Page 26 of Love your Billionaire Boss

“You had a little flour there.”

“Thanks.” She fought back the smile that felt like it was going to explode onto her face.

“So how long have you been baking for?” he asked.

“Since I was little. My grandma taught me. Ever since I baked my first cake, I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.”

Kenny nodded. “That’s how I was when I hit my first ball.”

“And look at you now.”

“And what about you? You’ve got to pursue this.”

“I’m trying. It’s not as easy as I thought.” Cleo shrugged, thinking of the café.

“Don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself,” he said, as if reading her mind. “You’re amazing. I’ve been to big catered events, and nothing’s tasted this good.” He nodded toward the trays of desserts.

“Thank you. Really. I needed that.”

“No problem.”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a minute. Cleo was surprised at how normal he was and how good she felt around him. She wondered what he was thinking. She peeked over at him, only to find him looking at her.

Flustered, she said, “I have some pastry boxes. I can pack this up for you. Maybe have Nico try them.”

“Sure,” he said. “That would be great.”

She nodded as she pushed off the counter and opened a nearby cabinet. She pulled down a few boxes and began filling them. She stacked them on top of one another and handed them to Kenny.

“Thanks,” he said, as he took the boxes carefully from her.

She led him toward the front door and opened it for him. He nodded appreciatively as he passed her. He stepped down from the front step before turning to her.

“Well, thank you for inviting me over and letting me try everything. These are going to be a hit.” He looked down at the boxes in his hands before smiling up at her.

“Of course. Thanks for coming.” She leaned against the doorway and watched him walk to his car. It was a jet-black sports car she knew nothing about, other than it probably cost more than her house. He gave her a little wave before sliding in and starting the ignition.

Cleo turned and closed the door behind her, leaning against it. She heard him pull away from the curb and let out the smile she had been stifling. Wow. All she could think was wow. Even though her stomach was basically doing backflips, she felt a wave of tiredness wash over her.

She trudged up the stairs to her bathroom and turned on the shower. As the steam filled the air, she stepped out of her jeans and slid off her T-shirt, tossing them on the floor. She opened the door to the shower and felt the hot water wash over her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out. This was exactly what she needed.

She lathered soap onto her hands and glided them over her body, as the past hour with Kenny replayed in her head. She thought of his unruly hair trying to escape the hat on his head. The dimples that showed only when he smiled a certain way. How his jaw tensed when he was watching her. The smell of his aftershave, a mix of jasmine and neroli. The face he made when he tried her baking, and the groan he let escape from his throat.

She let her hands explore, as she replayed the animalistic sound in her head. Her hands trailed up her stomach and cupped her breasts before squeezing them as she looked up toward the water. The water dripped down, and her right hand followed. She pressed her palm against herself and rubbed in slow, circular motions as she imagined Kenny’s hands against her, his mouth on her breasts. Her breath became shallower as she moved rhythmically, thinking of her body pressed against his, feeling his girth growing against her. Seeing his eyes roll back and the groan escape his lips, she let out a moan as she shuddered against her hand.

Chapter 10

Kenny

On the drive home, Kenny rode with the windows down and listened to some classic rock. He smiled as the wind whipped through the car and his favorite song came on. He was in a much better mood since coming home from their losing streak on the road. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Cleo had something to do with it.

He looked over at the boxes of desserts in the passenger seat and smiled. The time he spent with her was surprisingly comfortable. She was warm and passionate about her dreams, and completely normal. Most of the women he met were eager to know him because of his job, not because of who he was as a person. Cleo didn’t seem to care or ask any questions about his career, which was refreshing. She wasn’t pretending to be anyone else.

He pulled into the underground parking of his condo, waving at the attendant as he passed. Once parked, he got out and whistled as he picked up the boxes to take upstairs. In the elevator, he thought about Cleo and her concentrated face as she worked in the kitchen. It was attractive as hell to see a woman who was determined in what she did.

He then thought of him wiping the flour from her face. A pang of doubt hit him suddenly, as he wondered if he had overstepped. But he remembered her eyes gently closing, letting him touch her soft face for a moment. Did she feel something, too?

The elevator dinged as it reached the penthouse floor. The doors opened and he stepped into the entryway. He set his keys down and carried the boxes into the kitchen where Nico sat eating lunch.

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