Page 5 of Candy Coated Curves

Roni’s fingers curl into my plaid shirt, right at my belly and I feel like an idiot for wanting to suck in my gut. It’s not like I can hide my stomach from her. She knows what I look like.

And really all I’m thinking about is the fact that this girl’s hands are on me and she’s a virgin. I have to get some physical space between us before I do something we both regret. I grab her hand and remove it from my body, then take three steps backwards.

“Is what he said true?” I ask.

She swallows and nods.

“Nothing to be ashamed about, Roni, you hear me?”

“Thanks for coming over to help. He kinda gives me the creeps.”

I rub at the back of my head. “Yeah, about that. Only problem is now everyone is gonna think we’re a couple.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I finally recognized who he is. That’s Janice McClay’s nephew which is why I didn’t think of his name right away. He only spent a year or two here. But his aunt—”

“Is the biggest gossip in town,” Roni fills in.

“Yep,” I say.

“Would it be so bad for everyone in town to think we’re dating?” she asks.

Fuck no. I wish I could claim her in front of the whole goddamn town. But she deserves so much better than an ugly old bastard like me.

She chuckles, puts a hand on my arm. “Nash, are you okay? You look a little terrified.”

“You don’t know what you’re getting into. Playing pretend is a dangerous game.”

“Have you pretended to date a lot of women in town?” she asks.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” What I really mean is that everyone will know I’m not pretending anything, that I’m head over ass in love with this woman. Instead I say, “No one is going to believe you and I are actually dating for real.”

She shoots me a glare and pops her fists on her hips. Goddamn she’s delicious. “You think you’re too good for me? You think, because you’re a successful businessman and I’m just some Latina who couldn’t cut it at college, that we don’t belong together?”

I’m already shaking my head. That fiery temper of hers makes me smile. “No, because you’re gorgeous and I’m an old fart.”

She laughs. “Oh my God, you are so ridiculous. You are not an old fart. Don’t you know that silver foxes are in?”

She takes a step closer to me, reaches up and touches my beard, then brushes the hair over my ear.

“The hints of grey and silver in your hair are stupid hot. There’s nothing about you that’s old fart. You’re a sexy beast, Nash.”

“A sexy beast?” I repeat.

“Oh yeah. At least I think so.”

“Roni, you’re playing with fire right now and you need to step back.”

Her lips part and a small gasp falls from them. I want nothing more than to crowd my big body into her and kiss her like my life depends on it. Her phone rings, breaking the spell, and I’m able to walk away. I go back to my fudge to check on how things are, and remarkably, I had gotten to a place in the process where it’s just hardened. It’s not as pretty as it normally is, but it’ll still taste the same. We can actually sell this batch to Sprinkles, the ice cream shop down the street, and they can heat and serve it on their sundaes.

“What?” Roni says into the phone. “Are you serious? What is wrong with him? I mean surely there’s someone else he could chase around on break.” She sighs. “Yeah, thanks for the heads up.” She hangs up and slides the phone into the pocket on the side of her leggings, which I hadn’t noticed until now.

“Your leggings have pockets?” I ask, like a complete dumb ass.

She spins around to face me. “Some do.”

I nod to the pocket. “What was the call?”

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