by Laura Ann
Tia rolled her eyes “No. But I have work to do. So sacrifices must be made.”
Brody burst out laughing, his head fell backward and the sound echoed off the ceiling. Shaking his head, he leveled out and looked at her. The grey color she had noticed before looked almost silver today and she found herself studying its unusual depths.
“Tell you what, you cut it properly, eat a slice with me and I’ll help you wash dishes.”
Tia blinked out of her trance and took a moment to digest his words. “How do I know you know how to wash dishes properly? Maybe you wash dishes like you eat cheesecake.”
Brody pursed his lips. “Good point.” He leaned across the counter. “But I’m sure you can teach me,” he dropped his voice and heaven help her if it wasn’t the most inviting thing she had ever heard.
Good grief girl, you are a mess. Get it together. “Fine,” she snapped, to cover her reaction. Grabbing another plate and fork, she sliced them both a piece and then sat down to enjoy it.
“Mmmm ... “ she moaned. “It turned out just as good as I thought it would.”
“Where did you learn to bake like this?” Brody asked between bites.
Tia shrugged. “Learned a lot at home. Mama was a baker through and through. I was fascinated by it as a kid; always playing in the kitchen, always making a mess.” She giggled. “I’m surprised my mother didn’t ban me from the kitchen. Instead, she just taught and taught, helped me learn what worked and what didn’t.” Why the heck am I telling him all this? It’s not like he really wants to know all about my childhood.
“Wow. That’s really awesome. I can’t cook worth a darn, but I know how to eat and I know how to appreciate good food.” He stuffed another large bite in his mouth.
Tia looked up at him with wide eyes.
A half grin crossed Brody’s face. “Maybe savoring isn’t my strong point, but I still enjoy the food as it goes down.”
Tia lifted her eyebrows and gave a small head nod to acknowledge his point. “I wanted to go to culinary school, but that didn’t quite work out. Ended up studying culinary arts in a university, got my teaching certificate and,” she raised her arms and swept them around to showcase the room, “here I am.”
Brody didn’t say anything for a few minutes, just ate his treat. Finally, his eyes rose to hers again. “Why couldn’t you go to culinary school?”
“Why does anyone’s college plans change? Money.” Tiana cleared her throat. “We didn’t have enough to send me to some fancy school, but I had worked hard in high school and had an academic scholarship, so I followed the money.”
“Do you enjoy teaching?”
“Oh, yeah. It might not have been my first choice of careers, but I still like it.” She smirked. “Most days anyway. When someone burns something and I can’t get the smell out of the classroom for a week, I don’t love it as much.”
Brody chuckled and nodded. “If you could do any job in the world, what would you do?”
Tia sighed. Gathering her plate and fork, she walked them over to the sink full of suds.
Brody stood and followed her. She could feel the heat from his body on her back and found herself closing her eyes as she enjoyed his warmth. When he reached around and put his plate in the sink, she snapped her eyes open. The brushing of their arms had sent a current through her and she was suddenly wide awake.
“You didn’t answer the question.” His deep voice rumbled behind her ear.
Stiffening, Tia sidestepped and turned to face him, brushing off the sensations coursing through her. “Well, that’s kind of a personal question, don’t you think?” She stepped around him and went to wrap up the dessert.
Brody folded his arms across his chest and leaned his hip into the counter. “Maybe. But not any more personal than the things you’ve already told me.”
Tia rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She closed the fridge door and mimicked his stance. “I would love to open a bakery. I’ve always wanted to own my own place. Create new and fun desserts and experiment as much as I want.” She grinned and closed her eyes. “I can just see the smiles on all the little kids’ faces when they look at my display case. Wide-eyed in excitement, fingers, and noses pressed to the glass.” She opened her eyes and looked back at Brody, who was listening intently. “The smell of chocolate and yeast and cake emanating from the back.” At Brody’s intense expression, Tia felt heat creep up her cheeks. Never was she more grateful for her darker skin tone. “Sorry, you must think I sound like an idiot.”
Brody slowly shook his head. “Never.” His voice was husky and he quickly blinked and cleared his throat. Standing up from the counter he started walking toward the door. “So ... why don’t you make that dream a reality?” He asked right before he reached for the knob.
Tia gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “Same reason I couldn’t go to culinary school. Money. I have what I need, but definitely not what it takes to open a bakery. The amount of debt I would have to go into would be astronomical, not to mention I have no collateral. The only thing I own is my car and a bunch of cake pans.”
Brody pursed his lips and nodded slowly. “We’ll see,” he muttered before opening the door and stalking down the hall.
“We’ll see what?” Tia asked the empty classroom. With a snort and a small grin, she went back to the washing the dishes in the now cold water. Wasn’t he supposed to help? Men!
BRODY’S MIND SWIRLED. In his former life, he had been surrounded by businessmen and women. People who made successes of themselves and were never afraid to show it. His family had created a dynasty with their investments. They put out money to help build, expand or start another business, getting a percentage of the profits in return. The work had paid off and his family had more than they could ever possibly need.
Well ... they do. I don’t anymore. He shook his head. That was a thought for another day. He refused to think about why he wasn’t part of the family business anymore. “But Tia ... “ Watching her describe her dreams; the glaze in her eyes, the wistfulness in her voice ... it was all he could do to not grab her, kiss her and ply her with promises that he would see she got her bakery.
Brody scoffed. “Kiss her, yeah right. You don’t kiss the people you do business with.” Of course, I’ve never been attracted to the people I did business with. He thought of the balding, old men and the botoxed women he had dealt with in the past. “Good thing, too.” He chuckled.
Tia’s passion and dream were almost enough to make Brody want to go back home and ask for his old position back. Almost. He could feel something changing within him, the more time he spent around the beautiful baker and it wasn’t just from the sweet treats. “Probably just indigestion,” he scowled; upset that she was worming her way under his skin. His little favor plan seemed to be backfiring, but a small voice in the back of his mind didn’t want to fight it. It wanted to revel in her warmth and wit; touch her silky looking skin and bask in the independence and passion she exuded.
Maybe it was the amount of sugar he had just consumed or maybe he was simply getting soft, but instead of squashing that little voice, he left it alone, willing to give it a chance at life. “Yeah,” he snorted. “Definitely getting soft.”
CHAPTER 5
Two weeks later, Tia gasped when her door once again slammed open. “Good grief, Brody. Just once, can’t you open the door nicely?” She scolded when the large janitor stomped into the room.
Brody grinned, not the least bit repentant at his loud entrance.
“Hmph.” Tia went back to wiping down counters; turning her back to the man. Eating cheesecake every afternoon for several days in a row had opened up a tentative friendship between the two. Tia still didn’t like the sensations he created when he was near, but she was starting to like his sarcasm and wit. She found herself calling him by his first name instead of holding him at arm’s length by referring to him as Janitor Gruff.
When no sound came from Brody, Tia finally stopped wiping and turned back to him.
; Brody quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat.
What the? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was embarrassed. “Something wrong?” She asked.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Brody shook his head and looked at his shoes.
“You look like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.” Tia folded her arms and leaned her hip against the counter.
Reaching up, Brody tugged on his beard before blowing a big huff out. Standing up he blurted, “Favor number two.”
Tia’s shoulders dropped. Why the heck did I ever agree to that stupid favor thing? “Yeah, yeah.” She waved her hand toward him. “What do you want now?”
“Dinner.”
Tia blinked.
“I mean, would you cook me dinner, please?”
“Did you just say, please?” Tia bit her lips between her teeth; holding in a grin.
Brody rolled his eyes. “You heard what I said and I won’t repeat it. So quit trying.”
Tia let go of the laugh that had been fighting to break free. “I feel so special that you humbled yourself enough to say such a polite word to me. I’d cook you dinner just for that, alone.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still chuckling.
“You’re a hoot,” Brody said dryly. “I can have manners if the situation calls for it,” he muttered under his breath.
“Sure, sure ... you just keep telling yourself that.” She snorted in amusement again. “Well, I’m going to need a bit of time to prepare. If you’ll tell me what you want, I’ll hit the store and have it here for you next week.”
“No.”
Tia jerked back. “I thought you just asked for dinner.”
“I want dinner at your house ... with you.”
Tia scowled. We might be becoming friends, but not dating friends. “That sounds suspiciously like a date. No way.” She turned her back to him and went back to wiping the counters.
Brody’s jaw clenched but he held his ground. “You promised me five favors. I want dinner at your house. I’ll be back to find out when you’re ready for it.” He stormed out and let the door slam behind him.
Tia could hear him storming down the hall. A twinge of guilt hit her in the gut, but she shoved it away. “He has no right to demand to come to my house,” she murmured. “I don’t just invite anybody and everybody to my place. For all I know he’s a crazy stalker. Why should I tell him where I live?”
That guilt niggled at her again. Brody had already proven he wasn’t what she thought he was. He was broody and unkempt, yes, but he was also funny with a dry sense of humor. He had proven he was intelligent, not to mention a lot younger than she had originally thought. In fact, I doubt he’s much older than I am. “No,” she scolded herself. “It doesn’t matter if he’s younger and funnier than you thought. I don’t just bring men to my place, especially ones who look like they crawled out of a garbage can.
THE NEXT DAY, INSTEAD of slamming the door open, Brody opened it nicely. It was obvious Tia hadn’t heard him, as she was singing along to a song on her phone and dancing while she cleaned.
He cleared his throat, but it wasn’t enough. After taking a few minutes to enjoy the performance in front of him, he let go of the door and letting the sound ricochet through the room.
“Ahh!” Tia spun around; clutching a bag of powdered sugar to her chest. “You jerk! What was that all about?”
Brody rolled his eyes at her outburst. “Yesterday I got in trouble for opening too loud, today I’m in trouble for being too quiet. Make up your mind, woman.” He tilted his head, raised his eyebrows and folded his arms in a challenge.
Tia clucked her tongue and finished putting away the supplies in the cupboard. “What do you want, Brody?”
“I want to know when you’re going to keep your word.”
Tia froze. Slowly, she turned toward him and folded her arms across her chest. “I told you, no. I’m not inviting you to my house. I don’t just bring every random guy I know over.”
Brody stared for a moment longer, forcing her to give in and look away first. That’s right, you’re not going to win this. “I’ll be back.” Spinning on his heel, he left.
Stubborn woman. He grinned, the challenge excited him and only made him respect her more. This is going to be fun.
“ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP your promise?”
“No.”
“YOU PROMISED.”
“No.
“I’M CALLING IN A FAVOR.”
“No.”
BRODY TOOK A DEEP BREATH before entering her room once again. For the last several days he had been stopping by every day after school, refusing to back down from his request to have dinner at her house. His old self would have pulled the rank card and demanded to get his way, but he was past that now. He had experienced life outside the corporate world of wealth and prestige and he wanted to earn this on his own. I did earn it. I was just a better negotiator than her. He reminded himself.
Turning the knob, he walked into the room. No music was playing, causing his large footsteps to echo through the room. At first glance, the room was empty. Brody scowled. Now she’s just going to avoid me? Not a chance. As he turned to leave, vowing to track her down the next day, he heard a slight scuffle. Tuning into the minute sound, he silently stepped away from the door and let it shut.
Stepping as quietly as his large boots would allow, he put himself against the wall and leaned back folding his arms and waiting. It took two or three more minutes before he heard stirring and his patience was rewarded. Slowly, Tiana’s dark braids lifted above the top of one of the counters in the room.
Soon her wide eyes peeked over, only to close momentarily when she spotted him. He heard her mumble under her breath and although he couldn’t make out the exact words, it was clear what they meant.
Brody tisked. “Such language from a lady, Tia. I’m disappointed in you.”
Her head slowly disappeared again. “Are you ever going to give up?” Her voice sounded exhausted and Brody felt the slightest twinge of regret at his antics before he reminded himself that she had given her word.
“No,” was his short reply.
“Ugh! Fine.” Her hands slapped the top of the counter as she pulled herself up.
Brody worked to school the amusement on his face. She’s acting like one of the students instead of an adult.
“When do you want to do this?”
“I eat every night. When would be convenient for you?” Brody threw the question back at her.
Sucking in a deep breath in an obvious attempt to keep from snarking back at him, Tia pasted on the fake smile Brody had seen on several occasions. “I just want this over with. Can you come over tonight?”
“Hmm ... a Friday night date? I thought you’d never ask.” Brody darted out of the room before Tia could get over her sputtering and give him a verbal smackdown. Laughing to himself, he hurried down the hall, knowing he would need to finish his work in record time to be able to make it work.
An hour later he hustled to his heap of junk car and searched the parking lot. “Bingo,” he murmured; spotting Tia’s Volkswagon Beetle. Its sky blue color helped it stand out in a parking lot full of sensible sedans. “Looks like it belongs to Barbie,” he muttered as he studied the vase with a daisy attached to the front dash.
With a shake of his head, he sat in his car and waited. He had left a few jobs unfinished in order to get out before Tia, knowing she wouldn’t go out of her way to tell him where she lived. “I’ll just have to come finish them tomorrow morning.”
He kept his eyes peeled for a gorgeous, dark woman with long braids that swayed with every step. When he spotted her leaving the building, he couldn’t help but admire watching her. He whistled low under his breath while shaking his head. “If only, if only.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched her glance around the parking lot then jump into her car and take off. “Just as I thought.” He started his car and followed her at a distance, so she wouldn�
�t realize he was there.
About fifteen minutes later she pulled into the driveway of a small cottage style home. Parking on the side of the street, he quickly got out and walked up to her.
When she spotted him her shoulders deflated, then quickly she took a deep breath and threw them right back. “Fancy meeting you here. I can see you dressed up for our evening together, how thoughtful of you.”
Dang, she’s cute when she’s riled. He had an insane desire to kiss those full lips spitting sarcasm at him, but followed the more logical instinct of self-preservation and kept his distance. He rubbed his hand down his chest, knowing he was drawing her attention to his large muscles. “I find nice clothes set a more romantic mood. Only doing my part to make this evening a success.”
It took her a few moments to respond as her eyes were indeed, just as he planned, glued to his pectorals. When he cleared his throat, she blinked rapidly and popped her eyes up to his with a scowl. “Romantic, roschmantic. Think what you want, cave boy, this isn’t a date.” With a huff she strode up to the front door and unlocked it, leaving it open behind her as she went in.
Brody rubbed his hands together. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
CHAPTER 6
Tia stomped around her small kitchen as she pulled out ingredients and supplies to cook dinner. Stinkin’, unshaved, rude ... MAN! “Thinks he can just come over whenever he wants and make himself at home,” she muttered under her breath.
“I hate to break it to you, but all this hair doesn’t affect my hearing.”
Tia could hear the smirk in his voice and it irritated her even more. “Never said it did,” she retorted.
“You know, you agreed to these favors. Why is cooking me dinner such a big deal?” Brody crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen door frame.
Tia let out a sigh and her whole body deflated. She turned herself from the stove and shrugged. “I don’t mind cooking you dinner. What I don’t like is you barging into my space. I’ve worked my tail off to get this place and it’s mine. I want to be in control of what goes on here. You,” she pointed a finger at him, “have wormed your way into my life and now my home. While I appreciate you helping me out, I don’t like feeling not in control.”
