I didn’t wait to see if he was coming to open my door; I did it myself and when I stepped out, he was right in front of me. I stared up at him scared that I had made a mistake, sad because I was already missing him and he was right in front of me.
“Henley,” he said in a low voice.
“Yes?”
He took a deep breath. “Stop looking at me like that or your baking isn’t going to get done. Hillya will show up here looking for it and find me fucking your hot little ass on the counter. Do you understand?”
My face flushed and my eyes went wide but I managed a nod.
“Good. Go inside and get your stuff done. Then come back to my place,” he said as he brushed a stray hair that was blowing into my face back.
“Okay,” I whispered.
He groaned and stepped away from me. “Go inside.”
I started to say something and he shook his head no and pointed at the house. The gleam in his eyes was a warning. One that made all my worries vanish. Smiling, I grabbed my bag and turned and headed for the house.
When I was inside and the door was closed behind me, I looked back to see his truck lights come on as he pulled out of the driveway. My cheeks hurt from grinning so big. He wanted me to come back. Which meant I needed a shower and to change. I glanced at the clock and hurried to start on my baking. While the banana loaf was in the oven, I got a quick shower. Then I put the muffins in and shaved my legs. When the granola was baking, I brushed my teeth and changed into a pair of cut off jean shorts and a red tank top.
Slipping on my sandals, I loaded the items in the car and headed to take them to work. I was only five minutes later than I normally delivered when I walked into the back door of the shop. Hillya was covered in flour, and Emily was icing some cinnamon rolls.
“Good morning,” Hillya said, smiling at me.
Emily grunted. She was not good with getting up this early.
“Good morning,” I replied and placed the items on the counter. “I didn’t try anything new this morning. This is some of the regular stuff that sells out.”
“I just appreciate you doing this on your days off. I need you to write down these recipes, so I can get someone in here to help me and you can have a real day off,” Hillya said.
Thinking about this morning and having to leave Saul’s bed, I decided that needed to be moved up the list of things to do. The idea of still being tucked in his bed with him made me wish I’d done it sooner.
“I’ll work on that,” I told her.
Hillya looked up from the bowl she was stirring. “Good!”
I said my goodbyes and headed outside. Soon, I was going to have to ask Hillya about Rebel. Just not today. Things with Saul were new. I was happy and I wanted to enjoy it. I wasn’t sure how long this thing with us was going to last. Being with Saul was all I wanted to think about for now. It was as if I had a break from reality when I was with him.
Twenty-Five
It was a little after seven when I pulled into Saul’s driveway. I had brought another bag with a swimsuit and towel in case it was needed but left it in the back seat. Before I was halfway to the door, it opened with Saul leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest and watching me. He had been looking for me. My chest felt warm and other things I was too afraid to label.
When I reached him, he held out a hand to me and I went willingly toward him. He kissed me then. The way I had wanted him to kiss me this morning. The kiss that said he too enjoyed last night. I went up on my tippy toes and kissed him back with all the emotions that I wouldn’t speak. Not yet. Maybe never. It all depended on him and how this played out.
“I gotta get to work. Can y’all go suck face somewhere else?” Rio asked, and I pulled back to look over Saul’s shoulder at Rio.
Saul didn’t take his hand off my waist but stepped back and took me with him. “Mornin’,” he said to Rio as we walked by him.
“Looks like a fucking good one for you,” Rio replied.
“It is,” Saul shot back at him.
I heard Rio laugh and then the door closed. Saul looked at me then. “You want go back to sleep?” he asked me.
I thought of getting back in his bed with him and I couldn’t think of anything more I wanted to do. “Do you?” I asked him.