you hear that?” I say to Matt when I bring the phone back. Then I catch Meli’s gaze in the rearview. Something about her eyes makes her look…nervous? Scared? Upset? I can’t pinpoint it.

  “Yeah,” he answers. “I’m not sure what we got wrong, but that’s okay. If you want food, we’ve got some at your house.”