Page 19 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Nanny

I nodded. "Invitation accepted."

Chapter 7

BLAKE

That night, I tossed and turned in bed while I ran through what I wanted to say to Fisher. One way or another, I was going to get him to sell the company to me. It had been years since the violent origins of my first stores. Back then, I didn't have the power or influence that money afforded. What I did have were my fists and fangs. That was enough to convince my competitors to sell their shops to me until I controlled the local market. If the old man wasn't going to see reason, then I was not above going back to my roots to get my way. Still, that was a last resort. Wulfthorn Baked Goods was a legitimate corporation now, and the last thing I needed was a scandal tarnishing my reputation.

I let out a growl and checked the time on my phone. It was almost midnight, and there was no way I was going to get any sleep right now. Giving up any hope of getting rest tonight, I kicked off the covers and went out to the kitchen. There was nothing like a late-night baking session to work out the tension in my body.

It was deathly quiet, so I had to be careful not to make any noise as I gathered my supplies. Thanks to Anna stocking the place before our arrival, I had my favorite flour and baking stone. Most importantly, my treasured sourdough starter was sitting in the fridge ready for me.

As always, the way flour and water mixed together reminded me of how my life started. The ingredients slowly mixed together as I kneaded, the dough turning from a shaggy clumpy pile to a sticky mess before it finally took form and turned into a smooth elastic dough. I scraped the dough into a bowl and put it into the oven with a pan of warm water to rise.

Since there was time to kill before the dough was ready to be shaped, I cleaned up the kitchen. Even over the sound of the water from the kitchen faucet, my wolf's hearing picked up the echo of her footsteps on the tile floor.

I turned off the tap. "I'm sorry for waking you," I said.

I wiped my hands on the kitchen towel next to the sink. Turning around, I gulped. There was no way a woman in loose blue pajamas with penguins all over it should have been so sexy. Her hair was a tousled bedhead, and I wondered if she would look like that in my bed after a night of passion. My fingers bit into my palm as I resisted the urge to grab her and run my hands through those messy strands.

Lacey lifted her glasses off of her nose and rubbed at her eyes. She blinked sleepily at me. "It's not your fault. It takes me a while to get used to sleeping in a new bed. I'm a bit of a night owl."

I smiled. "I hereby welcome you as a member of the insomniac's club."

She sniffed the air and then padded over to the oven and glanced in the window. The oven light inside was on, so she could see the dough rising in the bowl. "Are you baking some bread?"

"A simple sourdough boule."

Lacey shook her head. "There's nothing simple about what you do." She paused. "It's magic to me."

Turning to the espresso machine, I cleared my throat and hid the tingle of pleasure I felt under her words. All the awards and accolades I gained as a world-famous baker failed to compare to her simple words.

"Would you like some coffee? The bread needs time to proof before it's ready to be baked. I can show you how to shape the dough."

"I would like that. Midnight coffee and a snack. You sure know your way to a woman's heart."

"Is through her stomach and her caffeine addiction," I added as I made our coffees.

I joined her at the kitchen counter and we fell into a comfortable silence as we enjoyed our coffees.

"Have you decided the route you're going to take when you publish your novel?" I asked.

Lacey shrugged. "Self-publishing would mean I retain all the rights to my work, but it's hard getting publicity as a first-time author. A traditional publisher would mean I get marketing support, but as a new author, the contract terms are not going to be favorable."

I nodded. She had a kind soul and a gentle heart, and despite her naive appearance, Lacey had a sharp mind for business. She was my ideal woman. If only she wasn't human and my employee.

"Whatever you decide to do, I can have my lawyers look over the legal contracts when you're ready."

Surprise lit up her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.

I shrugged. "Your first step in business is the most important one you take. It's best to get off on the right foot."

My phone vibrated, buzzing on the counter. "The dough's ready to be shaped. Are you ready for your first baking lesson?"

Lacey set her cup down and nodded. She jumped to her feet. "Yes, sir. Ready and willing."

I bit back the groan in my throat. My cock sprung to life at her words, tenting my gray sweatpants. There was no hiding my reaction from her. Shit. Thinking quickly, I motioned at the cups. "Why don't you clear the prep area while I go find some aprons for us."

I waited until she was busy at the dishwasher to disappear into the linen closet and retrieve an apron for both of us. Tying the black apron over my front, I fought to bring myself under control before I returned to the kitchen.

---