Page 29 of Sweet Southern Heat

“What?”

She chuckled at my disbelieving expression.

“You have to release the air so you can knead it,” she explained.

“Seriously?” I asked skeptically.

“Yes, seriously.”

“So … I just … punch it?” What kind of alternate reality was I living in where I needed to ask this question while baking?

“Just punch it,” she replied with an encouraging nod. “Gently,” she added, as though afraid I might punch straight through the bowl.

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, I buried my fist into the center of the bowl.

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I shot her a flat look even though the teasing lilt to her tone was inexplicably arousing. What the hell was wrong with me? The giggle that followed had me growing hard in my board shorts.

I angled my hips away from her as far as I could without looking suspicious while she instructed me on how to properly knead bread. She offered gentle corrections and words of praise in equal measure. The act was oddly relaxing. We stood side by side, kneading dough until we had four prepared loaves. She covered them again and placed them on the counter next to the oven to proof before returning to the island with a damp cloth.

“Thanks for your help. That always makes my wrist ache,” she said as she began to clean up the excess flour. Guilt and remorse swelled in my chest until I couldn’t stand the pressure anymore.

“I believe you,” I blurted out before I could think better of it. She blinked up at me in confusion. “About the night of the accident. I-I should’ve told you before, but I was still coming to terms with it. And I wanted to talk to Lyle to see what he’d say when I confronted him about it, but he won’t return my calls.” I was rambling now, and I needed to stop, but the words just kept coming. “But I know my brother. I’ve seen the way he’s lied andschemed over the years. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s been lying about this too.”

“Landon,” she said, her voice cracking. Relief shone in her eyes as she turned to face me fully. There was a streak of flour on her cheek. I didn’t think; I just acted. My hand lifted to her face, and I brushed away the white smudge, letting my fingers linger on her skin. It was warm and soft beneath my touch. Her breath hitched, and I dropped my gaze to her plump, pink lips remembering how sweet she tasted.

I wanted to lean in and taste them again, but I held back. It was wrong, wanting my brother’s ex the way I did. He would never forgive me if he found out.

My desire warred with my resolve. I should back away now and let the fire that sizzled between us burn out. Once this week was over, I would no longer be subjected to the scent of vanilla that always seemed to cling to her skin or her vibrant smiles that rivaled the sun. The bakery reno was nearly complete. Everything could go back to the way it was, and I could pretend that kiss never happened.

Who was I kidding? I could never forget the way she moaned into my mouth or the scrape of her nails against my scalp. I could live a hundred years, and I’d still remember the feel of her soft curves pressed against my body until I took my last breath.

I searched her gaze for any hesitation, but all I found was heat. The hint of gold rimming her irises turned molten as her tongue darted out to wet her lips. My fingers itched to grip her by the waist and pull her in close to me. If we crossed that line again, there was no going back.

The back door flew open, and voices filtered in through the hallway. I dropped my hand and took a step away from her as she grabbed her cloth and began scrubbing at the countertop. Honey, JD, Lucy, and Wade came into the kitchen a moment later.

“Hey! What are you two up to?” Honey asked when she saw us. Our guilty expressions surely gave away what we were just doing.

“Kneading bread,” I said at the same time Olivia replied, “Cleaning up.” Honey’s gaze bounced between us before a satisfied smirk curved one side of her mouth. “Sounds likefun.” Her eyebrow quirked with that last word. She wasn’t buying our story. “Anyway…” Honey continued, plopping onto one of the stools at the island and focusing her attention on Olivia. “We came to see if you needed any help. You’ve practically been stuck in this kitchen since we got here. You should be out there having fun.” Honey pouted dramatically, jutting out her bottom lip. Olivia rolled her eyes but covered her mouth to hide her snicker. “Let us help, so you can actually enjoy your evening too.

“Alright,” she agreed and delegated different tasks to all of us. Within ten minutes, we had everything ready and were headed back to the beach. Wade built a fire, and we gathered around it, sipping beer and watching as the sun sank lower in the horizon. Olivia went inside occasionally to check on the food, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from her each time she got up to walk away or when she returned. I tried not to be obvious as she came and went, but JD caught me on more than one occasion. His knowing smirk told me we would be discussing this later. I took a long drag of my beer, already dreading that conversation.

Chapter 28

Olivia

The night bledinto the wee hours of the morning. I was pleasantly buzzed from the wine served at dinner as well as the two glasses I had afterward while we hung out with friends. Everyone began to disperse and head to their rooms. I dipped into the bathroom to prepare for bed, and when I came out, Landon was in the hallway just outside his room. I waited for him to say something, anything, to let me know I wasn’t the only one who felt the tension coiling around us. He’d been about to kiss me earlier. I just knew it. If our friends hadn’t interrupted us, his lips would’ve been on mine in a matter of seconds.

His gaze flicked down my body, taking in my bare legs and arms, settling on my breasts beneath the thin material of my cami. He quickly looked away, and his throat bobbed with a heavy swallow. My shoulders sagged in disappointment. He was still fighting his attraction to me. I couldn’t blame him. Even though he'd admitted he believed me over Lyle, I was still his brother’s ex-girlfriend. That was a line he clearly wasn’t willing to cross, no matter how badly we both wanted it.

Resigned, I headed for my door and heard him release a relieved breath as I reached for the knob. Before opening it,I turned and looked at him over my shoulder. His feet were rooted in place, his expression tight as his eyes met mine. Equal parts longing and trepidation swirled in the icy blue depths. He wanted me, but he wouldn’t let himself have me, and I wasn’t interested in fighting his conscience for his affection.

“Goodnight, Landon,” I said and disappeared into my room. Honey was already snoring lightly as she sprawled across her bed. She’d been tipsy when we came up here, giggling and stumbling up the steps, so I wasn’t surprised to see she didn’t bother to undress before collapsing on top of her covers. Grabbing an extra blanket from the closet, I spread it over her before climbing into my bed. I closed my eyes and willed sleep to come. Long minutes passed as I laid awake, unable to get the image of Landon while he held my face out of my mind. The way he looked at me had sent my heart rate into a gallop, and when he brushed his thumb over my cheek, I felt that caress across every square inch of my skin. His touch was electric, and it sent a pulse of arousal through my entire body.

I must’ve changed positions at least a dozen times and turned my pillow over in an attempt to get comfortable. But comfort wasn’t my problem. I was restless. My body hummed with need, but I’d be damned if I took care of business myself with images of Landon playing in my head, especially with my best friend only feet away.

Finally, I had enough and threw the covers off my legs. I padded silently across the room and slid open the glass door that led to the balcony overlooking the lake. Moonlight glittered over the surface, creating a peaceful backdrop that instantly relaxed me. I leaned over the railing and inhaled deeply through my nose. The air was clean and refreshing, and the tepid breeze cooled my overheated skin.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” a deep voice asked from the shadows. I whirled around and found Landon sitting on one ofthe chaise lounges. He was mostly hidden with the barest hint of moonlight illuminating his figure. It had been so long since I’d stayed at the lake house that I forgot these rooms shared a balcony. His presence in this place where I usually felt the most at peace both surprised and unnerved me.

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