Page 10 of Ryder
“Like…” She gestures vaguely with her thermometer. “Like you’re thinking about something other than oven temperatures.”
The air crackles between us. “Maybe I am.”
Her breath catches. For a long moment, we just look at each other across the flour-dusted counter. I could kiss her, I think.Right now. Just lean in and finally find out if she tastes as sweet as she looks.
Then a timer goes off again, and the moment shatters.
“I should…” She gestures at the oven. “And it’s late, and you probably have early ranch work, and…”
“Right.” I step back, shoving my hands in my pockets before they can do something stupid like pull her close. “Need anything else?”
“No, I’m good.” But she won’t quite meet my eyes. “Thanks for helping.”
“Anytime, sugar.” I mean it more than I should. “Anytime.”
I make myself leave before I can do something foolish like tell her exactly how much I like having her in my kitchen. How right she looks there. How much I want her to stay.
The night air helps clear my head, but I can still smell vanilla on my clothes. Still feel the ghost of her hip bumping mine. Still see that flush creeping up her neck when I stepped close.
Jake’s right. I’m in trouble.
Chapter 5
Dana
The first rays of sunrise paint Ryder’s ranch in shades of gold, and I’m already elbow-deep in cookie dough. After a restless night thinking about strong hands and heated looks over baking thermometers, I gave up on sleep around four AM.
At least the oven behaves exactly as my late-night testing predicted. Even if thinking about last night’s “testing” makes my cheeks heat.
“Something smells amazing.” Elena’s voice makes me jump. She stands in the doorway with two coffee cups, looking far too knowing. “Thought you might need this.”
“You’re an angel.” I grab the coffee like a lifeline. “How’s the bakery?”
“Underwater. Literally.” She hops onto a barstool, watching me shape cookie dough. “Elise is on the phone with the insurance people now. Rhett’s got his crew coming in to look at the structural damage.”
“Has she said anything about...” I trail off, not wanting to voice my fears about job security with the bakery closed.
“About keeping you on? Dana, please. You’re the best thing that’s happened to that kitchen since she bought the place. She’s already working on plans to keep filling orders somehow, all the way from a tropical island.”
Before I can respond, my phone buzzes with Elise’s ringtone.
“Speaking of...” I wipe my hands and answer. “Hi Elise. Yes, I... what? Oh no. I’ll be right there.”
Elena raises an eyebrow as I hang up.
“The insurance adjuster needs the exact model numbers of all the equipment,” I explain, already reaching for my coat. “And apparently there’s some confusion about our specialty inventory. Elise sounds ready to commit murder.”
“I’ll drive you,” Elena offers. “Jake’s headed that way anyway to help Rhett’s crew.”
But as we head to her truck, I catch a glimpse of Ryder by the fence line. Even from here, I see the tension in his shoulders, the focused intensity of each swing of the hammer.
Elena’s earlier words echo in my head: He likes you. A lot.
Maybe enough to risk everything for?
I push the thought away. We have a crisis to handle. Everything else—including the way my heart jumps every time Ryder looks at me—will have to wait.
Hearts & Grinds looks like a war zone. A very wet, very expensive war zone. The insurance adjuster—a pencil-thin man named Mr. Peterson who clearly hasn’t smiled since 1987—makes disapproving noises at his clipboard.
