Page 21 of Billionaire Daddies Next Door

He nodded even as he walked me toward the couch. “Maybe so.”

“It still doesn’t change anything. We’re not friends.” I ran my hands through his hair and held his head as he danced his tongue up my throat.

“It changes everything, sweetheart.” He sat down on the couch with me in his lap. “Take your time getting there, though. I’ve got time.”

I tugged at his hair. “Tell me you still hate me and find me infuriating.”

He laughed easily. “I’ve never hated you. You are still infuriating, though.”

“Fine. That’ll work.” I reached between us to grip his hard cock through his pants. “I find you just as infuriating.”

“Thank god.” He flipped us over so he was on top of me and began kissing his way down my stomach. “If you admitted you like me, you’d probably have to murder me to feel better about it.”

I frowned at him. “You’re being this much of a smart ass while you’re between my legs? Sure you’re all that interested?”

He smiled and my breath caught in my throat. “Just consider it foreplay, baby.”

CHAPTER 16

Joanie

Aaron met me in the kitchen bright and early the next morning. He did all the cooking but the pies were my babies. After I gave up the socialite life, I’d needed something to hold my focus while I deprogrammed myself. I’d detoxed while rolling out pie dough. I’d unplugged while creating meringues that sat high and proud on top of my pies. Pies had saved me from crawling back to a life that didn’t want me. I spent several hours in the diner before the sun came up every other day of the week. It was hard work, but it still granted me peace when I needed it.

Aaron, dressed in a glittery jumpsuit and wearing makeup which highlighted just how beautiful he was, worked alongside me in silence until the last pie was finished and the muffins were in the oven. When I’d cleaned up his kitchen and washed my hands, he went in for the kill. “So. You don’t need that sex dance anymore, huh?”

I groaned. “Don’t start. I just finally got the last of the knots in my shoulders to loosen.”

“Charlie’s over the moon about you and Chase.”

I glared at him. “There is no ‘me and Chase’. Interesting you’ve been having gossip sessions with Charlie, though. Should I assume the two of you are getting closer?”

Aaron grunted. “No more talking about relationship stuff. Got it.”

Laughing, I hugged him tight and then patted his cheek. “The day you open up about Charlie, I’ll open up about all the nothing happening in my life.”

The bell over the front door rang and I frowned. It was still too early for customers. We weren’t open for another half hour.

“I’ll handle it. You go out the back and go home. It’s your day off.” Aaron pushed me towards the back door. “Though I hardly count this as a day off. You’ve baked your ass off already.”

I waved him off and moved towards the front of the diner. “You get started on your prep work before Charlie gets here and distracts you. I’ll take care of whoever this is.”

It was an overcast morning with thick fog making the world outside the large front windows look dystopian. The sight of Smith in only shorts standing just inside the diner with Mack sitting at his side brightened up the space, however.

He was looking down at the giant dog and was deep in conversation before noticing me. “You’re probably not even supposed to be in here. God knows you’re not any kind of service dog. You didn’t even make it past day one of training. You know you still hold the record for the fastest expulsion from that school?”

I covered my mouth to fight a laugh but Smith still heard me. I shook my head at him and walked over so I could pet Mack. “That’s not very nice. You can’t just tell him all the things he did wrong. Where are the compliments?”

Smith squatted next to Mack and scratched him behind the ears. “Here’s a compliment, Mack. You’re great at getting Joanie to come closer.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I tried to keep a straight face so he wouldn’t see how much his bare chest was distracting me. “For the record, Mack can come in anytime. As long as he’s on his best behavior. The same goes for his Dad.”

Standing up, Smith smiled and leaned closer. Reaching out, he ran his thumb over the corner of my mouth. “You’ve been taste testing the baked goods.”

I quickly looked away and wiped my face. “That doesn’t sound like me.”

“I saw the lights on and just wanted to make sure you were okay. Mack and I still have the rest of our morning run to finish.” Backing away slowly, he smiled. “Maybe I’ll come back by for whatever smells so good, though.”

I hesitated for a second and then held up my finger. Rushing into the back, I grabbed two of the muffins I’d made and refused to make eye contact with Aaron. Back in the front of the diner, I held a muffin out for Smith. “You can be the first to try this new recipe.”

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