Page 44 of Bound By Temptation

I kissed the top of her forehead. “Anything.”

Without giving her a second, I moved over to the beef, stirring it around adding some of the seasonings. Putting the other pot on the stove, she had this spicket that came out from the wall for water. I turned it on and filled up the pot, turning it on high to boil.

“Why do you come into the bakery every morning?” she asked, surprising me, but I continued stirring then adding in the tomatoes.

“You’ve got good coffee, but great fuckin’ lemon bars.”

I heard her chuckle. “That is true, but why, Ax? I want to know why for years you’ve come into my place, my space? I’ve left you alone, not bringing up our past. Why can’t you do the same for me?”

Turning, I made eye contact with her. “Needed to see you every day. Wanted to see you every day.”

“That makes no sense, Ax. What we had in high school was burned to the ground.”

We needed to talk about this, but I wanted to be sitting with her, focusing completely on me while we discussed our past. This didn’t seem as personal. I wanted to be able to touch her.

“We’ll talk about this. Promise you that. Let me finish dinner so we can sit together and talk. Me having my back to you half the time while talking isn’t how I want to do this.”

She cleared her throat. “I kinda like your back to me. Makes it easier.”

I smiled down at the sauce. “Yeah, but this shit isn’t easy. We’ll get there.”

“Seriously, Ax. Whatever.”

She was totally giving me attitude just because she didn’t know what else to do. It had been her fallback even when we were together before, but this time it had a bit more spice to it. It was fuckin’ sexy as hell.

“When did you decide to open the bakery and make cakes?” I asked, putting the pasta in the boiling water then giving it a stir.

“Really, Ax. Do you even want to know?”

Setting the spoon down, I leaned my hip on the counter and crossed my arms over my chest, staring her down. “Yes. I wanna know fuckin’ everything. From the moment you left to this moment now. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked.”

She lifted her glass and took a sip of her wine. Thinking. Contemplating. Hell, if I knew. “Just turn around, and I’ll talk.”

“Easier?”

“Yeah.”

“Only this time, Indie.” I turned to finish up the sauce and tasted it. Adding a few more spices, she finally began to talk, giving me a huff along the way.

Fuck, she was cute. If this made her talk, I’d do it.

“As if I want to tell you anything,” she growled, but then started. “After graduation, I needed to get as far away from Sumner as I could. Needed a new start. New life.”

Fuck, I’d done that to her. Fucking hated that.

“Ended up in Seattle, Washington if you can believe that.”

No, I actually couldn’t. That was on the other side of the country, and she liked the sunshine. Heard up there it rains a lot.

“It was always cloudy there, or at least it felt like it because when the sun shined it was like a vibrance came to the city. Truthfully, I loved it there. Even went to the University of Washington and got my degree.”

“Always knew you were smart. What did ya get for your degree?” I asked, giving the pasta another stir.

“Art and a minor in Business. I’d thought about taking online master classes before opening Fallon’s Bakery. Now I’m glad I didn’t. Even with grants and scholarships, college is not cheap.”

“Damn. That’s awesome, babe. Proud of ya.”

The only thing I could hear was her dog’s collar jiggling and Indie’s deep intake of breath.

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