Page 13 of Bound By Temptation

“Where do you work again?”

“Over at Georgia State Bank in Dawson.”

I nodded and took another bite and wiped my mouth with a napkin. “That’s the thing with owning your own business. You don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself. And that side of me can be a bitch sometimes.”

He full-out laughed. “What does she bitch about?”

“Everything. The floors didn’t get cleaned good enough, the cake fell, the cupcakes were put in the cooler without any frosting; you know, all that fun stuff.”

“Sounds like a royal pain for you.”

“She is. She tried to get me to do math, but I refused. No math here,” I teased, making him laugh deep which egged me on. “I mean, come on; cups I’m great with, but balancing all the books? No thank you.”

“Math is a part of life unfortunately, but it’s how I make my living. Or writing loans documents. None of which is fun or exciting.”

Swallowing down my bite, I liked the banter between us. “Which is why my sister does it for me. Then I can create, bake, and have fun. It was the point of me starting the business in the first place.”

“I admire that. Unfortunately for me I don’t have a talent I’m great at to open my own place. Part of the working force I am.”

I swiped the napkin across my face. “I realize I’m lucky. Very lucky actually. If I didn’t have my family here to help and support me, I’m not sure I’d have made it. They’ve been a huge part of my ability to make this bakery the success it is today.”

“I love how close you are with your family.”

A smile came across my lips. “We are. How about you? Are you close with yours?”

It had been a curiosity of mine for a while, but I never had an opportunity like this to ask him.

His head shook. “Some distant cousins, but no one I’m close with.”

This shocked me. “Your parents? Siblings?”

“Don’t have a clue who my dad is. Mom passed about six years ago in a car accident. I only had a brother, but he’s gone too.”

My heart broke for the man. I put my food down, cleaned off my hand, and put it on top of his, giving him a squeeze. “I’m so sorry. That had to be hard.”

He turned his hand around and held mine just the same. The touch didn’t feel intimate, but it did feel powerful as if he was telling me something he had trouble expressing.

Blaine’s smile felt a bit forced, but it was there all the same. “Thanks. It has been, but I’m good.”

I tried pulling my hand away after giving his another squeeze, but he held it tight, and my eyes shot up to his.

“Give me one more minute,” he asked low, and I could feel the pain coming from him. Therefore we kept our hands together.

Once he released me, I teased, “Not that I mind holding your hand and all, but this burrito is screaming my name.”

He chuckled. "Please eat.”

I dug back in as did he. At the last bite, he asked, “Good? Are you full?”

My hands crumbled up the paper and tossed it to the table. I grabbed my stomach, feeling how full it was. “Now I’m gonna have to clean up and get home so I can sleep.” The fatigue of the day was officially starting to pull me under.

“Let me help,” Blaine responded, getting up grabbing all the garbage and tossing it in the trash.

“Thanks.”

He looked over at the cake a bit puzzled. “So, what do we have to do here?”

On a smile, I got up and moved over to the cart we had on wheels. “We put this wax paper over the top of it.” I handed him the box that was on the side of the dino. “Then we put it on here and roll it into the fridge. The rest of this I’ll put in one of the tubs I have, and Marley will take care of it later.”

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