by Kira Archer
“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
Eric rolled his eyes but turned to the counter where the ingredients were laid out. “All right, boss lady. What do I do first?”
“What does the recipe say?”
“I thought the point of having you here was so I didn’t have to read the recipe. If I have to read it anyway, why can’t I just do this on my own?”
“I don’t know. Why can’t you?” She tried to keep a laugh in but didn’t quite succeed. The sound erupted in a little snort and she slapped her hand over her mouth and turned away.
“Ha ha, yeah, very funny.” His tone was irritated but his lips were twitching as well. He sighed. “All right, fine.”
He pulled the recipe toward him and ran a finger down the page as he read. If his lips started moving, Nat was totally going to lose it. She tamped down her amusement and tried to look helpful.
“Okay. So what does it tell you to do first?”
“It says to add the butter.”
“Okay. Go get it.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed but he went to the fridge and grabbed a box of butter. Natalie frowned.
“What? I can’t have possibly screwed up already. I haven’t done anything yet.”
“It says to add softened butter.”
“Okay. Well, can’t I just throw it in the microwave for a minute?”
“Yes. But it’s hard to gauge how soft it’s getting. It needs to be soft, not melted, or it’ll throw off the consistency of your whole recipe. It’s better to use butter that has been on the counter so it’s at room temperature. There’s a dish of it over there,” she said, pointing at a covered bowl near his elbow.
He grabbed the bowl and a measuring cup and started spooning some into the cup. Only instead of leveling it out, Eric heaped lumps of it into the cup and went to dump it inside the mixing bowl.
“Wait.” Natalie came over to him and put her hand around his, helping him hold the cup steady. She took a spoon and pressed the butter into the cup. “See. You have to make sure it’s completely full and level. Otherwise you may not be getting the correct amount and it will—”
“I know, I know. Throw off my recipe.”
She glared at him but without any real heat. “Yeah, that’s right.”
God, he smelled good. She wasn’t sure what cologne he was wearing, or if it was just a particularly enticing brand of soap, but it made her want to shove her nose into the hollow of his throat and inhale deeply. Maybe hang out there long enough to take a taste. Or two. She licked her lips and looked up to find Eric staring at her, a knowing half smile on his lips.
She let go of his hand and stepped back. “Okay.” The word came out a little breathy and she forced herself to get a grip. “Now put that in the bowl and then flip on the mixer to beat it smooth for a minute. Then we’ll add the next ingredient.”
Eric did as she said, the smile still on his face. They continued down the list of ingredients, Nat correcting him on nearly every ingredient until they had almost incorporated everything.
“Okay, all we have left is the flour mixture with all of our dry ingredients.”
“I still don’t see why we couldn’t have just put them in without having to combine them all first. Doesn’t it all just get mixed in together anyways?”
“Yes but it incorporates better if it’s all sifted together before you put it in with the wet ingredients.”
“Whatever.” Eric shrugged and did as she directed. “All right, boss lady, what’s next?”
“Grab the milk. We’re going to alternate the flour mixture with the milk until everything is all mixed together.”
Eric poured out the milk into the measuring cup and grabbed another cup to scoop up some of the flour mixture. Before Natalie could stop him, he dumped an overflowing cup of flour into the already beating mixer.
“Wait!” Nat said. But it was too late. Flour sprayed everywhere, covering them both. Eric, who had been bending over the mixer, stood up and turned toward her. His face was completely covered in flour. Natalie slapped her hand over her mouth but couldn’t contain her laughter. He glared at her and ran a hand through his hair, sending more flour into the air.
Nat choked off her laugh. “When you’re adding the flour, you need to turn the mixer off first.”
“Oh really? Ya think? That probably would have been good to know before I put the flour in.”
“Sorry. I just sort of assumed you’d know that already.”
Eric snorted. “I think it’s safe to assume that when it comes to baking, I know nothing.”
“Ya think?” Nat said, mimicking him.
“Oh, this is funny, is it?”
Natalie’s laughter bubbled over again. She really couldn’t help it. But with him standing there, white from the eyebrows down, the flour mixing with whatever product he had in his hair to turn into a white paste, she just couldn’t keep it in.
“I’m sorry, I really am. But, oh my God.” She burst out laughing.
Eric walked toward her and Nat stepped back until she was up against the sink. He grinned with a predatory leer and took another step closer. She reached behind her and grabbed the sprayer, holding it out in front of her like a weapon.
“Don’t come any closer!”
Eric froze for a second, then dodged to the side, laughing as he ducked around behind her. She sprayed the nozzle at him but only succeeded in misting them both with water before he got it out of her hands.
He reached out and grabbed her around the waist, hauling her into him. “Hmmm, is it still funny?” he asked, shaking his head over her and sending a shower of flour cascading down onto her head.
Nat shrieked and tried twisting away from him, but Eric laughed, holding her even tighter as he rubbed himself all over her. By the time he stopped they were both covered in flour and breathless with laughter.
Nat looked up. Eric’s mouth was mere inches from hers. His arms were still firmly around her, his body pressed against hers. She leaned in a little and hesitated while her mind warred with itself. This is a bad, bad idea. But it would be so easy to close the distance between them. So easy. And so good. She leaned a fraction of an inch closer and Eric took the decision out of her hands.
He slipped a hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head to bring her closer. His lips closed over hers and Nat didn’t even pretend to fight it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to bring him in even deeper. Eric groaned and crushed her to him, lifting her to the counter.
Nat wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him in as close as he could get. He slipped his fingers under her shirt, brushing against her skin in featherlight touches that had her shivering against him. He trailed up her rib cage to just beneath her bra. When his thumbs brushed over her nipples, she gasped and arched into him, pressing into his hands. He fumbled with the clasp of her bra and she reached up and quickly unhooked it, laughing a bit as she yanked it out through the sleeve of her shirt and tossed it to the side.
Her hands tugged on Eric’s shirt and he whipped it over his head. Hers followed and then there was nothing between them. Nothing but his mouth on her skin, his tongue drawing her nipple into the scalding heat of his mouth. Nat struggled to catch her breath, her hands threading through his hair, grabbing handfuls as she held on for dear life.
Eric’s straining jeans pressed against the thin material of her yoga pants, fitting perfectly against her. Nat’s legs clenched, her hips lifting to rub against the hard length of him. Eric pressed against her again and again. Once more and Nat cried out, throwing her head back as her release shuddered through her body. Eric held her, relinquishing her nipple to explore her mouth. He let the wave of her orgasm ride through her before he pressed against her again, searching for his own release.
Nat slipped a hand between them and massaged him through his jeans. She tore her mouth from his and kissed her way down his neck, across his chest, her teeth lightly grazing one nipple. Eric sucked in a breath and gra
bbed a fistful of her hair. He pulled her head back up and crushed his mouth to hers, his tongue mimicking the movement of his hips as he thrust against her. Nat’s hand rubbed and squeezed as she rocked against him until he stiffened, thrust again, once more, and then relaxed against her, sucking in great gulps of air.
They clung to each other for a moment, their hearts pounding together. Nat let her head rest against Eric’s chest for a second while she caught her breath. When she finally thought she could speak, she lifted her head and looked up at Eric. He smiled down at her.
“That was…” He laughed. “I have no words.”
“Ditto,” Nat said.
Eric leaned down to kiss her, his hand cupping her cheek, one thumb gently rubbing against her face as his lips moved over hers. The aftershocks of her orgasm still faintly pulsed through her but Nat could feel the heat building again.
A faint sound from across the room snapped her out of the haze of pleasure Eric’s lips were creating.
“What’s that?” Nat asked, wrenching her mouth from Eric’s.
“What?” he murmured, his lips trailing down her throat.
“That!” Nat said, hearing a distinct murmur of voices from the direction of the door. She pushed on Eric a bit, finally getting his attention.
This time he heard it too. He disentangled himself from her, snagging their shirts from the floor and helping her jump off the counter. They were both still covered in flour. Nothing much they could do about that. At least it was explainable. The voices were louder. Gina and Jared, arguing as usual.
Nat and Eric did a quick perusal of each other and gave each other a thumbs up. Nat’s legs were still quivering, and her body felt like a puddle of melted frosting, but that didn’t account for the oddly free feeling she had.
“Shit!” she gasped, grabbing her breasts in both hands. Her totally free and unencumbered breasts. Where the hell was her bra? Eric saw her dilemma and they both turned to search for it.
“Do you smell that?” Eric asked.
“That burning smell?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh my God!” Nat lunged for the mixer that had been forgotten during their impromptu make-out session. The paddle was still spinning, creaming the batter into oblivion. Somehow her bra had gotten tangled up with the paddle handle and the motor was working overtime to keep mixing.
Eric yanked the power cord from the wall and worked furiously to untangle the bra from the machine. “Got it!” he said, holding the scrap of cloth up in triumph.
The kitchen door clicked open. Eric’s eyes went from the door, to Nat, to the bra in his hand. Before Nat could say a word, he stretched it in his hands like a rubber band and slingshot it to the top of the fridge. It disappeared almost entirely, only one of the satiny straps hanging off the side.
Nat stared with her mouth hanging open but had no chance to say or do anything before Jared and Gina burst in.
“You’re a fungus,” Gina said, glaring at Jared in disgust.
“Hmm, like a mushroom? Earthy and delicious, maybe a little mind-altering? I can dig that. You wanna taste?”
“Ugh,” Gina groaned. “Eric, you better check your boy here or he’s going to get his junk punched.”
“Hey, don’t blame him on me. I’ve got no control over him. You’re the one walking in with him.”
“Yeah, not my fault. Ran into him at Starbucks and the miscreant followed me all the way over here.”
“Hey, I was at Starbucks first. I can’t help it if you’re stalking me. I just figured I’d save you the trouble of following me and escort you over. We were both headed here, anyway.”
“Right. Whatever.”
Gina’s eyes narrowed as she looked back and forth between Eric and Nat and the flour-covered kitchen. “What the hell happened here?”
“Just a little baking accident,” Nat said.
“She was showing me how to make cupcakes,” Eric chimed in. “I’m not a very good student.”
Gina looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing as her gaze zoomed in on his crotch. “Uh-huh. Looks like Nat was being a very thorough teacher.”
Nat frowned slightly, trying to catch Gina’s meaning. Then she followed Gina’s gaze and nearly swallowed her tongue. Embarrassed heat immediately shot to her cheeks, burning so hotly she thought she’d melt on the spot. Eric frowned at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Nat’s eyes dropped to his crotch, then back up. He looked down. And immediately turned his back, his hands brushing at what was very obviously the flour imprint of a hand.
Gina looked like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to yell at them or laugh her ass off. Though laughing was definitely winning out. “I just stopped by to see if you wanted to start on refinishing the display case. But…” Her gaze bounced from Eric to Nat and back again. “I guess we can just get started on that without you, for now. We’ll just, um, let you guys get cleaned up a bit,” she said, grabbing Jared’s arm and towing him out the door.
“What’s going on? Did I miss something?” Jared asked.
“Always. Just keep walking.”
Jared didn’t bother arguing, just launched back into another attempt on Gina’s virtue. “Ah, if you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask. I’d follow you anywhere, baby.”
“I swear, if you say one more thing…”
Their voices trailed off and Nat slumped against the counter, a nervous laugh escaping, along with a sigh of relief.
Eric grabbed a damp towel and scrubbed at his jeans. “So. I’m thinking black jeans are a really bad idea for the kitchen.”
Nat laughed and Eric reached a hand out. She hesitated a second, feeling suddenly shy, but let him take her hand. He pulled her to him and gave her a gentle kiss. “I know I should apologize for totally mauling you in the middle of the kitchen but…that was just…”
“I know,” Nat agreed, her lips stretching into a slow smile she couldn’t stop if she wanted to.
“Fucking amazing.”
Her smile spread wider. “Took the words right out of my mouth.”
Eric chuckled, a low, deep sound full of primal male pride. He had a right to be proud. Not that full-on sex with him hadn’t been completely mind-blowing, but there was a lot to be said for a good old-fashioned make-out fest.
“How about we get cleaned up and go grab something to eat,” he said.
“Okay. Just one thing.”
“Anything you want,” Eric said, pulling her close for another kiss.
“Can you get my bra down?”
Eric burst out laughing. “Yeah, sorry. Couldn’t think what else to do with it.”
He went to the fridge and pulled it down. “Hey, how about we go on a real date?”
Natalie froze. “A date?”
“Yeah. You know, one of those things where I come pick you up. We go somewhere together, maybe have dinner and then a movie or something so we can sit in the dark and hold hands,” he said with a wink and a grin.
Nothing had ever sounded so wonderful. But… “I don’t know if we should.”
Eric wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. “Oh yeah,” he said, cupping her face. “We definitely should. I know you wanted to take it slow, but we’ve seen each other every day now for almost two months. I’ve spent more time with you than I have with Jared, and I live with him.”
Nat smiled, wavering. He was right. Honestly, she felt like she knew him better than most people in her life. And she wanted to get to know him a whole lot better. She wanted to date him. Wanted to spend time outside of the bakery with him. And she was tired of wanting it. No, their business matters weren’t worked out just yet, but their personal situation seemed far more urgent.
His lips descended, moving over hers until her head started swimming and she had to clutch his shoulders to keep from swaying. “You’re playing dirty,” she murmured.
“Man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.” His lips went back to their diversionary tactics.
/> She grinned. “All right, fine. Let’s go out.”
“Good.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t worry about this mess. We can deal with it later. Go get cleaned up. I’ll meet you at your place in an hour.”
One last kiss and he was out the door before Nat could say anything else. She prayed she wasn’t making a huge mistake. The bakery would be up and running soon and then what? He wouldn’t need her anymore. The men in her life didn’t tend to stick around very long after she was no longer useful. And she really didn’t think she could go through that all again. Though, Eric didn’t seem like the type to just ditch her. But then, neither had Steve.
Mistake or not, she was about to go on her first real date with her Gelato man. And she was grinning like an idiot.
Heaven help her.
Chapter Fourteen
If he hadn’t already thought she was damn near the perfect woman before, he did now. She’d not only sat through a showing of Die Hard without giving him a hard time, but she’d actually enjoyed it, as far as he could tell. He was half tempted to drop to one knee and propose right there. A thought that shocked him to his core when he realized he meant it.
He shook off the unsettling thought. Nat was skittish enough as it was. If he declared his interest in making their relationship an actual relationship, let alone a permanent one, they’d be back to being “just friends” faster than he could say yippee ki-yay, mother fu—
“Does the theater do this often?” Nat asked. “Do old movie marathons?”
“About once a month. Last month was a Lethal Weapon marathon.”
“Fun.” Nat grinned.
“So, you’re a Die Hard fan, huh?”
Nat shrugged and took a sip of her soda, chewing on the straw a bit. “What’s not to like? It’s got action, humor. And a hot, young Bruce Willis.”
Eric grinned.
“What?” Nat asked.
“Nothing.” He reached down and threaded his fingers through hers.
She glanced down at their hands and smiled, giving his hand a slight squeeze as they started walking off.