this be, and part of that made Audrey’s heart swell. Nobody had ever fought for her before. “I’ll even take those gross oatmeal things you keep for the llama.”
“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “A hundred and fifty spite cakes coming up.”
Oh, if Ronan thought she wasn’t going to call his bluff, then he was dead wrong. He wanted to come to her work and force a conversation? Fine. But he was going to pay the sugary price. Audrey grabbed a tray from behind the counter and started piling the muffins and mini croissants and cookies on.
“I’ll be back tomorrow, Audrey,” he said. “And I’ll buy everything in the pastry cabinet then, too. I’ll give myself a cavity in every last tooth if that’s what it takes.”
“Why are you so persistent?” she asked, frustration seeping into her voice as she shoved the muffins onto the tray haphazardly.
“Because I love you.”
The whole café went so quiet, Audrey could have heard a cookie crumb hit the floor. For a moment, she wondered if she’d actually passed out. Maybe she’d fallen and was currently dying underneath an avalanche of baked goods.
“I’m sorry, what?” She blinked.
“I love you.” The vulnerability on his face was the purest and most arresting thing Audrey had ever seen. He looked sincere and hopeful and so freaking sexy that her mind couldn’t even compute such a combination of things. “Standing still while you walked away was the most idiotic thing I have ever done in my entire life. So idiotic, in fact, that I feel compelled to take the elbow patches off my blazer.”
Despite her shock, she laughed. “Losing your professor badges, huh?”
“Absolutely. Not fighting to keep you in my life is… I don’t even know if there is a word that accurately describes how criminal that is.”
Audrey looked down at the tray in her hand, scattered with sweet treats. She felt the intensity of all the eyes in the room boring into her, the weight of their expectation and curiosity like rocks on her back.
“You don’t want this life, Ronan.” She bit down on her lip. “I appreciate the sentiment, but we’ve been through this. I’m not going to leave my family. I’m not going to be the woman you’re proud to take to faculty events. I’m not—”
“Do not tell me that I won’t be proud of you.” His eyes blazed with passion. “You are the most resilient, hardworking, curious, intelligent woman I have ever met. They should be proud to be in your presence.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest, hope sparking like the tiniest of little flames, wavering in the air and sputtering to life.
“Every single one of you people in here,” he said, turning around and addressing the entire café. “You should all be proud to know this amazing woman.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Audrey shoved the tray onto the countertop behind her and marched over to the swinging door that allowed staff to enter and exit the serving area. “You have students in here.”
“I don’t care.” He shook his head. “If anyone at Harrison Beech wants to fire me for finally pulling my head out of my ass, then fine.”
She pushed through the swinging door and stood in front of him. Mistake. Because he smelled as good as he looked—like long, hot showers and fresh sheets and earthy, sensual man. She wanted to hang onto her walls, but standing before him was as good as packing them with TNT and detonating the lot.
Her defenses were smoking ruins.
“I love you, Audrey. I never thought I’d say that to someone. I never wanted to say it.” He let out a breath. “But you changed that. You changed me. I…I want to stay.”
“Here?” Audrey blinked. “In Kissing Creek?”
“Yeah, right here.”
“No…” They were the words she’d always longed to hear—words that said she was worth waiting for. “But your career. I can’t let you do that.”
“Too late. I had a meeting with the faculty head today and told him my intentions,” Ronan replied. “We’re already talking about how to build on the curriculum I’ve set up for this year. They’re excited and…so am I.”
“You’re staying.” It was like someone had sucked the air out of her lungs with a syringe. “But what if I said no?”
“Then I have extra time to work on my influencing skills.” A cocky grin morphed his serious expression into something a whole lot more delicious. “I plan on winning you over, Audrey. Every damn day for the rest of my life.”