Page 4 of The Pact

I’m entirely focused on hiding the embarrassment painted on my cheeks that I don’t notice Cole walk up until he speaks. “I’m sorry about that. Lunch rush. I didn’t forget about you.” The way he says it makes me think that he’d never forget anyone that’s important to him.

He sets the coffee down and a plate with a muffin on it.

I can’t eat it. I know I’ll have to tell him why, so he doesn’t think I’m rude. A pang of annoyance hits me right in my dysfunctional stomach.

A tense smile pulls at my mouth. “Thank you, you really didn’t have to. Unfortunately, I can’t eat it. It smells amazing, though.” The buttery sweet scent of the warmed muffin reaches my nose. My stomach groans.

Confusion knits his brows. “I have this thing.” I hate explaining this to people. Most of the time, they think it’s a choice and I’m being pretentious. In reality, this muffin will make me sick. “I-I can’t eat gluten. I have Celiac disease and it makes me-.”

Cole yanks the plate off the table abruptly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine, really. I won’t have a reaction or anything from it sitting here. I just can’t eat it.” I can see the disappointment on his face. He turns to leave.

Well, there goes any chance of him asking me out. Probably best I know now if a little thing like gluten deters him. I mean, we were doomed from the start. The Celiac and the baker.

I almost laugh out loud at the irony.

Cole turns back around. “Can I make it up to you? I’d love to take you out, minus the gluten. I feel like an idiot,” he chuckles. “Oh, I’m definitely an idiot. That was inappropriate. I shouldn’t have asked.”

His free hand rubs the scruff along his jaw. He’s so fucking gorgeous and undeniably sweet. “I’d love that.” The words leave my mouth before I can stop them and I’m so thankful that sometimes I speak before I think.

Cole smiles wide and I match it.

“Perfect! Great.” I can see him trying to dampen his enthusiasm. It’s adorable.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, handing it over for me to put in my number. “Cole Wolfe,” he offers. “I don’t think I introduced myself.”

“Thea Griffin,” I answer back, hitting the save button.

“Thea,” he says thoughtfully, as if committing my name to memory. “I’ll call you.”

Not all men are the same. I know it’s true at this moment. Cole Wolfe isn’t like other guys.

2

COLE

I watch Thea Griffin walk out of my bakery, her old brown satchel bouncing against the curve of her hip as she hits the sidewalk. The adrenaline from asking her out is still pumping through my veins.

It’s been a long time coming.

The day she first came into my bakery with that flyer for the buy one, get one free coffee with her friend, I knew I’d eventually ask her on a date. How could I not?

The memory is burned into my mind. I’d been writing a list of things for the closing staff that evening when I looked up and saw those big blue eyes staring into my soul. Her long dark brown hair was wavy and wild.

I froze. She smiled, patiently waiting until I was ready to take her order.

It was hard to focus on the words coming out of her mouth, those full, pink lips distracting me. I’ve wanted to kiss her every day since. She wore that yellow tank top—the color made the blue in her eyes pop even more.

Jesus, just the thought of that shirt stretched tight over her full tits is getting me hard. I head to the office at the back of the bakery and close the door, needing a few moments to get my body under control.

Thea is most definitely the perfect woman. I don’t date much, yet I know this without a doubt. It isn’t only her body, although that doesn’t hurt.

It’s how she smiles playfully with her friend and blushes at Cassie’s crudeness. Almost like she’s thinking the same thing, but would never say it out loud. They didn’t realize how their voices carried, easily letting me hear the comment about being hung like a horse.

It almost made me laugh.

Her face said it all as I cautiously watched her reaction. She was thinking about it, perhaps wondering what I looked like naked. Fuck. My palm runs over my pants where my cock is pushing painfully against the material.

---