Call Her Mine (Harmony Pointe #1)- Melissa Foster Page 0,19

the first time—or the millionth—he thought about what it would feel like to say that to her when they were lying naked in his bed, when she was touching her lips to his flesh after he’d torn off her panties with his teeth, teased her until she begged him to make love to her. He wanted to hear her say it as he buried himself deep inside her—

The baby cried, wrenching him from his fantasy.

Reality slammed into him again. Baby B was not Aurelia’s, and the chances of her wanting him if he was raising another woman’s baby were slim to none.

Aurelia pulled open the back door to the bakery, inhaling the sugary goodness. She felt like she was sleepwalking as she stepped inside. Yesterday had been emotionally and physically exhausting. She wanted to hunker down in a comfy chair with about a dozen doughnuts and talk out all her conflicting emotions with her girlfriends. But considering her closest girlfriends were Ben’s sisters and Remi, she was screwed.

“Hey, girl. I’ve missed you!” Willow said as she pulled a tray of delicious-looking muffins from the oven and set them on the counter, where doughnuts and croissants were already cooling. Her long blond hair was braided in a thick plait over one shoulder, and her jeans and shirt were speckled with flour. “What brings you to Sweetwater so early in the morning?”

Piper eyed her from her perch on the counter, where she sat in her torn work jeans and boots, eating a chocolate croissant. She scarfed down food like she had a hollow leg, but she and her father owned Dalton Contracting, and her job was hard manual labor, which enabled her to eat like a horse and remain a size two. “I think we can guess what brought you back. Rough night?”

“You could say that.” Aurelia snagged a croissant and slumped into a chair. “I was up practically all night.”

“Sounds like my type of night.” Piper was as unfiltered and direct as her sisters were careful about the things they said.

“It was exhausting,” Aurelia said.

As Willow transferred the muffins to the cooling rack, she said, “Exhausting can be fun.”

“Exhilarating,” Piper agreed, taking another bite of her croissant.

“I don’t know how people stay up night after night. I haven’t been home in two days. I mean, look at me.” She looked down at her shirt. “I’m wearing Ben’s shirt.”

“Ben’s shirt?” Willow and Piper said in unison.

“I knew it!” Willow said. “Zane and I have always said that you two were perfect together.”

Piper held her hands up. “I do not want to hear about Ben’s sexual endeavors.”

“We are not sleeping together,” Aurelia snapped.

“Yeah, right. You said you wanted a new chapter in your life.” Piper laughed and waved her finger at Aurelia. “One look at you says fuck-fest survivor. I’d call that a hell of a chapter.”

“What? No! Ben is not my new chapter.”

Willow smiled and said, “Staying up for two nights in a row? I’d say he’s your entire flipping manuscript and your epilogue!”

Aurelia groaned. “I’m just helping him with a big project.”

“I don’t want to hear about my brother’s big project.” Piper slid off the counter, finishing her croissant.

“Please! Your brother has never liked me that way.”

“Are you blind?” Willow wiped her hands and leaned against the counter. “Ben is your best friend.”

“Exactly,” Aurelia said.

“He knows everything about you,” Willow said. “Good and bad, and he’s still your closest male friend.”

“Right. Your point?” Aurelia asked.

“He even loves the way you snort-laugh,” Piper added. “The dude is totally into you, Aurelia.”

Aurelia rolled her eyes. “He’s into one-night, no-strings-attached sex, and”—now he might have a baby—“yes, he’d probably like to fuck me, but that’s as far as it goes.”

“I think you’re wrong. You spend all of your free time with him,” Willow pointed out.

“Because we have fun together, but trust me, he’s not what I need. You guys know this about him. I mean, open your eyes. Besides, he’s never even asked me out.”

“Bullshit.” Piper picked up a muffin, tore off a piece, and popped it into her mouth.

Aurelia looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “What are you talking about? I think I’d remember if he asked me out.”

“He’s always propositioning you,” Piper said. “We’ve all heard it.”

“She’s right about that,” Willow agreed.

“Have you lost your minds? Yes, he has propositioned me for sex!”

Piper sauntered over, her blond ponytail swinging behind her. “Not that I want to think of you and Ben in that way, but lots of relationships start with