Page 137 of The Reluctant Wife

His jaw tics.

“Not that you were alive when the Titanic sank.” I cough. “EvenIknow you’re notthatancient.”

A nerve pops at his temple. That’s not a good sign, is it?Zip your lips. Just shut up already.

"Not that I'm implying you're old or anything.” I try to contain my laughter and end up snorting—ugh, bad habit. “The grey in your hair adds to your distinguished appearance. Besides, you’re only fifteen years older than me."Oh no, I don’t think that makes it better.

The veins on his throat stand out in relief. I try to swallow, but my throat is so dry, it feels like sharp knives line my gullet. I flick out a tongue to wet my lips, and his eyes gleam. He watches my mouth with a rapacious gaze. Every part of his body seems to have turned to stone. Watching me with such intensity, he seems to have turned into a predator who’s planning every possible way to jump me. If he had a tail, I think it’d be swishing from side to side.

The silence deepens. It doesn’t stop me from shaking a finger at him. "You, mister, need a crash course in pop culture. Although, I suppose, I shouldn’t expect someone who has grey at his temples to have a sense of the zeitgeist."

"The fuck you prattling on about?" he bites out through gritted teeth.

"Whoa, hold on, no need to show me your horns."Although, I’d love to see the one between your legs."In fact, you look so angry, I'm expecting you to breathe fire at any moment."You can turn into a dragon and carry me away anytime."And seriously, you should taste this." I push the plate with the moist, pink-and-white, fig-shaped shortbread in his direction. It has abutton between the lips made of edible silver leaf and there’s glitter around it.

"My desserts are awesome; one bite, and you’ll be a convert." I nod.

He stares.

"Unless you’re worried you’ll get addicted to my Sweet Bits." I tip up my chin.

Did I saymysweet bits? I did saymysweet bits. "I meant the dessert that I’ve named Sweet Bits, notmysweet bits." I hear my words, and argh, didn’t mean for them to sound so… provocative. But I’m not going to apologize for that. Hell no.

"Well? You going to taste it or what?" I scowl.

He must see the challenge in my eyes and, alpha male that he is, of course, he doesn’t back down. Without taking his gaze off of my face, he licks the cream from the hollow in the center. A thousand little fires flare to life under my skin. I swallow; my breath grows shallow. He bites down on one of the plump lips, and a shiver grips me. I clutch at the edge of the counter. The pulse at the base of my throat speeds up. And when he pops the other lip into his mouth, I gulp. He brings his thumb and forefinger to his mouth and sucks on them, and a breathy moan leaves my lips.

"Not bad." He shrugs.

I stare. "What do you mean,not bad?!Thatis my best-seller.”

"It was okay.” He looks down his nose from his superior height. “I admit, the names you give your baked goods are creative, but I’m not sure that’s enough for me to approve the takeover."

"Takeover?" I stiffen. "Who’s talking about a takeover?"

“It’s the only way I’d consider investing in your business.”

“I only need help,” I say through gritted teeth.

“That’s putting it mildly. I reached out to the bank you took the loan from?—”

“You reached out to my bank?” I burst out.

“You don’t think I’d be here without due diligence?—”

I cut in, “The terms of my deal with them are confidential.” I lock my fingers together.

“Not when you’re about to go bankrupt. When they realized the Davenport Group was considering an acquisition?—”

“An investment; a loan; that’sallI’m looking for. Something to tide me over and buy me some time until I get back on my feet.”

“Keep fooling yourself. You might be a good baker?—”

“So you did like my dessert,” I declare in a triumphant voice.

“—but you’re not a businessperson, by any stretch of the imagination.”

Oh, my god! What I wouldn’t give to wipe that smug look off his face.

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