Page 53 of A Taste of Trouble

Chapter Thirteen

It was the perfect day to hide inside. The winter air was cold and damp, chilling right down to the bone, so Liv was excited about her decision to bring Jake to the bakery.

They walked up to the freshly painted white door covered by the brown awning, which had accumulated a large amount of long, jagged icicles. She made a mental note to remove those before she opened the doors tomorrow.

Jake traced his finger along the white writing on the front window and smiled. “Great name. Great logo. It's not forgettable. That will help you in the long run with repeat business.”

She appreciated his comments. Branding and advertising were what he did best. She'd be smart to take advice from him if he ever offered.

Liv slid the key into the lock. After a few jiggles, it gave way—it must have swelled from the cold—and they entered the bakery. The jingle of the bell marked their presence. Immediately, they were greeted by the smell of fresh paint and a faint hint of chocolate. “Here we are.”

She scurried in and reached behind the curtain to turn on the lights while he closed the door, blocking out the air. Jake walked farther into the space as his head swiveled from side to side, taking in his surroundings. He circled the room, palming the top of the showcase, then brushed his hand across one of the stools.

“You really have a hard-on for pink.” His expression was misleading. He was scrutinizing, but the slight upturn at the side of his mouth indicated that he was amused.

Liv stepped behind the counter, running her hand across the smooth laminate. She poked her finger at him. “As if you don't have a pink dress shirt in that expensive wardrobe of yours.”

“Having one pink shirt makes me fashionable, not a girl.” Jake moved closer to the counter.

“I knew it!”

“You, my friend,” he moved in closer, “are going overboard.”

Friend?

Instead of dwelling on the negative, she shook it off. “Overboard? Pink is supposed to make people think of sugar and sweetness. Exactly the types of thoughts that make people want to buy baked goods.”

“If that's the intention, then you're going to have a very successful business.”

Liv couldn't tell if he was mocking. “You don't like it, do you?”

“I love it!” He looked at her with kind eyes. “This place is perfect. I meant that someone would never guess that you would be the type of person to love pink, since it does conjure images of sweetness.”

Liv knew what he meant and, unfortunately, he was right. He called it like he saw it. An admirable trait, but when it came to calling her out on the very things that would make him run in the opposite direction, she couldn't help but take it to heart.

He leaned forward and she studied his eyes and inhaled sharply when their lips almost touched. “But those would be the people who don't know you.” Nice save. “From what I've seen, this place fits you perfectly.”

With his lips so close, she went in for the kiss. She didn't quite know how to articulate what she was feeling. Even though they had now kissed many, many times, it still felt like the first time. Desire burned in her stomach, but she quickly checked herself. This wasn't the reason why they were here. She wanted to show him a different side—her real side.

As she pulled away, his gaze locked on hers. “Thank you for giving me a private showing.”

“Thank you for coming with me, but the day isn't over.” She cocked her head. “I have plans for us.”

“Is that right?” He looked at his watch. “You have until seven this evening to call the shots.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “Then it's my turn.”

Her stomach danced with anticipation. “Come with me. I'll show you the kitchen, and then you'll have no choice but to do everything I want.”

“If that kiss was any indication of what we're doing next, then yes, I will do anything you want.”

She sighed. Despite the thousands of hours spent in the kitchen baking her favorite things, she couldn't recall a single time when she'd been happier. With a wink, she grabbed his hand and led him behind the counter.

…

Two hours later, Liv and Jake pushed through the front door of her condo, bags in hand. He had been a good boy even though he was forced to spend over an hour in one of her favorite stores, which housed aisle upon aisle of baking accessories. She'd purchased a few new toys for the bakery, and Jake indulged every “oh” and “ah” that escaped her lips. Which made his stock skyrocket as far as she was concerned.

“You can put the bags over there by the sink.” She directed with a jerk of her chin as he followed her into the small kitchen.

After setting his bags down, Jake turned and rested against the counter, one foot crossed over the other in front of him. That sexy grin was going to be her undoing. He glanced at his watch. “By my count, you have a few hours left to call the shots.”

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