by Kira Archer
The look on her face shouted loud and clear what she thought of his excuse, but explaining further would probably just sound worse. She shoved her hands into the pockets of the black cardigan she wore. His gaze raked over her outfit: a simple skirt and blouse with the cardigan, a pair of black boots. She looked amazing. She’d probably look amazing in anything. But the outfit was safe. Nice, but not too nice. Dinner with a friend nice. Not romantic date nice. Which was fine since they weren’t on a date-date. But…disappointing.
Eric shoved his hands into his own pockets and tried to push away the thought of what she might be wearing if this was a real date.
“So, where are we going?”
“Ah, it’s a surprise,” he said, grinning. “Luckily, I was able to pull a few strings and get our reservations changed.”
He held out his hand and Nat hesitated just a moment before taking it. He wrapped his fingers around her hand. It fit perfectly in his.
Half an hour later, Eric sat across from Natalie at one of the most upscale restaurants in town. It would blow his whole paycheck to pay for dinner but, well, he’d wanted to impress her. And make up for showing up an hour late. And, if he was honest with himself, to butter her up. He might need her help to get the bakery up and running, but he really needed that garage. The happier he kept her, the easier it would be to get her to sell.
He didn’t seem to be doing a great job though. Natalie had squirmed all through the appetizers, barely touching the oysters Rockefeller. He couldn’t really blame her. They were supposedly delicious but they looked like something that belonged in a tissue, not on a plate being sold for thirty bucks a serving. The whole point of the dinner had been so they could iron out the details of their little arrangement. That, and he just wanted to spend time with her. Not that she needed to know that. Yet. Maybe ever. But they’d barely spoken more than a dozen words to each other.
Right. Time for a game change.
He crumpled his fine linen napkin and laid it over his plate. “Let’s get out of here.” He was instantly rewarded by a dazzling smile that made her eyes light up like warm caramel. He slapped a fifty on the table that would cover the appetizers and drinks they’d ordered and took her hand, leading her out into the warm night.
As soon as they were outside, he let go of her. He’d rather have pulled her closer and wrapped an arm about her waist, but they were nowhere near that stage. And probably never would be if they couldn’t get the whole inheritance thing figured out.
“Sorry. I’d heard this place was great.”
“Oh, no. It was fine. Really.”
He smiled down at her, grateful she was trying to spare his feelings, but not fooled for an instant. “I do know a great spot just down the street. I promise it’ll be better than this.”
Nat aimed a skeptical glance his way but nodded. “All right. Lead the way.”
Five minutes later, he watched with growing amusement as her eyes widened in surprise when they stopped in front of his favorite dinner place.
“Mack’s Mystery Meats?” she asked.
“Best sausage sandwiches anywhere in the city.”
“Buffalo? Wild boar? Alligator?”
“All very lean and extremely healthy. And tasty,” he promised.
“So where does the mystery come in?”
“If you’re feeling brave, you order the Mystery Meal and Mack will surprise you with something wildly exotic you’re guaranteed to love. It changes every week. I ordered it once and got kangaroo.”
“What?” Her expression said OMG but she couldn’t hide her curiosity, faint as it might be. One side of her mouth quirked up into a little pucker that was so adorable he chuckled. “Or you can stick to the menu. They have regular old beef and chicken for those who aren’t feeling so adventurous.”
Her lips relaxed into a smile. “Oh, good. What do you like?”
“The elk is my favorite, but they are all good.”
“You’ve tried them all?”
“Yep. All very tasty.”
“I hate to be a total drag, but I think I’ll stick with a regular hamburger and fries for tonight.”
“Well, maybe I’ll be able to talk you into trying a bite of my sausage.”
She swallowed, her cheeks blushing a bright pink. He opened his mouth to say he’d so not meant that to sound the way it did. But on second thought…he kept his mouth shut. Trying to fix it would just make it worse. Might as well go with it. He gave her what he hoped was his best smoldering look.
Nat snorted. “I think we’ll hold off on that for now.”
Eric smiled. Whatever. She was squirming again, for a much more enjoyable reason. He liked her reaction. Very much. Too much. As much as he’d love this date to lead to a little pleasure, he needed to keep it all business. Maybe later, after everything was all worked out. This damned bakery business was going to ruin his sex life.
He ordered their meals, boring hamburger for her, elk flavored with apples, pears, and wine for him. They walked for a bit until they found an open bench. For a few moments, they ate in comfortable silence, saying nothing as they chewed and watched people walk by. He’d never just sat with a girl before, not feeling the need to fill the silence. But it was actually nice to just relax.
He glanced at Nat and found her staring at his sausage roll. His eyebrow rose a notch.
“Wanna try it?”
She shook her head and went back to picking at her fries. “No, thanks.”
“Ah, come on,” he said, picking up the sandwich and holding it out to her. “Chicken?”
“No, it’s elk. That’s the problem.”
He laughed. “You know what I meant.”
She grinned. “Maybe. Still not sure about that,” she said, waving at the sausage.
“I promise, you’ll love it. It’s not really that different from beef. A little sweeter maybe. Not gamey at all, especially the way Mack cooks it. And just in case,” he grabbed a napkin and held it up, “I’ll have this ready to go if you need to spit it out.”
She leaned forward a bit, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “Gimme the napkin,” she said, taking it and holding it open in the palm of her hand. “All right. Just a tiny taste.”
Eric brought the sausage up to her mouth, sucking his breath in with a tiny hiss when she wrapped her lips around it and bit down. He closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe. He needed to get a grip. She’d taken an innocent bite of his sandwich, not shoved her hand down his pants, but his body couldn’t tell the difference.
He watched while she cautiously chewed, her napkin in one hand, a bottle of water in the other, ready to rinse the taste from her mouth if needed. Instead, her eyes widened a little in pleased surprise.
“Told you,” he said, taking another big bite himself.
“It’s not bad,” she admitted. “Not sure I’m ready to try kangaroo just yet, but the elk is pretty decent.”
“Um-hmm,” he mumbled around a mouth of food.
They took a few more minutes to finish their dinner and then Eric gathered up their trash and tossed it.
“Want to walk?”
“Sure,” she said, getting up.
“So,” he said. “You’re cool with your friend’s suggestion?”
“Yes,” she said, but the slight frown creasing her forehead was back.
“But?”
She glanced at him for a second before turning her attention back to the scenery around them. “No buts. It’s a good solution. For now.”
“For now?”
She shrugged. “I could use the kitchen space. It’ll save me a ton of money on renting time in a shared kitchen. And it will be a lot more convenient to prep near my truck in my parking spot.”
He didn’t miss the slight emphasis she placed on those last few words but ignored that for the moment.
She continued. “And I don’t mind helping you get things up and running and making a few deliveries in exchange for being able to use the kitchen.”
&nb
sp; “But?” he asked again.
“However…” she said with a little smile, “what happens when we’ve got the bakery going and you’ve got your own truck for deliveries and some staff to help you keep it running and don’t need me around anymore? Am I out of a kitchen or do I still get to use the facilities?”
Eric thought for a second. It was true, once he was set up he wouldn’t really need her help anymore. But it would be kind of a dick move to totally kick her out on her ass. Besides, maybe being generous with the kitchen space would help with the whole garage issue.
“I don’t see why you can’t keep using the kitchen when the bakery is closed.”
“What would you charge me?”
The fact that she didn’t even try to get him to let her use it for free both impressed and bothered him. He found it admirable that she didn’t expect to get something for free but at the same time, he didn’t like that she assumed the only way he’d give her access to the kitchen once their arrangement was over was if she paid. It was a reasonable assumption, though, so his feelings on it made no sense at all.
He waved her off. “We can discuss all that later. It will probably take a few months to get the bakery in decent shape. Plenty of time to work out the kinks on what happens once it’s running.”
Before she could protest, he moved on. “It’s going to take several weeks, at least, of full-time work to get this thing going. Can you take that much time away from your truck to do that? I don’t want you to risk your own business to get mine going.”
She blinked, seemingly surprised at his concern. “I’ve got it worked out with Gina. She’ll run the truck full time for a few weeks until I get you going. I’ll still help with the baking and morning set-up and if she needs me during the day, I’ll be close.”
“That’s nice of her.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s an angel.”
Both of Eric’s eyebrows hit his hairline at that one.
“Not how you’d describe her?” Nat asked, her wide smile showing a slightly crooked tooth that was probably the cutest thing about her.
“Angel? No. She seems a bit on the scary side for an angel.”
Nat’s laughter rang out, drawing more than a few admiring glances. Her laugh ended on a little inhalation of breath that was somewhere between a squeak and a snort. It was the most adorable thing he’d ever heard. Spending a couple months trying to keep his hands off of her was going to kill him.
“Gina’s not so bad. She came up with this whole crazy idea, remember?”
Eric snorted. “I guess even Satan’s Mistress has her good moments.”
Nat gave him a playful shove. Before he could respond she turned and nodded at a building. “This is me.”
He looked up in surprise. He’d been so focused on Nat he hadn’t even realized they’d arrived.
Nat nodded. “You didn’t come here often, did you? I never saw you.”
Eric shook his head. “When I saw her we’d usually meet somewhere for lunch or dinner.”
He let his gaze roam over Nat again. So this was the girl that his aunt used to go on and on about. Her inheritance of the garage was making more sense. His aunt hadn’t mentioned that Nat had been her tenant. But in the last couple of months she’d mentioned a certain young lady of her acquaintance with increasing frequency. He hadn’t really been listening.
But he’d heard enough to know that Nat had been very kind to his aunt. His estimation of her went up even further. There weren’t a lot of people left in the world who’d take the time to keep an old lady company. Natalie had meant a lot to his aunt.
“What?” Nat asked, looking down at herself, as if she were trying to figure out what he was looking at. The woman had no clue.
“Nothing,” he said, smiling down at her until her cheeks blushed that delicious shade of pink again.
She cleared her throat and broke eye contact. “So, when do you want to get started?”
He thought for a second, quickly going over what he’d need to do to get the bakery opened up. “It’ll probably take me a week or two to get everything lined up and ready to go. Give my boss some notice.”
“You’re quitting your job?”
“Not just yet,” he said with a grin. “But I’ve got a ton of vacation time and some personal days I can bundle together. I’ll have to make sure my clients are covered for a few weeks though, finish up a few things.”
“Okay. Well then, when do you want me?”
Now. Here. Repeatedly.
Eric swallowed the words and looked away from her while he got himself under control. Amazing how a simple little question could throw him from adult conversation straight into horny teenager territory.
“Let’s say a week from Monday, meet me at the bakery at eight a.m.?”
She hesitated a second, apparently doing some mental calculations of her own. “That will work. I guess I’ll see you then.”
Eric nodded, but hung around a second, not exactly sure how to say good night. A handshake? That seemed lame. A hug? Probably too friendly since it was technically just a business meeting. Something a little more friendly than that would be fantastic, but was definitely out of the question. And still…he didn’t want the night to end just yet.
“You know, it’s still early. Why don’t we go out and celebrate?” he asked, before the idea had fully formed in his mind.
“What?”
“Come on,” he said, warming to the idea. “Both our dreams just got made, or mostly so. Let’s go celebrate, toast a few to my crazy old aunt.”
“Gina’s probably waiting up for me…”
“Bring her along. It was her idea for us to work together.”
Nat still hesitated, but Eric could see her wavering.
“Come on. There’s no way I’m sleeping for a while. Might as well dance.” He grabbed her hand and spun her around, startling a laugh out of her. “Go grab your girl, I’ll call Jared, and we can go celebrate our mutual good fortune.”
Nat laughed again. “All right. Give me a few minutes.”
She bounded up the steps and disappeared into her building.
Eric whipped out his phone and called Jared, who was, of course, up for a party. Then he planted himself on the stoop to wait for Natalie.
This arrangement was going to be interesting. Excitement at getting the bakery going had been a constant hum beneath the surface since he’d signed the papers making it his. He damn near vibrated with it. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, too amped up with anticipation to sleep. He’d wanted his own business for a long time. Something that was his, that he could build from the ground up. His chance to leave his mark, make his own success.
The prospect of spending some quality time with Natalie enticed him even more. And that was a problem. She was off-limits. At least until everything was all said and done. Until then…he needed to keep his mind on business.
Starting tomorrow.
Chapter Five
Natalie grabbed her tequila shot and raised it above her head. “To Aunt Franny!” she yelled over the thumping tones of Pitbull.
Eric, Jared, and Gina raised their glasses, echoing her toast and clinking their glasses before knocking back the shot. Nat shook her head and swallowed, shivering a bit as the liquid fire burned its way down her throat, warming her chest and loosening her up one molecule at a time.
She slammed her glass on the table. Her body pulsed in time with the music, the beat thrumming through her. She jumped up and grabbed Gina’s hand. Gina grinned at her and Nat backed up, leading her onto the dance floor, her hips already swaying to the beat.
Nat studiously avoided looking at Eric. He lounged back against the booth bench, one ankle hooked over the other leg, one arm draped over the back of the bench, his glass dangling from his fingers. They’d stopped at his place on the way to the club so he could change and pick up Jared. Her mouth had been watering for him since he’d jogged down his steps, tight shirt tucked into low-riding jeans, b
lack leather jacket doing nothing to hide his absolutely delicious body.
Her head spun a little. She wasn’t drunk, but she’d had enough that the edges of her world were delightfully blurred. Under normal circumstances, she’d never feel confident enough to go out on a dance floor in front of a hot guy and shake her assets like they were worth something. But the alcohol gave her a self-assurance she hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since before her jackass of an ex, Steve, had used her, stolen her work and claimed it as his, and dumped her. She still cringed whenever she saw that cookbook. Which was all the time, since the damn thing had been endorsed by Rachel Ray, featured on her show, and had hit the bestseller list. Skyrocketing Steve’s career. A career he wouldn’t even have if it hadn’t been for her writing the entire book in the first place.
It was supposed to have been theirs. Together. Apparently, Steve had had other plans.…
She shied away from that thought and focused on the music thrumming through her and the delightful way the nerve endings in her body sparked and tingled. Another shot or two and her inhibitions would be completely gone. Better cut it off now. No telling what she’d do if Eric got within ten feet of her.
Natalie spun around, her long curly hair flying as she twirled. She very seldom wore it down. The riot of curls that hung halfway down her back were usually pinned into a tight bun or ponytail when she worked. And she was always working. But for tonight, her hair was loose and free. And so was she.
Nat grinned at Gina, who was doing her best Miley Cyrus twerking impression. And she was doing it pretty damn well, actually. Nat laughed and closed her eyes for a second, letting go of everything. The song playing blended seamlessly into one of her favorites. She let out a breath.
“Sing it Fergie,” she murmured. The woman was right…a little party never killed nobody. And Nat was damned determined to enjoy herself. She just got a garage. For free. In New Jersey, no less, which meant she could actually use it to park her food truck, unlike in New York. And kitchen time in the attached bakery, in exchange for a few hours of her time teaching a gorgeous hunk of a man the ins-and-outs of a bakery. Life could definitely be worse.
