Page 37 of Single Mom's Secret Diary
Wyatt stomps into his office, unlocking it to enter and returning a few minutes later with a tray of chocolates. Placing it before me, he leans against the table and crosses his arms over chest. On day one, I might have thought he was being defensive, but he’s not being combative. He’s just awkward.
I take one of the squares and nibble it, eyes closed to process the flavor. It’s closer than when we started. Each batch is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a lingering bitterness that we can’t seem to get rid of.
My eyes open to Wyatt’s intense stare, but it’s not one of disappointment as it used to be when my face revealed that we still had work to do. Instead, his focus is on my mouth.
I lick my lower lip, and his nostrils flare, his gaze lifting to meet mine. The contact shoots through me.
After a few heartbeats and the slamming of something in the background, he jerks back to our surroundings, narrowing his eyes at Laurel before nodding at the partially-eaten chocolate in front of me.
“Verdict?”
“Those were the dark roast beans from Hau Giang?”
“Yes.” His hands squeeze like he wants to reach out for me.
“Have we tried their medium roast?”
Wyatt nods. “Left a greasy film on your tongue.”
“Can we mix the two? Pull back on the coconut oil.”
He blinks as he processes this. “I see where you’re going with that. Yes. We’ll do that next.”
Grabbing the tray, he stuffs it back in his office and waves me in. I sit across from him and cross my legs, knowing my skirt’s small slit will expose more of my thigh for him. He catches it immediately, leaning his palms against his desk and staring me down.
My smile makes his pale green eyes brighten, even as his pupils widen.
He slowly sits, like having me here and not being able to touch me is torture. “I have the ratios from the last two batches. Let’s compare numbers and come up with a few options for the next one.”
We look them over and play with the numbers, and I canfeelLaurel’s gaze on us for most of it. That woman really needs to get a life. I meet her glare as we leave his office—which he locks behind him—and walk into the store room to pick a different oil from our options.
It doesn’t take us long, but when we exit back to the lab, Ryder is there, chatting with Laurel. She tucks her hair behind her ear as she looks up at him, and his smile is infectious. As it always is.
He’s got a small lilac colored box with a bow in his hands.
When I step out, his attention shifts to me, and Laurel can tell. She glares over her shoulder before she touches his arm. He squeezes her shoulder back before heading my way.
From what I’ve seen of his flirting, the touch is mild.
Approaching me is another story. His hand is in my hair, and he slides it back to plant a kiss on my neck, coming behind me to present me with the box in his hand. He’s the complete opposite of Wyatt at the office.
But again, he’s known to be a flirt, so I’m not sure it’s at all unnatural for him.
I take hold of the box. “What’s this for?”
“A treat. Something to tempt you into an early dinner.” His mouth finds my ear. His breath is warm, sending shivers down my spine. “Or maybe a late one.”
Ryder is edging for a night over at my place. Or having me at his place. With Charlie, it’s just not a part of my schedule to spend time with him after work.
I turn my face toward him, close enough to easily lean in for a kiss, but I peer into his bronze eyes and let out one of my smallest smiles.
A grin breaks over his face before he retreats, clapping Wyatt on the shoulder and nodding him toward the door.
Ryder winks at me. “See you later?”
I laugh, agree, and wave him off. Wyatt looks me over before he follows Ryder out of the lab.
The stony silence left in their absence has me efficiently cleaning up. Putting ingredients back, testing that they’re closedtight and stored properly, and wiping off any residue that might contaminate the rest.
