Page 59 of Darling Obsession

He’s been studying every inch of the kitchen he can see, but his eyes finally meet mine.

“I can assure you,” he says in a low voice, “you don’t know what I’m thinking.”

I blink at him while my cheeks heat. Why did that sound so sexual?

Maybe it’s the guitar solo wailing behind me.

We’re still talking about my kitchen, right?

I swallow. “It’s messy, not dirty.”

“It’s chaos.”

“It’s not chaos,” I protest.

“How do you get any work done in that?”

I shrug uneasily. “Cakes are my passion. I can just focus on what’s in front of me, and everything else just… falls away.”

He stares at me. “I believe that’s called obsession.”

“It’s prioritizing.”

He’s silent for a long moment, and I know there’s something going on in that brain of his. I just don’t know what it is.

Problem solving?

“Hey, um, this is embarrassing.” It is, but since this might be my last chance to mention it, and I kind of forgot with all the drama going on… “I lost a diamond tennis bracelet at your place. I think. I don’t know for sure where I dropped it. But I got it at Holt Renfrew. It was pretty expensive.”

I don’t even want to admit that he actually paid for it. If I find it, I should really drop it off at his office.

He stares at me for a long moment, and I have no idea what he’s thinking. But I hope he’s not thinking this is just some ploy so maybe I get to see him again.

“I’ll have my staff alert you if they come across it.”

“Great.”

“I wish you luck, Quinn Monroe,” he says softly. I almost don’t hear it, under the blaring music. “With your bakery, I mean.”

Okay… He remembers what I told his family at dinner, about my dream of one day opening my own bakery? That’s kind of… sweet.

“Thank you.”I’ll need it.

“Goodnight, Quinn. And goodbye.”

“Yeah. Goodbye.”

I watch him walk across the backyard and get into the SUV, and for some reason, I hold my breath. He glances at me before he closes the door.

Then Harlan Vance drives out of my life, for good.

Chapter 10

Quinn

It’s just after dark and pouring rain as I dash out my front door with a Quinn’s Cakes box in hand. I’m making a run for the Uber that’s waiting for me at the curb, when a black SUV screeches up like a giant bat out of hell.

The rear door opens and Harlan lunges out, grabbing me.

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