His brows knit in confusion. “One more time?”
“I don’t want a relationship or a boyfriend. But I appreciate your pretty words. It’s a lot of trouble to go to just to get into someone’s pants.”
“That’s not my—”
“It’s fine. It worked. You get one more go.” I lick my lips, ready for him to take me right here and now.
“I get one more go, do I?”
“Yes.”
“Anywhere I want and when I want?”
“Sure.” I take a step towards him, imagining all the things he’ll do to me this time. If this was a shifter romance, he’d be able to smell my arousal.
He grins. “Great. Now let’s play that game.”
I stop in confusion. “What?”
“Like I said, Natasha. I’m not here for sex. I’m here for you.” He pulls me to him, placing a kiss on the tip of my nose, then twirling me around and rocking us to the rhythm of the music coming from the speaker. I’m so confused that I let him guide me around the kitchen without a fight. He spins me around one more time until I face him, then presses me against his body. All my soft bits against his hard ones. One hard bit, in particular, has my attention. I move my hips, seeking friction. “No, no, no, my little wildcat. It’ll be on my terms this time.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You only get the chance tonight.”
He chuckles. “No takebacks, Sugar. You said wheneverIwant.Iintend to make good on that. And let me tell you when I do, you’ll black out from pleasure again. I promise that.”
I blush. Because how the hell does he know I blacked out the first time? I thought I wasn’t very obvious. But also, because his words have me aching for him so intensely, I’m ready to hump his legs.
“Whatever,” I grumble.
“Shall we play that game?”
“Fine,” I huff.
He chuckles. “My sweet, sweet, Natasha.” He whispers into my ear. “The wait will be worth it, I swear.”
Somehow, I manage not to hump Hayden’s leg like a dog in heat while we roll out the dough and shape the cookies. I don’t know where the time has gone; it feels like it just flies by when he’s around. One minute we are chatting, and the next, an hour has passed.
“Tell me, why did you decide to open a bakery?” Hayden says as we slide the last tray into the oven.
“Is this your version of twenty questions?”
“You were the one who wanted to play that last time. I’m just trying to get to know you.”
I sigh. “Baking has always been something that calmed me. My mom was very sick when I was young, and our next-door neighbor used to come round to take care of my sister and me.”
“You have a sister?”
“Sasha,” I nod. “She’s eight years older and lives in England with her husband and baby girl.”
“That’s far.”
“Very. Anyway, whenever I’d get upset or sad, our neighbor would bake with us just to take our minds off what was happening with our mom. Not that I could do much more than make a giant mess, but even back then, it had a calming effect on me and ever since, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
“What was happening with your mom, if you don’t mind me asking?”
I go to the pantry and take out powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, and food coloring. Might as well start on the icing. “She had cancer.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry.”