Page 22 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

She frowned. “Uh, I’m not sure. There’s a card attached.”

On top of the brightly colored packaging was a small white rectangle. “Mmm.”

“I, uh. Is Ms. Sulton here? I need to deliver this before it melts. It’s incredibly hot today and the instructions were clear to deliver it gift wrapped. Normally we deliver our product with small ice packs if it’s not going to be opened right away, but we were assured Ms. Sulton would be home at this time.”

I frowned. My gaze searched the street for other vehicles that might be watching the house.

The girl visibly swallowed. “So, can I leave this with you? I have other deliveries today and...”

“Who’s at the door?” Jess called from the top of the stairs, her gaze immediately going to the young girl standing outside the door. “Oh, my gosh! I love your chocolates!” Jess ran down the steps and rushed to the door.

My arm jutted out, wrapping around her waist before she could dash past me. “Did you order something?”

Jess’s brows drew together as she looked up at me. “No.”

“I, uh, Ms. Sulton... this is for you.” The girl lifted the box with an uneasy smile.

“Yes, of course. Hold on one second.” Jess dashed away from me and to a nearby table, pulling out three twenty-dollar bills. “Here. Thank you so much.” I knocked Jess’s hand out of the way as she reached for the box.

I couldn’t tell who looked more surprised, Jess or the delivery girl. “She has allergies,” I replied. “Can’t have her touching this stuff until we know what it is.”

Jess gave a slight laugh that, to the casual observer, would have sounded genuine. I knew better. “Silly me. Good thing you’re here to remind me.” She stood up on tiptoe and placed a light kiss on my lips.

I froze. The breath I’d drawn now stuck in my lungs.

Fuck.I wanted more than the brush of her lips and with the way my cock jumped at that slight touch, it did too.

Forcing myself to exhale, I grunted and gave a tight smile. With one hand back around Jess’s waist, I used the other to take the box from the delivery girl and kicked the door shut.

“Alden, what the fuck? The least you could’ve done is said goodbye or something. Where are your manners?”

I shrugged and headed into the kitchen.

Gage met me there. “Security cleared the van and the driver. They’re legit.”

“Of course they are. They don’t just let anyone in here.” Jess grumbled next to me.

“Who would send you chocolates, Jess?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

I grabbed gloves and a plastic bag. Carefully opening the envelope, I pulled out the small, plain white card inside. The only words written inside were:

Thinking of you.

While innocent sounding enough, each word grated on my nerves, and the tiny hairs at the back of my neck lifted, reminding me this wasn’t as simple as it appeared. Whoever wrote this was sending Jess a message.

“Call the shop,” I said to Gage.

He pointed to the phone at his ear. “Already on it.”

Jess moved closer to me.

I stared her down. “Jess...”

“What?” Her brow creased in confusion.

“Back. Off.” I didn’t know what was in there and I didn’t want her to get hurt.

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