Page 20 of Needing You

He walked away, and I couldn’t help but watch him go. His long, muscular frame looked so good in his signature dark tee and jeans, but there was something about the way he carried himself that promised he’d look good in anything. Or… nothing at all. He’d been sexy as hell when I’d seen him naked as a teenager, but with the years of experience and muscles he’d gained since then, he’d probably be an even better—

“No,” I whispered out loud, shaking my arms out as I stared at the aisle he’d just walked down.

It wouldn’t do me any good to think about Will Walker as a lover. That version of him could stay firmly in my past. Now, he was simply the father of my child, and one I’d wronged to the point that he’d likely never trust me again. Better to not wander down the path of yearning for more with him. Even if we did give into temptation and fall into bed together, that lack of trust would mean that was all that it could ever be, and that wasn’t fair to anyone. Least of all Jackson, who’d probably suffer the most if we tried to be anything other than… What had Will said? Oh, yes.Amicable.

I’d be nothing but amicable with Will Walker. No matter how much my body—or my dumb heart—wanted more.

10

WILL

Kate slipped into the seat across from me andshit, I looked at her tits again. She wore a white fitted tank top and jeans. Nothing fancy. Nothing that should be all that alluring, but the shape of her…

Fuck me.

I shouldn’t have this kind of reaction to her, but back at the store, when my eyes had snagged on her top as she leaned over the cart, all I could think of was her leaning over me. All I wanted was to shove the cart out of the way and back her up into the endcap of Apple Jacks and feel her against me, press my hips between her thighs and slide my hands into her hair and up her shirt. Or down her shirt.

Really, either way.

“What’s your order?” she asked, nodding toward my coffee cup.

My lust-fogged brain scrambled for words.Words, idiot!“Uh, just black. You?”

“Same.”

“Really? I thought you had a sweet tooth. I figured you’d have it doctored with a bunch of cream and shit. Or maybe a vanilla latte or frappe or something.”

She shook her head. “Nope. Drip coffee’s cheaper.” Her cheeks reddened and I’d bet money she regretted mentioning the cost. Instead of acknowledging that, she pressed on. “Plus, black coffee goes better with sweets.”

I grinned. “See? Sweet tooth. I wasn’t totally wrong.”

She shook her head, but I saw the reluctant smile. “Yeah, well I’m not usually the one eating the sweets since I take orders for them, but sure. I do still love baking.”

“You make stuff for other people? Were those cupcakes we had at your place from an order?” Because damn, those were good. I wasn’t big on dessert, but I’d eaten one in two bites, and the only regret I’d had was that it was gone too soon.

“Yeah. I do a lot of birthday orders—cupcakes and cakes. Those were some practice designs for a princess birthday. And then I sell orders to the bakery when they have specific things they need.” She smiled down at her coffee and picked at the cardboard sleeve.

“That’s awesome. The one I had was great, and they looked very… princessy.” Actually, they’d just been pretty. Pink and gold swirl with perfectly piped icing.

“Princessy? That’s your professional assessment?”

“Absolutely. Highest possible praise.”

She grinned into her drink before taking a sip. I made the ridiculously difficult choice not to enjoy watching her mouth as she drank. Instead, I focused on the information she shared. So far, she’d been tight-lipped—andfuck, could I not stop with thinking about her perfect goddam mouth?

“So you must do a lot of baking if you’re doing orders for parties and selling to the bakery. Now all that powdered sugar and butter makes more sense.” It’d been obvious she was baking something, but I hadn’t fully registered how irregular that amount of butter would be for the average person. I was used to large quantities of butter as a chef and even the cooking I did at home, but in retrospect, it made a lot more sense that she was fulfilling larger orders.

“Yeah, I go through a lot, especially in summer and around holidays.”

“Have you ever thought about opening your own place?” It sounded like she had a lot of business.

A laugh tinged with frustration or maybe regret escaped her. “That’d be great, but it’s not been in the cards.”

When her eyes flicked up to meet mine, I swallowed hard. What a fucking idiot. Had I really just suggested she start a bakery as a single mom without any support? Granted, that’d been largely her choice, but still.

“Sorry, I didn’t think. I just wanted to make it clear I thought the cupcake was great, and I bet everything else you make is too.”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

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