Page 43 of Don't Leave Me

“And we’ve been fine. I'm not saying don’t reach out if you match with someone, I'm just saying don’t hold your breath. They might not want to talk to you, Syd.”

The phone rings in Sydney’s office and she rushes off to answer it, leaving me alone with Sophia.

Sophia pops her tray in the oven, then washes her hands. She flips her head over and gathers her long hair before securing it in a high ponytail. She looks adorable with the ends swishing around her shoulders as she moves around.

I hop off the counter and stalk over to her. She’s already working on something else. She’s been like a machine since she entered this kitchen. I know Sydney had a lot of orders, but I can't imagine there can be that many more to do with how quickly and seamlessly they’re working together.

I snake an arm around her waist and lean down to press a soft kiss to the side of her neck. I couldn’t wait a second longer. Just seeing her bare neck was making me crave kissing her there.

“Peck, I'm trying to work,” she groans.

“Yeah, but I'm trying to kiss you,” I murmur against her skin.

“Your sister is watching us.” She giggles.

“She’s in her office, plus I couldn’t care less. Will you at least stay over again tonight so I can spend some time alone with you?”

“I'm not sure you could keep me away,” she whimpers as I suck on the soft skin right behind her ear.

“Then I’ll sit on the counter like a good boy and watch you work.” I release my hold on her and hop back onto the cool metal.

“You could just help us.”

“I’ll box things up when they’re ready. That’s normally my specialty. I can cook, but I can't bake, sweetheart.” I wink at her.

“He’s not wrong! He nearly burnt down my shop last time he tried to help. He’s allowed to decorate, but that’s it. He’s surprisingly good at decorating.” Sydney rolls his eyes. “It drives me crazy. And he’s a master at making recipes taste better!”

“What’s this?” I ask as Sophia places a tiny box in front of me and Sydney.

“Open it and find out.” She grins and takes a step back.

Lifting the lid, I find a piece of baklava and a beautifully decorated cupcake. I peek up at Sophia through my lashes and grin.

“This looks delicious, babe.”

“Thank you, but let’s wait and see what you think after you eat it.”

“Oh my gosh!” Sydney groans, letting her head fall backwards. I stare at her with a grimace. “What are you staring at me for?”

“I never want to hear that noise come out of your mouth again.” I take a step away from her, making Sophia giggle. “Sisters shouldn’t make that noise. However, Sophia’s free to do it whenever she wants.”

“Sophia’s someone’s sister,” Sydney points out. “Three someone’s in fact.”

“First off, don’t remind me. Second, she’s not my sister, so it doesn’t count.”

“Should I call Jax, Cody, and Wyatt? I could ask for their opinions.” Sophia smiles up at me sweetly.

“Not unless you want my face bashed in. Something tells me they wouldn’t hesitate to drive here and beat me up.”

“Holy crap, this icing!” Sydney stares down at the cupcake like it’s the most delicious thing she’s ever eaten.

“Will you stop shoving things in your mouth so fast? I haven’t gotten a chance to taste any of it yet.”

“It’s not my fault you won't stop yapping,” she mumbles around the massive bite of cupcake she’s chewing.

“And you wonder why your children chew like cows,” I mutter under my breath. “They learned it from you.”

I lift the baklava to my lips and take a big bite of it. It’s crispy and buttery, full of flavor, with the perfect amount of honey. I eye Sophia as I chew, wondering how she learned to bake like this. This is a gift she’s been given and she needs to share it with the world.

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