Page 14 of The Sweetest Ingredient

Bishop studied me for a moment, then shook his head. “You’re adorable,” he murmured, his voice low and raspy.

I froze and set down the whisk. Had I heard him right?

“Am I?” I whispered, my body feeling flushed.

Was it hot in here or just the oven?

He nodded, then slowly moved closer. The air thickened as Bishop closed the distance between us. His gaze was smoldering and intense, igniting a fire within me that I never knew existed, leaving me breathless and craving more. He paused inches away, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. His stare flicked from my eyes to my lips, and I could feel the heat radiating from him as he leaned in, my own breath becoming shallow.

He reached out to brush a few strands of hair from my forehead, his fingers grazing my skin.

Suddenly, I was lost, enveloped in the intoxicating haze of desire and longing. All my senses were heightened, each nerve ending alive with the anticipation of the forbidden. And as Bishop closed the gap between us, I knew there was no turning back…

Then Bishop stiffened, a veil of guardedness dropping over his features. His eyes dimmed from a molten glow to a cold, distant glaze, like a switch had been flipped. The charged moment dissipated as quickly as it had come, disappointment and confusion swirling within me.

Had I only imagined the attraction between us? Or was Bishop as affected as I was, but unwilling to act upon it?

His shoulders tensed and he stepped back. “We shouldn’t…I mean…we need to keep things professional…friendly, but professional.”

My stomach dropped like a lead weight. “Yeah, of course.” I hoped my expression didn’t reveal the sting of rejection piercing my heart.

“Excuse me. I have invoices to file.” He retreated to his office adjacent to the kitchen.

As the door clicked shut, I frowned, already missing his presence. And though he had distanced himself, our brief exchange was enough to leave me utterly captivated by the enigma that was Bishop Caine.

Chapter Six

Since it was my day off, I indulged in a leisurely visit to the bookstore. A waft of aging parchment and worn leather greeted me like an old friend as I pushed open the door to Tome Sweet Tome, one of my favorite places in Serenity Falls. A brisk autumn wind followed me inside, bringing with it a flurry of amber leaves that pirouetted momentarily in the warm glow of the shop before settling on the worn wooden floor.

Venturing further within, I glanced to the left at the spiral staircase that led up to a loft filled with antique hardbacks. Tucked away in the corner was a reading nook, crammed with soft sofas and Tiffany lamps.

I went straight to the romance section and browsed the titles.

Hmmm, what am I in the mood for today? A classic romance? Or a contemporary love story?

My fingers traced the spines on the shelves, feeling the texture of each volume. I slid a paperback from its slot; the cover featuring a shirtless man with a scantily clad woman in his arms.

“This one looks promising.” Cradling the book, I turned to the first page.

A jolt against my shoulder ripped me from the story. Whirling around, I found myself inches from Bishop. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and for a split second, the world blurred except for him. If this were a romance novel, we would have locked eyes, sparks would have flown, and violins would have started playing in the background. But alas, in real life, all that happened was me stumbling backward and awkwardly colliding with a bookshelf.

He reached out and gripped my upper-arms to steady me. “I didn’t me to startle you.”

A thrill from our unexpected meeting simmered inside me. My gaze darted from the veins on his strong arms to his chiseled jaw, my heart skittering. The warmth from our accidental collision still lingered on my skin.

I grinned. “It’s okay. Looks like you’ve mastered the art of sweeping a girl off her feet.”

One side of his mouth quirked and he released his grip. “Oh, you know me. Always leaving a trail of swooning women behind me wherever I go.”

I giggled and clutched my romance novel tighter. “What’re you doing here? Not stalking me already, are you?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I wanted to swing by the bookstore after work. Wasn’t quite ready to head home.”Bishop moved closer. “Look, Kenzi, I didn’t mean to be rude the other day. I just want to keep things professional. I don’t date employees and I didn’t want to give you the wrong impression.”

“No need to explain,” I said with a nervous smile. “But I would like us to be friends. There’s no rule against that, right?”

“Right, and I’d like that, too.” He held an opened cookbook in his hand, its pages adorned with images of appetizing meals.

“Fresh recipes for the bakery?”

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