ChapterFive
“And you just ran out of there?”
“What else was I supposed to do, Sasha?” I ask her, rolling my eyes. Not that she can see me. She’s on the other side of the world, in Cambridge, where we both grew up.
“I don’t know. Maybe stay and ask for his number and name? Or at least round two?”
“You know I don’t do that. It’s one and done for me.”
“Yeah, I still don’t get it. If he was as good in bed as you’re saying that he was, why wouldn’t you go for round two?”
“It would be too complicated. And I like being on my own. I don’t have time for anything right now and—” I trail off, unable to stop myself from thinking back to how incredible the orgasms were.
“Natasha? You there?”
I groan at her use of my full name. She knows I hate it. “Yeah. And besides, he’s probably already forgotten all about me.”
“Doubtful, little sister.”
“Anyway. How is Skye? And how is Connor? When are you guys coming to visit?”
“They’re both good. Skye is actually starting nursery after Christmas. I don’t quite know how I feel about it.”
“Aww. I can’t believe how quickly time flies. I miss you guys so much.”
“Well, not for much longer. We’re coming just before Christmas.”
“Are you serious?” I exclaim excitedly.
“Like a heart attack,” she laughs into the phone.
“All three of you?”
“In just a few short weeks.”
I scream in happiness, jumping around the bakery like a lunatic. Thankfully, there’s no one here except me.
My mood is tremendous for the rest of the afternoon. All I care about is that in just a few short weeks, I’ll get to see my amazing sister, her husband, and my baby niece.
I don’t think of Hulk even once.
Or the fact that I can’t stop feeling his phantom touch on my body.
Or the fact that I can’t stop thinking about his lips.
Not. Even. Once.
And it’s like I said to Sasha. I don’t need a man to be happy. I have my business, my passion and my vibrator to keep me occupied. I’m better off alone, anyway. No one to disappoint me. No one to break my heart. She may have found happiness with Connor, the unicorn amongst men, but that’s not in the cards for me.
With a sigh, I flip the sign on the door to ‘closed’ and get back behind the counter to tidy up, avoiding looking at a party invite Fitzy slipped into my hand as I was leaving for work. With the business picking up over the holidays, I really have not had time to socialize, so she’s been hounding me like a dog.
Next one. I’ll go to the next one. It’s not like she doesn’t throw a party almost every other day, anyway. The woman has the soul of a twenty-year-old rave lover. It’s just my luck that the quiet and introverted me moved into a building owned by a crazy old lady.
I start clearing what’s left of the stock from today, putting baked goods in separate boxes. I like to take anything that’s left and is no longer good enough to sell to a homeless shelter nearby. It’s a few minutes out of my way, but at least someone will get joy from them.
The bell on the door jingles and I shout, “We’re closed!” as I finish boxing up a batch of cupcakes.
The doorbell doesn’t jingle again, so I lift my head to see what’s going on, only to have the breath punched out of me by the sheer shock of seeing the man standing in front of me. My heart rate speeds up at the trademark half-smile on his handsome face.