Big Bad Boys A Romance Collection - Penny Wylder Page 0,58

mental image still sticks.

I can’t get Caleb out of my head.

Worse, I can’t stop wondering if this might be more than what it seems. If he might feel something for me, more than he’d feel for a client. Is this more than just the business arrangement it appears to be?

Impossible.

He meets me at the bakery the next morning, right at 9am when he said he’d be there, prompt as usual. Lara is up front, consumed in her work, but she stares open-mouthed as Caleb strides through the doors, dressed in yet another slick button-down top and those dress pants again, the ones I desperately want to rip off his sexy body. Lara winks at me and slides into the back room. I’m going to be treated to no end of prodding questions later, I’m sure. But for now, I can’t say I’m mad about him being here.

“Here you go,” I tell him, passing over the box that I tied up with aqua ribbons this morning, cake inside.

He accepts it, smiles. “Pleasure doing business with you, Carmine.”

My heart sinks. I force myself to ignore it, to keep smiling. “You too, Caleb.”

He lingers before the counter. I find myself drifting closer to him, unable to help it.

“Anything else I can help you with?” I ask finally, when he still hasn’t made a move. I tilt my head back to meet his gaze, and find those sharp gray eyes fixed on mine.

“Definitely. But I don’t think I should detail that in mixed company,” he responds, grinning.

My cheeks flush. “You’ll have to send me the details later.”

“I could.” His gaze drops to my chest, then follows the angles of my hips to my legs, bare beneath my apron, since I wore a skirt to work for once. Maybe, possibly motivated by the fact that I knew Caleb would be stopping by. “Or, better yet, you could come with me.”

I blink and tilt my head. “What, now? You’re busy.” I laugh and nudge the cake box in his hands. “Or have you forgotten your niece already?”

“Come with me to the party,” he clarifies. “It might not be the most exciting bash of the year, six years olds, you know, but afterwards…” He steps closer and circles an arm around my waist. Tugs me against him, so I can feel the hard muscular press of his chest against my breasts. Not to mention the way his thigh digs between mine, makes me all too aware of the ache that’s starting to grow in my clit, the same way it does anytime he’s around. “I promise, I’ll make it worth your while,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear.

I shiver and sink into his embrace. Savor his familiar scent, the feel of his arm around my waist. It’s tempting. So damn tempting. But… I heave a sigh and force myself to step back, just as Lara pops out of the kitchen door. She freezes in the doorframe, wide-eyed, clearly having thought it would be safe to re-enter by now. I wave a hand at her to stay while I shake my head at Caleb.

“I can’t today. I’ve got to work. We have two orders to finish up today, and then—”

“Carl and Jen can handle those,” Lara butts in.

I spin to stare at her, wide-eyed. “But…”

“I was just in the back talking to Jen actually. She’d love the chance to take on a little more responsibility. Let her try it out today. They’ve got their marching orders, things are trekking along.”

That wide-eyed stare shifts into a frown. “But the timing…”

“I’ll keep on top of the kids,” Lara says, shaking a finger at me now. “You deserve to take some time off for once in your life.”

I flash a single, panicked glance over my shoulder at Caleb. But he only spreads his hands, innocent.

“Don’t look at me,” he says. “I’ll only tell you your friend is right.”

“I like him,” Lara replies, flashing him a quick wink past me. “Good head on his shoulders.”

“Who said you guys are allowed to gang up on me?” I grumble.

“Pretty sure that’s BFF privilege numero uno,” Lara points out. “Ganging up on you when you’re being silly. Go and have fun at…” She glances past me at Caleb. “Whatever you two are up to.”

“Unless work was just an excuse,” Caleb answers quickly. “In which case, I completely understand. Hanging out with my 6-year-old niece might not be your idea of a great Monday…”

“Okay, I didn’t think he could get any more adorable, but