Page 18 of Tempt

Shaking off the thoughts I follow her to the kitchen where she pulls out a bag of popcorn and pops it into the microwave.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Sure,” I watch as she moves across the kitchen to the refrigerator and opens the door. When she bends over I have to look away.

“That’s twice now I’ve managed to catch you eyeing her derriere.”

Hanging my head at the sound of Lily Mae, I chuckle and this time I don’t feel embarrassed. Quickly I’ve learned that she has no filter, and something tells me she’s a fan of my interest in her granddaughter.

“Gran,” Kyra complains, and her grandmother laughs.

“What?”

The microwave beeps indicating the popcorn is ready and I stand back while Kyra and her grams doctor it up with butter and then grab the drinks.

“Now what are we watching?” Kyra and I share a look and then the three of us gather in the living room, turning on the movie.

“Oh, I love this one.” Grams gets comfy rubbing her hands together. “I can think of a couple people I’d love to purge.”

I glance over at Kyra; she covers her mouth with her hand, and I am surprised by their choice of movie and by Grams. The woman is vicious, and I make note never to get on her bad side.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Kyra

“It’s literally three doors down.”I stand in the middle of Sugarland dining area, staring at my Gran and Casey who are watching me from behind the counter. “What can happen in broad daylight in the middle of town? It's my morning coffee treat, not a hike in the middle of a deserted field.”

Gran doesn’t even crack a smile, not a twitch.

“Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m playing?”

No, she did not.

“So can one of you go with me then?” I can’t remember a day in several months that I hadn’t walked down to the coffee shop once they opened and I got myself a yummy latte, enjoying the morning air on my way back to Sugarland. It’s been mymetime before the bakery opens and the rush begins.

Starting out at four a.m. so that all the treats we serve are fresh makes my days long. I need my coffee.

“Darlin’, I got something baking in the oven,” Gran says. “And Casey is cleaning the cases and getting them ready for opening.”

“So then what, I just don’t go?” I throw my hands up in the air. “This is ridiculous, I’m going.”

I turn around reaching out to push open the door when it opens and there on the opposite side stands Garrett. Obviously wearing work clothes. His jeans are worn and stained even if they’d been washed. His shirt fits him tightly, the muscles in his arms bulging beneath the material.

“Morning,” he says, the corner of his mouth tipping up in a smile.

“Hey,” I glance back at Gran and Casey who are now smiling brightly, the exact opposite of the stern looks they were just offering me.

“You ready?”

“Um, uh, excuse me.” I swear if my Gran did what I think she did I would lock her in the basement. This better be more of a coincidence than some babysitting setup.

“Coffee?” Garrett says with wrinkled brows.

I look back over my shoulder and Gran doesn’t even attempt to hide her satisfied smile. “You get me one of those Caramel frappes too,” she waves us on and my cheeks heat.

Garrett holds open the door and when I step outside to meet him, I apologize. “I’m sure you coming into town to babysit wasn’t on the agenda and I’m sorry she made you feel like you had to.”

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