She didn’t have a temper, but right about now she wanted to punch Mac. How dare he accuse her without talking to her first?
“Those three stooges as you call them, happen to be smarter than that. They run all over this town in their little golf cart with binoculars watching everyone’s move. I didn’t have to tell them a thing. They set you up yesterday when they told you where Macklin’s sister lived.”
Mac’s eyes widened. “You mean they followed me?”
“I guarantee it. If you don’t trust me, then you can find someone else to help you. I’m not going to be your punching bag.”
“Damn, Eva. I’m an ass.” Mac kneaded his forehead like he was trying to erase the thoughts and words he’d spoken to her earlier. “I should have talked to you before jumping to conclusions. It’s just the coffee shop posse out there makes me a little suspicious. Those three seem to know a lot. Now I think I understand why.”
Eva took a step forward just as Mac did. Now they were nose to nose with only a minuscule gap between them. The beating of her heart accelerated, making her dizzy, but she couldn’t move.
Goose bumps broke out over her body, causing her to shudder.
“Are you cold?” Mac reached out and began rubbing her arms.
Her breath hitched; his hands stopped. Then he pulled her in, closing the gap.
She gasped in surprise, but she didn’t pull away or make excuses this time. Instead, she molded herself against his hard frame. She wanted this. Craved to know how his mouth would feel on hers.
Rising on her tiptoes must have been all the encouragement Mac needed. His lips grazed hers before capturing her mouth in his. All thoughts flew out of her head as bursts of sensation traveled throughout her body like she’d just downed a few too many shots of espresso.
MAC’S BACK HIT the office door as he wrapped his arms around Eva and lifted her a few inches off the floor. Her arms slid around his neck, and her body molded perfectly against his. He’d suspected kissing Eva would be spectacular, but he’d never imagined it would hit him with so much force he couldn’t stand without support.
But then her tongue ran across his bottom lip, and Mac’s knees almost buckled. With a strength he never knew he possessed, he lifted Eva higher and walked them over to her desk chair, deepening the kiss as they went.
That might have been a huge mistake. Eva’s core was now pressed firmly against his, and Mac’s blood shot below his belt. The need to get closer overtook his logic and Mac’s tongue slid deeper to get a better taste. Sweet as fresh strawberries with the heat of a summer sun. She was like sunshine, warmth, and coming home.
But this wasn’t home. He was only here temporarily. And hurting Eva wasn’t a part of the plan. Just as Mac started to pull away from the most amazing kiss he’d ever had, a loud rap hit the office door before it opened, and Kolby popped his head in.
Eva shrieked and fell off his lap, landing on her knees in front of Mac.
Kolby’s eyes rounded in shock, then a sly smile spread across his face. “Oops. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Mac knew the scene from Kolby’s perspective had to seem bad. Here he sat in Eva’s desk chair with her between his legs and only her head visible to Kolby.
Eva whipped her head around in horror. “It’s not what you—”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Kolby replied, cutting Eva off and using his fingers to mimic zipping his mouth closed. For flair, Kolby added in the twisting of the key then flung it over his shoulder as he pirouetted out of the office.
“No, no, no, no. This cannot be happening again.” Eva groaned and began to pull herself up from the floor. Mac took hold of her arm to help, but she pulled away from any offered assistance, so Mac sat back in the chair and tried to keep his composure. Because he was almost certain if he even cracked a smile, let alone laugh, Eva would come unglued.
“Are you saying you’ve been caught in a compromising position like this before?” There was a slight twinge of guilt making itself known in Mac’s conscience, but he still couldn’t help enjoying the situation just a little.
Eva looked so damn cute worrying her lower lip, with straight white teeth and a soft blush that had started on her neck and crept up her face.
“I swear, Mac, if I were a violent person, I’d hurt you right now.” Eva moved over toward the office door, then turned back to look at him, tears threatening to fall. “I’ve been the object of small-town rumors most of my life. I thought coming to Cinnamon Bay would be a new start and a way to get away from all of that. But that dream just went down the toilet.”
Mac eased from the chair and joined Eva at the door where he brushed a strand of glossy dark hair from her cheek. “I’ve had my share of being the subject of everyone’s conversations. Trust me, being the only adopted kid in a family is fodder for the gossip mill.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t even consider that. I grew up with the neighborhood kids talking about my parents’ fights that could be heard most days. After that, it was all about my dad leaving and then on to my broken engagement. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.”
“No one ever gets used it. I’ll go talk to Kolby and make sure he doesn’t say anything.”
“We’ll both talk to him. I’m assuming he needed something since he barged into my office.” Eva swiped the moisture from her eyes, and it took everything in him not to pull her back into his arms.
But she already had her hand on the door to leave. Which he figured was a good thing. Kissing her this soon after Kolby had walked in on them probably wouldn’t turn out the way he’d hoped it would. He did, however, have something to say before she walked out of the room. Placing a hand on the door above her head, he’d made it impossible for Eva to open it. She glanced back at him in question.
“Before we both walk out of here and act like nothing happened, I want you to know that was by far the most incredible kiss I’ve ever had.”
Eva continued to stare at him with what Mac would call regret. Then she tugged on the door, causing his hand to drop and walked out. His stomach sank.
Chapter Eight
EVA FOUND KOLBY at the front counter alone. The coffee shop was relatively empty, which meant it was the perfect time to clear up what Kolby thought he’d just witnessed.
With a determined stride, Eva headed over to her employee with Mac right on her heels. The heat radiating from his body had shivers running down her spine. It didn’t matter because she was going to ignore it just like she was going to forget about the scorching kiss they’d just shared. So what if Mac said it was the best kiss ever. She didn’t have to admit it was for her too. Nope. She was in Cinnamon Bay to run Brewed with a View, not set herself up for disappointment again.
“Kolby,” she hissed in his ear, causing him to take an exaggerated leap and gasp like he’d just seen a ghost.
“Girl, you just took ten years off my life.” His hand covered in numerous rings was splayed over his throat.
“If you breathe one word about what you think you saw back in that office, you won’t live to see tomorrow. Do you understand?”
Kolby peeked around Eva’s shoulder to glance at Mac with a frown. “She’s a little scary, don’t you think?”
“Maybe. But I guarantee I can be much scarier.”
A blinged-out, mocha-colored hand flipped in the air, “Fine. I wasn’t planning on saying anything anyway, but there sure wasn’t any talking going on behind that door.”
“We were discussing something I’m helping him with, and that’s all it was.”
Kolby shot Mac a wink and patted Eva’s arm. “Whatever you say, sweetheart. But if it was up to me, I wouldn’t waste my time talking if I had that sexy man behind a closed door.”
“I swear I may just can your butt one day. Now, what did you need when you popped into my office without notice?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’ve had a ton of requests for Café Amour today. What am I supposed to tell everyone, especially the tourists who
’ve traveled here to try it?” Kolby’s perfect eyebrows raised as he gave Eva a smirk.
“Just tell them we are temporarily out of the spice mixture and we can’t make it right now. And you can wipe that I told you so look off your face because it’s not going to make me change my mind.”
“Whatever you say, boss lady. But they will just keep coming back.” Kolby wagged a finger at her before turning to help a customer.
“Why don’t you want to sell it anymore? It tastes great, everyone loves it, and it brings in money,” Mac asked.
Eva turned to look at the man who was making it hard not to think about love and romance. “You know why. It doesn’t work.”
His large shoulders shrugged, “So what? If people want to try it, let them. It doesn’t mean you have to believe in it. Maybe them believing it works is all they need.”
“You make a good point, but I’m not changing my mind.”
“There’s that stubbornness again.”
“You know, I could be bullheaded and not tell you what I found out earlier today.”
“You mean you got information and you didn’t tell me? Spill it, woman.”
“I would have told you when I got here but you kind of bit my head off. Now you’ll have to wait until I’m ready to share.” Eva raised her brows and gave him a smirk. “And who knows when that will be.”
“Something tells me I might know of a way to get the info out of you.”
“Oo la la,” Kolby chortled.
Eva shot her employee the stink eye over her shoulder before turning a frown on Mac.
“I’m done talking to you two. I have work to do.” And with that Eva stomped off to the back room, leaving the two men up front chuckling.
She needed some space from Kolby’s teasing and Mac’s ability to have her moods flying, twisting, and turning like she was on the world’s longest rollercoaster. If he thought she was going to willingly give him the information she’d found out today while on her errand, he had another thing coming. The man had no idea just how stubborn she really could be.
MAC SPENT ANOTHER hour working at Brewed with a View, hoping Eva would come tell him what she’d found out. When that never happened, he decided to try visiting his aunt again. If he could get her to listen to him, he was sure he would be able to convince her of who he was.
Mac parked his truck in front of the bright yellow house and prayed Elizabeth wouldn’t have her baseball bat. It was apparent she couldn’t see well. The coke-bottle glasses and her mistaking him for someone named Henderson was proof enough. Maybe if he announced himself before knocking, he would keep himself safe.
Mac’s gaze scanned the house as he stepped from his truck and ambled toward the steps that lead to his aunt’s front door. The windows on the front of the house were opened wide, so Mac stopped on the last step, cupped the side of his mouth and called out to the elderly slugger. She had a swing that could rival Babe Ruth.
“Elizabeth!”
He waited. No response.
“It’s Mac Jenssen. Can we talk for a few minutes?”
The front door opened to reveal his aunt behind a screen door, scowling, with the infamous baseball bat flung over her shoulder.
“People who know me call me Lizzie. And I for sure don’t know any Mac Jenssen. If you know what’s good for you, you’d hightail it off my property lickety-split.”
His hands raised in surrender, and he swallowed down his fear. “I know you don’t know me. I’m from Maine. But Macklin Parker was my grandfather, and I’d like to know more about him.”
The screen door opened, and his aunt stepped out on the porch. “I told you already, my brother had no grandchildren.”
“I know you think that. But I have proof he did indeed have a grandson. It’s me. If you’d just sit down with me and talk, I could explain everything.”
A sweat broke out all over Mac as he watched his aunt get into the batting stance, tap the bat on the porch, then grip it with her arm out as if she planned on hitting a grand slam.
“You got three seconds to get out of here, boy, before I unleash some good old-fashioned hell on you.”
“Okay, okay. I’m going.”
Turning his back on the old woman was out of the question, so Mac walked backward to his truck, never once taking his eyes of his aunt.
Damn, the old birds at the coffee shop were right; his aunt was going to be a tough cookie to break. He needed help, and the only person he trusted was in a foul mood at the moment. And he was the cause of it.
Reaching behind him, Mac opened the truck door, hopped in and stepped on the gas. He half expected his aunt to take the bat to his truck. Once he turned off her road and could no longer see her house in his rear-view mirror, he began to relax and started making plans on how to get Eva to tell him what she’d found out about his birth family.
Looked like he’d have to make a trip across the street later tonight and turn up the charm. Maybe he’d even convince her to a repeat of what had happened in her office today. Mac didn’t know what Eva was feeling at the moment, but he knew he couldn’t stop thinking about her and that incredible kiss. Hell, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Eva since the first time he’d laid eyes on her. The kiss just added fuel to the fire.
JUST AS EVA opened the oven door to remove the casserole she’d made for dinner, her doorbell rang. Something told her it was her new neighbor since she hadn’t been back in Cinnamon Bay long enough to reconnect with some of the friends she’d hung out with on her summer visits here.
A quick look in the foyer mirror, a toss of her hair, and a smoothing of wrinkles from her clothes made Eva feel a little more put together before opening the door. Sure enough, it was Mac on the other side looking too damn good.
The blue t-shirt made his eyes seem as bright and brilliant as the ocean on a sunny afternoon. Tanned, muscular arms covered in just enough hair to make Eva’s stomach flip, were crossed over his chest. She had a thing for men’s forearms, and his had her resolve to remain aloof wavering. Big time.
“What’s up?” She might be waffling a little on her steadfastness, but she wasn’t going to let Mac know.
“Are you still mad at me?”
“I wasn’t mad at you, just annoyed.”
“Ah. Well, that makes me feel so much better.” His droll comment had her chuckling.
“Come on in.” Eva took a step back to make room for Mac to enter. He must have showered before coming over because his thick black hair looked damp and he smelled like heaven. Earthy and sweet at the same time. The perfect combination. So, what did she find herself doing? Closing her eyes and taking in a deep inhale.
“Are you all right?” Startled out of her euphoric state by Mac’s voice, Eva opened her eyes to find his eyes twinkling back at her with humor.
After shutting the door, Eva walked past Mac, rolled her eyes, and gestured for him to follow.
“Fine. You caught me. I think you smell good.” No point in denying it. “Now, come on into the kitchen, I was just getting ready to eat. At this point, you might as well join me.”
“I’m overwhelmed by your kind invitation.”
“After today, you’re lucky I let you in my front door. Plus, you do remember I have info you want, right? If you want me to share, you better be on your best behavior, mister.”
Eva had turned to him with her hands on her curvy hips in a stern way, but she could barely control the twitching of her lips. Teasing Mac was fun. Yeah, it was on the flirty side, but it felt good. And Eva hadn’t felt this good in a long time.
“I plan on being a perfect gentleman tonight, even if you don’t tell me what you found.”
Eva walked over to the oven and removed the casserole. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You can grab us drinks from the fridge,” she suggested. “I’ll take the pitcher of tea that’s in there. You can have whatever you like.”
“Tea is good
.” Mac placed the pitcher on the table as Eva sat down their dinner.
“Thanks. Have a seat, and I’ll get our plates and glasses. I hope you like chicken and broccoli.”
“It’s perfect, Eva. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t tried it. It’s a meal my mom made for the two of us quite often. I was missing her a little today, so I thought maybe this would bring me some comfort.”
Mac cleared his throat and placed a hand on Eva’s arm. “Your mom? Is she…?”
“She’s in the Boston area and refuses to move back to Cinnamon Bay. There’s a group of women her age that get together a few times a week to play cards, go to the movies or get something to eat, and she doesn’t want to give it up.” Eva’s mouth twisted as she shrugged. “I understand, but I do miss her.
“Did you spend much time with your father?”
“Good lord, no. I haven’t talked to him since the day he walked out on us. He married his young mistress and forgot about Mom and me.” Eva shrugged again. “What’s a girl to do? You can’t make someone want you in their lives. You just learn to make the best of it. But, enough about me. Tell me about your family.”
A little thrill weaved its way through her as she watched Mac take a bite of her casserole. She just wasn’t sure if the thrill was caused by his pleased expression or the way his firm, full lips moved across the fork as he pulled it from his mouth.
Pointing the utensil at her, Mac groaned, “Delicious.” Her thoughts exactly. “You already know I’m adopted, but I do have a younger brother by about a year. My parents were one of the couples who couldn’t get pregnant until after they adopted.”
Eva’s mouth fell open in surprise. “I’ve heard of that happening, but I can’t imagine how exhausted your mom must have been.”
“To hear my mother tell the story, she hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since we came along. My dad, on the other hand, says he always made sure she got sleep.”
Love on the Boardwalk: A Cinnamon Bay Romance - Book One Page 5
