His Sweet Fix

by Sofia Grey

  I watched Jasper covertly and wondered again what Cindy had wanted with him. What was so urgent? He scratched at the stubble on his chin, and my thighs tingled at the memory of him going down on me. I’d never forget our night together, but how long would it take for the ache of rejection to ease?

  Since Jasper was in the process of selling his share of the gym, that meant I wouldn’t be bumping into him every day. I was glad and sad at the same time.

  He made this move possible, and I’d always be grateful to him. And in three weeks’ time, I’d wave him goodbye.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Exhaustion hit. If I didn’t move soon, I’d be asleep where I sat.

  I hauled my weary body upright. Jasper had disappeared to look at something with Tane, so I escaped without the pressure of saying goodnight to him.

  Holly gave me a hug as I left. “I’m glad you’re staying a bit longer,” she said. “And I’m sure Jas is, too.”

  I had no idea. He asked me to stay, but I had no clue why. Jasper proved once again that I was spectacularly bad at reading men.

  It was chilly outside. The skies were clearing, and I looked up at the stars, losing myself in the myriad of constellations above my head. The night was dominated by the Milky Way, always more beautiful in winter than summer, and tonight was a good night to see it. Not here, though. Not with the street lamps casting their yellow-white glow.

  I yawned, climbed into my car, and opened the window all the way down to let the cool air in. I’d be back at my cottage in ten minutes, but I still wanted to drive safely. I was wide awake by the time I got there, so I sat on the deck, my hands warm around a cup of herbal tea and my gaze fixed on the stars.

  I should be excited about my new premises, but I was melancholy instead. Why was that? I tried to unpick the conflicting emotions buzzing inside. The weekend had been a roller-coaster. It would take a few days for everything to come back to normal again, if it could. I was different since Jasper. Thinking about him hurt, but trying to avoid him hurt more.

  Focus on the sky. I traced the Southern Cross with my finger, pausing when a bright light arced across the darkness. A shooting star. Should I make a wish? A silent request for Jasper to want to be with me?

  If only...

  *

  A tapping noise intruded on my dream, and I opened my eyes. Someone was knocking on the door. As I grabbed my phone to see the time—seven-thirty—I knew it had to be Jasper. This was like a rerun of the other day.

  What was it about this man, that he felt the need to deprive me of sleep?

  I should ignore him, in hopes he’d go away, but there was a better chance of me walking on the moon. Even the slightest chance of a Jasper-encounter was enough to get me moving.

  With my hair a tangled mess and my pajamas rumpled, I rushed to the kitchen and saw him on the other side of the glass door. He hunched over his stick but straightened when our gazes met. I let him in, and his lips curved in a slight smile.

  “Hey,” he said. “You exercising this morning?”

  I didn’t plan to, so why did I say yes? Besides, he had to be aching after all the walking and carrying he did when he helped move my stuff. I couldn’t think of a tactful way to ask, so I blurted it out. “You didn’t overdo it yesterday? There were a lot of boxes.”

  The smile disappeared, and the scowl returned. “I’m fine.” He glanced at his watch. “Outside in five? I’ve got things to do today.”

  Four minutes later, I hurried onto the sand, tying my hair back from my face. I should be grateful it wasn’t raining, but the southerly wind was so cold, it stole my breath. Conversation was impossible for the next twenty minutes, as Jasper put me through my paces. Striding gave way to jogging a short distance, and it took my entire concentration not to break my pace.

  Throughout the session, Jasper stood still, his back rigid. He must have felt the cold, but he didn’t show it.

  When it was over and I stretched and cooled down to his satisfaction, I sat on the damp sand and hugged my knees. I might be able to speak clearly. “Do you want to come back for tea? Or coffee?”

  “I’ve got plans.” He rolled his shoulders and tapped his stick on the ground. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  I swallowed down my disappointment. “Okay.” He was about to leave, but I wasn’t ready to let him go. “Is Holly around today?”

  “No. She’s at work.”

  “What does she do?”

  Jasper narrowed his eyes. “She does PR for the local council.”

  It was the perfect segue into a safe topic. “I might ask her for help with my marketing plan. I want to build up my customer base. D’you think she might have time?”

  “Probably.” His face was shuttered, but he didn’t walk away.

  “I’ll make a start on setting up the kitchen today. Can I come and go as I please during your working hours?”

  “Yep.”

  I scrambled to my feet and shook out my arms and legs. “Thanks for coming over. It was a good workout. Same time tomorrow?”

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  What was with the one-word answers? “Doing anything fun today?”

  Jasper scrubbed his free hand across his unshaven chin. “Not really.” He hesitated, but when I thought he might elaborate, he turned on his heel and limped away.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  One of the morning classes had let out when I arrived. A dozen young women clattered down the stairs, their voices bright and their laughter ringing out in the stillness of the morning. I waited on the car park until they left, and then made my way up.

  Tane leaned over the reception desk, tapping something into the PC, while a teenage girl stacked a pile of clean towels. She said something, and Tane chuckled, before pretending to smack her around the head. She ducked and retreated to a safe distance, then looked up and saw me.

  “Can I help you?” When she faced me, I saw the resemblance to Tane, who turned around at her words.

  “Caitlin.” He stepped forward and took my hand. “Welcome. This imp”—he gestured to the girl—“is my little sister, God help me. I must have been evil in a previous life, to land up with this one.”

  “I have a name.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re the cake maker, aye? I’m Rose. I slave here part time before school. Work my fingers to the bone.”

  Tane huffed a sigh. “And get paid handsomely for the privilege.” He grinned at me. “You can adopt her if you’d like. I tried to palm her off onto Jas, but he refused. C’mon, Caitlin. Help a guy out?”

  His cheery mood was infectious, and I couldn’t help laughing, even more so at Rose’s outraged expression.

  “I am not a stray dog.” She elbowed Tane.

  “Tell me about it. You’d be better trained if you were. Now, shoo. Those towels won’t put themselves away.” He picked up something from the counter and held it out to me. “Here’s an access card. We’re open from six until eight but this will give you out-of-hours entry.”

  “Thank you.” I took the slim plastic card and tucked it into my back pocket. “You have all been so kind.”

  He waved away my words. “I’m salivating at the idea of gluten-free brownies. They’re top of your list, right?”

  He walked with me into the kitchen, and then paused in the doorway. “You known Jas long?”

  “Just a few days. Why?”

  Tane shrugged. “He never mentioned you before, and we’ve been tight for years. Are you one of Holly’s friends?”

  “No.” I tried a smile, though I was unsure where the interrogation was heading. “You could class me as one of Jasper’s strays, I guess.”

  “Sweet. It’s all go, around here. We have a celebrity coming in today. Lucinda Redd. The actress?”

  The name sounded familiar, and I shrugged.

  “Eh, you’ll recognize her. She’s the next big star to come out of Wellington. She was in that zombie flick last year, and the hospital drama. Jas says she’s in training for her next role and
needs his help to bulk up.”

  Hang on. “You mean Cindy? His ex?”

  “Yeah. You know her?”

  “We’ve met.” Her visit to Jasper made sense now. She needed him, and he couldn’t refuse. Despite what he said, he was probably still in love with her. I wanted to bring this conversation to a close, and I pulled my phone from my bag. “I need to make some calls. I promise you’ll be the first to know when I have baking ready to test.”

  “Awesome. You rock.” He bounded off, his energy reminding me of one of Jasper’s dogs.

  I needed to call Deanna, to confirm with my suppliers, and set up a mail re-direct for any post that went to my old address, but I did none of those. I walked to the window and gazed out, while I collected my thoughts. I didn’t want to bump into Cindy again. I’d had enough doses of inadequacy over the weekend. It wasn’t a taste I liked.

  This was stupid, and I wasn’t normally so dumb. Mentally giving myself a slap, I straightened my back and blew out a calming breath. Jasper was my personal trainer. Sure, we’d bumped uglies, but it wasn’t going anywhere, and obsessing over him was a surefire path to disappointment. I had a brilliant new kitchen to bake in and another week of a gorgeous beachside cottage to enjoy.

  On cue, the gym’s audio system kicked up a notch, playing “I Want To Break Free,” an old Queen track I loved and hadn’t heard in ages. It lifted my mood, and I hummed along.

  This would be good. I’d make sure of it.

  *

  Two hours later, I’d crossed several items off my To Do List and had two batches of cakes fresh from the oven. Both were experimental. I’d adapted the gluten-free brownie to include cranberries, and then made another batch studded with white-chocolate chips. They smelled divine, and I wondered how far the fragrance would carry.

  When Tane stuck his head around the door and sniffed the air, I had my answer. “Please tell me they’re ready to eat. I’ve got six hungry women asking if they can sample your baking,” he said.

  “Give me a few minutes. They need to cool a fraction before I cut them.” I nodded toward the blender on the counter. “I can whip up some fruit smoothies too, if you’d like.”

  He advanced toward me and held his arms wide. “If I’d like? I’d definitely like. I’m ready to marry you.”

  I laughed, but he wasn’t done yet.

  Dropping to his knees, he gazed up at me. “Caitlin, you are everything I want in a wife. Please marry me this instant and feed me yummy snacks for the rest of our lives.”

  His clowning was adorable and the perfect balm for my wounded soul. “Hmm... I don’t know. What do I get in return?”

  “The lifelong pleasure I can bring?”

  I pretended to think about it. “Umm...”

  He squinted. “Eternal happiness? The chance to ride in a cool truck? I’ll even let you drive sometimes. Maybe.”

  “I don’t know. It’s tempting.”

  “Best offer you’ve had this week?”

  “Am I interrupting?”

  Jasper stood in the doorway, a scowl cutting across his forehead. My heart flipped, and butterflies careered through my stomach. Even after the serious talk I had with myself, one look at him, and I was gone.

  “Dude, I’m in lurve.” Tane seemed blissfully unaware of Jasper’s filthy mood. “How about you help me persuade her?”

  “How about you get back in the studio? Caitlin’s trying to run a business here.”

  Jasper’s sour tone rankled, and I glared at him. “He came to collect some cake samples for your clients. Didn’t you, Tane?”

  “God yes.” He stood. “But I have to try them first. It’s my civic duty.”

  “I’ll bring them out soon. I promise.”

  “Okay.” Tane clapped Jasper’s shoulder as he left the kitchen. “Bringing Caitlin here? Best decision ever, bro.”

  There was a stilted pause, while Jasper and I stared at each other.

  “He’s not bothering you, is he?” Jasper’s tone was gruff.

  “Not at all. He’s fun.”

  “He flirts with everyone, you know.”

  I wasn’t that stupid, to think I was special, but it stung to have Jasper call it out. “Wow. Way to burst my bubble.”

  “Sorry.” He blew out a breath. “That came out wrong.”

  There were many things I should say. That it was none of his business who I flirted with. That I didn’t like his attitude. That, if all he wanted to do was piss me off, he was going the right way.

  I turned around and picked up a serrated-edge knife, and then tackled the first batch of brownies, pausing to glance over my shoulder. “If you don’t mind, I’m busy.”

  I didn’t hear him leave.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Armed with a platter of bite-sized brownie samples, a stack of plastic cups, and a jug of melon-and-berry smoothie, I set off for the reception area. I’d tidied my hair and put on a clean apron, and now I affixed a smile. These were my future customers. I wanted to make a good impression.

  A group of women lurking by the counter greeted me with beaming expressions and questions. Did I have any business cards? Was I a permanent fixture at the gym? Would I be opening an in-house café?

  Tane helped me field the answers, while he grabbed samples for himself and devoured them with a look of ecstasy. If only pleasing Jasper was as simple. And where the hell did that thought creep in from? There was no sign of him at the moment, and I vowed to banish him from my mind.

  That lasted all of two minutes, until he walked in, Cindy at his side. Damn. They looked good together.

  There was another flurry of activity, as the women clustered around Cindy and asked for autographs. She held a mini-conference for her audience, thanked them for their support, and told them she was in training for her next role as an Olympic athlete. When tasked with adding muscles, she turned, of course, to Jasper.

  He smiled and nodded, and jealousy soured my gut. I didn’t want to watch them together. It might make me petty and small-minded, but I didn’t care. I slunk back to the kitchen and focused on another variant of the brownie.

  Tane kept calling in with feedback from the gym clients. They loved the snacks and wanted more. They’d pay. Would I have some available tomorrow? That was easy enough.

  I spent the rest of the morning baking. It was what I did best, and I could lose myself in the task. The rituals of measuring and mixing were so familiar, I could do them in my sleep, and they soothed my fractured thoughts.

  I’d just about regained my composure when Jasper came to find me. He held out a takeaway bag from the local baker. “I got you a sandwich. I know you didn’t have a lunch break.”

  Why did he have to be so nice? If he was a permanent asshat, he’d be much easier to dislike.

  “Chicken and salad on wholegrain,” he said. “I hope that’s okay.”

  I hadn’t realized I was hungry until he opened the bag and plated the food. “Yes, it’s fine. Thank you. Let me pay you,” I said.

  “Nah, it’s all good.” He leaned back against the counter, the stick at his side. “I wanted to ask you something.”

  I looked longingly at the sandwich, and then dragged my gaze up to Jasper’s face. Blue shadows under his eyes gave him a bruised appearance. He waited for my answer.

  “Sure,” I said. “Go for it.”

  “You mentioned your father leads groups of trampers, right?”

  I recalled the conversation, even if I couldn’t remember when we had it. “Yes.”

  “A guy Cindy knows’ is visiting. He’s some bigass Hollywood movie director, and he wants to go into the bush and see the real New Zealand. She wants to make him happy, so she kinda promised him she’d set up an organized trip, and now she’s panicking.”

  “I could ask my dad, but he doesn’t like taking newbies out. He’s a serious tramper, not a tour guide.”

  “Apparently, he knows what he’s doing. Her words, not mine.” Jasper scratched his chin. “Would you ask your fath
er, please? I’ll owe you.”

  I owed Jasper more than I could ever repay. “I’ll ask. And you don’t owe me a thing, after all this.” I gestured at the kitchen. “Any idea when he wants to go?”

  “As soon as possible.” His lips tilted up at the corners. “Thank you.” I didn’t get the same radiant smile as Cindy did, but hey—who was counting?

  Dad was surprisingly enthusiastic when I talked to him on the phone. “I’m taking out a mid-level group on Wednesday, for an overnight tramp. Let me know if he’s interested.”

  “I thought you went out at the weekend?”

  “This is a bunch of my friends.” He chuckled. “Just because they’ve retired from work, doesn’t mean they’re unfit. They could run rings around you.”

  “Thanks.” He was joking, but it still dug at me.

  “Besides, there’s a weather front coming this weekend, so we’re going before it hits. See if your guy is free and let me know. We’re staying in a hut, not under canvas, so we’ll be fine even if the rain comes early.”

  I scribbled some notes, promised to call him back, and then went in search of Jasper.

  As expected, he was with Cindy, and they were engrossed in setting up a complicated series of weights and pulleys on a piece of equipment. It looked to me like something out of a medieval torture chamber, but she seemed delighted when he strapped her in.

  I cleared my throat. I had better things to do than watch them together. “You were asking about an organized hike? My dad’s taking a group into Otaki Forks on Wednesday, for an overnight tramp.”

  Cindy pursed her lips. “Otaki Forks is a bit tame. I think he’d prefer something more demanding.”

  “Actually, the Forks is one of the best access routes into the Tararua Mountains,” I replied. I might not be into bush walks, but I knew more than most about it. “It’s perfect for an overnight trip. Great views and established tracks. It’s safe and accessible.”

  “I suppose.” She glanced at Jasper. “I hoped Jassy would be able to take us, but he said no.”