Page 88 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

Now I was thoroughly confused. I scrolled down, and saw pictures I’d scheduled well before we left, ones that Lexi had posted for me. Still not seeing it, I lifted my eyes to meet his. “Alden, I’m not seeing the problem.”

“Look at the post from today,” he snapped at me.

I scrolled back up to the top. There were pictures I’d coached Ruby to take on her baking process, and of the finished product. All her delicious cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and everything else they had. “It looks yummy?”

He growled. “How did Lexi get them?”

“I had Ruby message them to her.”

His voice had gone down another octave, it was harder, colder. “And you thought this was a good idea.” It didn’t sound so much like a question as a statement. “Why the hell would you do this?”

I swallowed. “It’s linked to the other location, the one her grandmother runs. Not the one in Rhode Island.”

He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. Not enough to hurt me, he’d never hurt me, but to show me he was serious. “Jess, if you have that posted on your page, it’s pretty easy to send someone to either location to see if they can find you.”

Shit.“I hadn’t thought about that.”

He let go of me and slammed his hand down on the counter. “Damn it, Jess. I can’t keep you safe when you pull crap like this.”

“Alden. I didn’t do it on purpose.” I’d honestly thought I covered all my bases by linking the New York shop and only mentioning that we’d met at the marketplace.

“Are you sure about that?” His eyes had a wild look about them.

This was insane. I frowned at him, wishing he’d just make his damn point. “What are you insinuating?”

“You’re used to getting what you want. It didn’t matter that I’d asked you not to do it.”

I narrowed my eyes as fire raced through my veins. “Are you accusing me of lying to you? Of doing this to draw my stalker out?”

He didn’t say a word. His stern expression and narrowed gaze told me I wasn’t wrong.

I let out a feral little yell at him. It rubbed me the wrong way that he thought I’d lie to him or do the one thing he asked me not to do.

“I never said I wasn’t going to post things about Ruby’s bakery.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“So a lie of omission is okay too.” I hated the disappointment mixed with the anger that continued to swirl in his eyes. His reaction seemed extreme for one little post.

“No, I’m not saying that either. Alden, I feel like my head is spinning right now. Are you mad at me because you think I lied or because you think I’m putting myself in harm’s way?”

“Both,” he growled. His arms came down on either side of me, to cage me in against the countertop. “Don’t you get it?” He ran his nose along the side of my jaw.

“Get what?”

“It would destroy me if anything happened to you.”

And like that my anger melted away. I ran my hands up his chest, leaving them resting at the base of his throat. “I won’t purposely put myself in danger, Alden.”

“Promise me.” His lips nuzzled my ear as he barked out the harsh command.

I shivered at the light contact and the tone of his voice. “I promise.”

He nodded. “You can’t lie to me.”

I laid kisses against his collarbone. “I won’t.”

He rested his forehead against mine, his hands sliding down to grip my hips tight, yanking me to him. “I’m afraid of losing you, Jess. Even the thought of you being reckless with your life makes me go all caveman inside. It makes me want to protect you, keep you safe. And I can’t keep you safe if you don’t listen.”

“I’ve done everything you’ve asked,” I petted his chest. Soothing strokes to calm him.

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