Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,69

feel.

When Asher and I bought this house almost nine years ago, months before our wedding, I thought we’d live here forever. I remember the first time I sat on the front porch and envisioned our children playing in the yard and years of happiness… and one day, being old and gray and sitting with my husband on a quiet evening.

Part of me wants to write love off, letting go of those old dreams and wishes.

I want to say I tried and obviously failed horribly, so why even try again?

But another part of me still wants it and believes it might still be out there for me… someone might still be out there for me. Someone who will love me unconditionally and fight for a forever, instead of throwing it to the wayside the moment something, or someone, better—more appealing—comes along. I want to believe there’s someone who brings out the best in me, instead of the worst. Someone who wants to be my best friend and do life together.

When Cage’s face pops into my mind, I try to shake it off, like I’ve done for the past few days.

That kiss.

That damn kiss shook me to my core.

I’ve never been kissed like that. I’ve never felt that way. Not my first kiss with Asher or the last kiss or any of the kisses in between. He never made me feel like the world was tilting and everything around me was falling away, leaving only me and him. But that’s how I felt when Cage kissed me… or did I kiss him?

Yeah, I definitely kissed him. I was so caught up in the moment and the feelings I was having—so grateful for him and his friendship. When I leaned in to kiss his cheek, something happened. I was overwhelmed by his closeness and his scent, everything was heightened and I just fell into it… into him. Then, his lips touched mine and once the threshold had been crossed, I was done for. There’s a good chance I would’ve let that kiss carry me all the way to bed, and then my phone rang and popped the bubble, pulling me back to reality.

I’m Tempest Cassidy, recently divorced and not looking for a rebound.

I don’t jump into things without thinking them through.

Recent events excluded.

Maybe that methodical, well-planned Tempest checked out the day she walked in on her husband and his mistress? Maybe that snap I felt inside my body was a switch?

Regardless, I can’t let that kiss happen again, because I couldn’t be held responsible for my actions. Cage Erickson holds great power over me. He has the potential to make me forget myself and my inhibitions. If my phone hadn’t rang, there’s no telling what would’ve happened and that scares me… and thrills me.

My body still tingles every time I think about how his lips felt as they were claiming mine—a residual electrical current attached to the memory.

“That’s the last of it,” my dad says, walking in the front door, his voice echoing off the empty walls, driving home the realization that this place holds nothing any longer—no furniture, no pictures… no love… only memories… and those aren’t good ones. All of the good ones have been tainted and forgotten, replaced with betrayal and hurt.

I nod, turning to face him. “I’m ready to go.”

“Maybe we should make one last sweep?” he asks, looking around the space.

“No, it’s good… if anything gets left behind, the next couple can have it.”

I don’t want anything that reminds me of Asher, so most of the furniture was either sold or donated. My kitchen appliances are staying with the house. The rest of it—my baking supplies, stand mixer, pots and pans—has been packed up for over a week. The new bed and bedding I bought recently is already in my new apartment—a studio apartment half a block away from the bakery.

Two blocks from Cage, but who’s counting?

I’ve been trying to ignore the fact we’ll practically be neighbors. It’s probably not the best location for me, given my weakness when it comes to him, but it’s cheap and close to work. For now, I just need a place to call my own and regroup. At some point, I’ll probably buy a house again, but it’ll be mine and won’t have anything to do with Asher Williams.

Now that the house is sold, there’s nothing left between the two of us, and I honestly couldn’t be happier. “Let’s go,” I tell my dad, walking past him and out the door, leaving