Page 9 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

“So what is this thing? Or do I need to have top-level security clearance to know?”

Lexi made a face at me. “Ha. Remember I told you this area is also going to double as an event space in the evenings? Well, we’re having our first small wedding and reception here in a few weeks, and there are a lot of loose ends to tie up.”

I had a mouth stuffed full of pastry, so instead of talking, I loudly clapped my approval. Heads around us turned to look in curiosity.

“You’re a nut,” Lexi laughed. “I gotta go.” She gave me a side squeeze and returned to the back room.

I smiled and watched her go. I was so proud of her. She had worked so hard for so long, and it was finally paying off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone stand up and walk toward me.

“Hi, Nicole,” came a low sexy voice that sent pleasant shivers up my spine.

My eyes snapped to the voice and saw it was Dan.

“Dan,” I said solemnly. “Have you tried these pastries? Seriously, wow. My heart is now spoken for. Lexi’s pastries are my true love.”

Dan chuckled. “Mind if I?” he asked as he gestured to Lexi’s vacated chair.

I nodded and sipped my coffee, savoring what little I was allowed. Dan relaxed back into the leather chair, looking super chill in his faded jeans and flannel shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, and I was fixated on his arm hair glistening from a ray of sunlight beaming in through the window.

Maybe I should call him Lumberjack Dan or LumberDan. He had perfected the rugged manly look. I was digging all that he-man in one package. He may be a bit older than me, but he was scorching hot.

“If you’re off today and don’t have any plans, I make an excellent tour guide,” Dan offered with a big lazy smile.

My heart did a little flutter, which caused warning bells to go off in my head.Friend-zone him, Nicole. Anything more would end in misery for all when he finds out you’re pregnant.

“That would be great. I could use a friend,” I said.

Dan gave me that sexy smile again. “Okay, then, friend. When you’re finished eating every last crumb on your plate, we can go.”

“Don’t you have anything more important to do?” I asked.

“Nope. I try to keep my days pretty open when I’m not punching the time clock at the supermarket.”

Hmm, that sounded a little too unstructured for me. Maybe I was just used to the frantic pace of the people I knew in the city, but was his easy-going charm perhaps just laziness? I was being judgmental, wasn’t I?

We headed out into the late fall morning, and I stopped to inhale deeply. It smelled like wet leaves and earth with an overlay of coffee and cinnamon. I turned my face to the sun.

“Gotta get it before the gray days set in,” I said. “The air is so… so… fresh here.”

“That’s because you’re not in the city now. Welcome to Cooperstown,” he added, and we continued down the street.

“We’ll start with a walking tour of Main Street, and then we can continue on wheels.”

“I’ve been down Main Street before, but with a specific destination, so I’m sure I missed the details.”

“You’re in luck. I’ve made it my mission to know the history of this town, and in the process, I’ve learned a lot about the people who call it home.”

We strolled along companionably as he pointed and talked. He had a knack for making the town’s history interesting and was good at telling me about people in a way that wasn’t gossipy.

I genuinely enjoyed it all and was happy the conversation hadn’t turned personal. Dan seemed fine with being friend-zoned, so maybe the attraction was all on my side.

After we’d hit the high points within walking distance, he looked over at me. “Ready to see some of the spots farther away?”

“Sure, assuming you’re a good driver and there are no outstanding warrants for your arrest.”

He stopped abruptly at the curb and pointed. “You okay with that?”

I looked where he was pointing at a motorcycle that gleamed like it had just been washed and waxed.

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