by Deanna Chase
But Hanna wanted something a little marketable. Something tourists could see from the cobblestone walkway, that would bring them in even if they weren’t exactly in the market for pastries and coffee. She had a vision of dancing cookies and fancy latte art. She could handle manipulating the latte art, but she’d need her mother for the dancing cookies.
The bell chimed on the front door just as the timer went off for the fresh batch of scones she’d tucked in the oven as soon as she’d arrived.
“Be right there,” she called over her shoulder as she hobbled into the back room. Her ankle had made a remarkable improvement, but it was still weak, and she had to build up strength before she could ditch the crutch. At least she was getting around now and didn’t need Candy until later in the day.
“What’s in the oven?” she heard Rhys ask from behind her. “It smells amazing.”
Her heart did a little jig, and she smiled to herself as she turned around and said, “Cinnamon maple.” She waved at the tray she’d just slid into the cooling rack. “Fresh from the oven. Want one?”
“Hell yes.” He strode into the back like he owned the place, but instead of making a beeline for the scones, he stopped right in front of her and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips.
She was so shocked, she just stood there like an idiot, blinking up at him.
“Good morning, Hanna.” His voice was gruff and his hand slightly calloused as he cupped her cheek. And not for the first time, she wondered what he did exactly that made his hands rough. He worked at a bar, not a construction site.
“Morning,” she said, pressing her hand to his. “Rhys?”
“Yeah.” His warm lips brushed over hers again, making her body tingle from head to toe.
“Where do your callouses come from?” She gently pulled his hand away from her face and ran a hand over the rough parts of his palm and fingertips.
He gave her a strange look as if he couldn’t believe she was asking that question. “Where do you think they come from?”
“I honestly have no idea,” she said, lifting his palm and placing a kiss right in the middle. “Pub work doesn’t seem like it would be that hard on one’s hands.”
His eyes closed, and he let out a slow breath. “No. You’re right, it doesn’t. But chopping wood does.”
An image flashed in her mind of him shirtless in just a pair of low-slung jeans while he wielded an ax, and she nearly groaned. Holy hell, the thought was almost enough to make her combust. “You chop wood?”
He let out a low chuckle. “Almost every morning. Where do you think your parents got that stash of split logs from last fall?”
“What?” She jerked back so that she could look up at him. “I knew you delivered it for them, but I didn’t know you chopped it, too.”
“How else do you think I keep in shape.” He lifted one glorious arm and flexed for her, once again showing off that forearm.
“The gym?”
He laughed. “Sometimes. But I enjoy the solitude of chopping in my backyard.”
She studied him for a moment. “When exactly did you start this chopping? You never did that before.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “A little over a year ago.”
So, he’d started that after they’d stopped dating. Interesting. “Well, Rhys, keep me in mind if you find yourself with more wood than you can handle.”
A gleam lit his dark gaze, and he moved in, trapping her between his body and the counter. “Are you in the market for some wood, Hanna?”
Her gaze involuntarily dropped to below his waistline, and she felt her cheeks heat.
“Let me rephrase,” he said, his voice gruff. “Are you in the market for my wood.”
She was. Goddess above, she definitely was. But if she let herself go there, no doubt she’d get burned. This was a dangerous game he was playing, and if they ever actually got naked together, it would have to be for keeps. With him, there wasn’t any halfway. She’d never survive it. “You’re being vulgar, Rhys,” she said softly even as she licked her lips.
“I’m not saying anything you aren’t thinking, Han.” He brushed one of her dark curls out of her eyes, and without another word, he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her with such fire, she felt every last one of her nerve endings come alive. And the wood in question pressed against her belly, his body straining for hers. She clung to him, meeting his earnest kiss with a passion of her own.
Mine, her mind said again, and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in closer.
Rhys let out a low groan and deepened the kiss, both of his rough hands gently cradling her cheeks.
She loved the feel of him, wanted to wrap herself around him and get lost for hours.
“Hello?” a voice called from the café. “Hanna, are you here?”
“Damn,” Rhys muttered, backing off. He was breathing heavily, and his face was flushed with desire.
“Be out in a sec!” Hanna called, her voice higher than usual as she panicked slightly from the hot make-out session in the back room. What if Candy or her mother had walked in? They’d been fully clothed, sure, but there was no denying the way they’d been trying to fuse themselves together.
He let out a small chuckle and gently kissed her again. “Go. I need a minute to get control of myself.” Both of them glanced down at the obvious bulge in his pants.
“Sorry?” Hanna said.
Rhys gave her a wry smile. “I’m not.”
The door swung wide as Hanna hurried back into the front of the café as fast as her crutch would allow. A small line had formed, and she winced. Damn. She hated making her customers wait. But she sure hadn’t hated the reason.
“Baking must be taking it out of you today,” Barb Garber said, blinking at her. “You look a little warm.”
Hanna cleared her throat. “The crutch and the ovens definitely keep me warm.”
“You need help, dear,” Barb added, her face scrunched up in concern. “You shouldn’t be the only one here with that foot the way it is.”
“Oh, I have help. He’ll be out in a minute. We just had an oven situation to deal with. What can I get for you?”
She rattled off an order for a mocha and a latte and took her sweet time deciding on her pastries while Hanna expertly concocted the drinks. By the time she was pouring the milk into the cups, Rhys walked out of the back, looking as cool as could be. And then he jumped on the register, taking orders and pulling pastries as if he was a regular employee.
In no time, the line was gone and it was just them again.
“Here.” Rhys pulled her stool over to the counter. “Take a seat. I’ll restock.”
“Rhys,” she said, grabbing his arm to stop him. “I appreciate that you’re here and all, but you shouldn’t be doing this. Don’t you have to be at the brewery in a few hours?”
“Yes, but by then Candy and your mom will be here. Don’t worry. I like helping you.”
Hanna frowned and glanced at the clock. “Candy was supposed to be here a half hour ago.” She started to reach for her phone to call her cousin, but Rhys’s words stopped her.
“I told her I’d cover her,” he said. “She’s sleeping off a long night of studying.” The teenager had just started college that semester, and between helping out at the café and taking a full load, she was one busy girl.
Hanna paused. “Did she call you this morning?”
“Yep.” He winked at her as he wiped down the counter. “I was more than happy to fill in. You know that.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. She shouldn’t have done that.”
“Hey.” He walked over to her and wrapped his hands around hers. “Since when am I not allowed to help you out? You’d do it for me, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts. I want to help. I wanted to help on Monday, and I would’ve been here Tuesday and Wednesday, too, if you would’ve let me.” He ran a finger along her jawline. “And we both know you would’ve thrown me out with Candy here. I
saw my chance, and I took it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Hanna shook her head at him. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“How do you mean?” He stared down at her, his eyes searching hers.
“I never know what to expect. One minute we’re friends. Then we’re more. Then we’re nothing. Next thing I know, we’re kissing and then fighting, and…” She squeezed her eyes shut, praying she wouldn’t cry. “And now you’re acting like there’s more between us, and I can’t trust that. It always ends in heartbreak.”
The door swung open, and Chad walked in.
Hanna sprang apart from Rhys and moved down the counter to the cash register, smiling brightly at the gorgeous man.
Chad’s eyes lit up when he saw her. “Good morning, gorgeous.”
Hanna heard Rhys let out a low grunt before his footsteps faded away as he disappeared into the back. He was either bailing after her outburst or putting another tray of scones in the oven. Hanna didn’t know which and wasn’t even sure she wanted to know. If he left after all of that, she’d have to hunt him down and kick him in the nuts.
“Morning,” she said to Chad. “What can I get for you this morning?”
“Large black coffee, blueberry muffin, two chocolate chip cookies, and a date for Friday night.”
Hanna’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “A date?”
There was a loud crash from the back room that made Hanna jump, but she didn’t move to find out what had happened.
“Yes. I need a date for a charity thing in Eureka, and I thought—”
“Sorry. Hanna already has plans for Friday,” Rhys said, striding in from the back room, a tray of the cinnamon maple scones in his hands.
Hanna whipped around and gave him a questioning glance. “I do?”
“Yes. With me. It’s what I was trying to tell you earlier, when we were in the back room.” Those chiseled cheeks of his actually flushed as he said the words, and it made Hanna warm all over. She held one finger up to Chad. “Give me just a second?”
Chad was frowning in Rhys’s direction, but he nodded. “Take all the time you need.”
Hanna moved as fast as she could to Rhys’s side and whispered, “What the hell are you talking about?”
He put the tray on the counter and leaned in. “Our date for Friday night. I already have it all set up, I just didn’t get a chance to ask you yet. And no way am I letting that Ken Doll get you for the evening. I have plans. We have plans. That is if you don’t hate me. I know I’ve been a…”
“A challenge?” Hanna finished for him with a soft smile.
“Yeah. A challenge.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
She rolled her eyes and then shook her head. But she said, “I probably will for at least a little while.”
“You wouldn’t be my girl if you didn’t.”
She had to hold back a sigh. He’d said my girl and meant it. Hanna wanted to throw herself in his arms and kiss him with everything she had, but Chad was still standing at the register, scowling at them. “All right. I need to go let him down easy now.”
“You do that.” But instead of letting her go, he grabbed her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her temple first.
“Rhys,” she warned. “I’m working.”
He chuckled. “So am I.”
She rolled her eyes at him and then returned to the front counter where she began pouring Chad’s coffees. “I’m sorry, Chad. I wish I could help you out, but it appears I do already have plans with Rhys over there.”
Chad cast Rhys an irritated glance but then shrugged it off and said, “No problem. Except I’m not sure who else to ask. All of the Townsend sisters are spoken for, right?”
She laughed. “Yep. Let’s see. You could try Shannon at the chocolate shop, Lena at the spa, or even the new girl that just started working there. Her name is Luna.”
“Luna and Lena?” he asked, chuckling.
“They aren’t connected in any way. Luna is a blonde like you, kinda on the tall side and with delicate features. Lena is a gorgeous, petite Latina woman. Just depends on your type.”
“I see. Well, thanks for pointing me to the eligible females of the town. Do you recommend one over the other?” Chad asked, leaning on his elbow on the counter.
“It depends on if you like sweet, sassy, or sexy,” Hanna said.
“Hmm, a combination sounds good,” he said with a laugh.
Hanna threw her hands up. “I’m not navigating that one. Lena is sassy, Luna appears to be really sweet, though I just met her, and Shannon is a strong, sexy chocolatier. And that’s all I’ve got for you.”
Chad nodded. “Maybe I need to get some chocolate and then have a massage today.”
“Probably not a bad plan.” Hanna handed him his order, made change for his twenty, and said, “Sorry I couldn’t make it. I usually enjoy benefits. Are you going to play the piano?”
He nodded. “Just a few songs.”
“I’m sorry I’ll miss that,” Hanna said, meaning it. She liked Chad. If it weren’t for Rhys and all their history, she could see starting up something with him. “Whoever you ask is a lucky girl.”
“Thanks, Hanna. Have a good date.”
She gave him a shy smile. “Thanks.”
Chad left without looking back and as soon as the bell chimed indicating he was gone, Rhys was there again, slipping his arms around her from behind. “The date is going to be magical, love. Trust me.”
She leaned back against his chest and sucked in a deep breath. If it was with Rhys, for her there was no question. As long as he didn’t push her away, it would be magical. Any date with Rhys always made her tingle inside. “Does this mean I should delete my online dating profile?”
“You have a dating profile? Since when?” Rhys asked.
“Does it matter?”
“Not really.” He walked over to the laptop on the counter. “Let’s see it.”
“What? No.” She shook her head. “No way.”
“Come on, Muffin. I want to see who’s been hitting on my girl.”
“Stop calling me Muffin.”
“I will if you let me see that profile.”
It might be worth it, she thought. Besides, she knew he wasn’t going to let this go. With a shrug, she pulled up the website and tapped into her account.
“Whoa. Looks like I have some serious competition here. This guy is forty-eight, at least forty pounds overweight, and likes to spend his days antiquing. Right up your alley, no?”
Hanna swatted him. “You know I hate antiquing.”
“That’s your only objection? It says here he likes to hunt, too. Poor Bambi.”
“Stop! Obviously he’s not the one,” she said.
“How about this one? He’s twenty-two and looking for a poly relationship. Sounds crowded.”
Hanna giggled. “Sharing is caring, right?”
He swept his gaze over her, his attention lingering on her lips. “I don’t share.”
“What are you going to do about it?” she challenged.
His lips twitched into a whisper of a smile as he clicked her user name and hit delete, erasing her account. “You won’t be needing this anymore.”
Chapter Eleven
Hanna sat at the small table near the front window of her cream-colored cottage with the red shutters waiting for Rhys. Red, yellow, and violet flowers were blooming in her flower beds, and the small yard was perfectly manicured. It was everything she’d ever wanted for her home—classy, sweet, and full of beauty.
It was late in the afternoon when he hopped out of the driver’s seat and trotted up to her red door. But before he could even knock, the door flew open and Hanna stood there wearing a romantic off-the-shoulder red blouse that showed off her bronze skin, dark blue jeans that she knew made his mouth water, and shimmering gold, strappy low heels. The heels that wouldn’t kill her ankle and still made her feel sexy as hell.
“Good evening,” s
he said with an almost shy smile as she scanned his choice for dinner-wear. Rhys had shown up in jeans and a black sweater that hugged his muscular frame. “Sweet holy pecs. Whoa,” Hanna said, swallowing hard. “You look gorgeous.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself, beautiful.” He swept his gaze down the length of her body and gave her a look that said it was all he could do to not walk her back into her house and carry her to her bedroom.
“Thanks.” That look was almost enough for her to yank him inside, but she managed to keep her head as she grabbed a jacket off her coatrack and stepped all the way out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. “So. Where exactly are you taking me tonight, Mr. Silver?”
He opened the Jeep door for her and gave her a mysterious grin. “It’s a surprise. I hope you aren’t starving, because we have a stop to make first.”
“I’m okay.” She eyed him, as if trying to figure him out. “You’re not taking me to one of those escape rooms, are you? Or maybe a murder mystery party?”
“Nope. I’m keeping you all to myself tonight.” His voice was a little husky as he said the words.
Well, if that didn’t just make her stomach flip with anticipation.
Rhys reached over and turned the stereo on. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper started singing their hit number “Shallow.” The music washed over Hanna, giving her gooseflesh the way it always did when she heard it. Only now it was worse because she was enclosed in a vehicle with Rhys. Instead of reclaiming the wheel with his right hand, he slipped his fingers through hers and cradled her hand in his lap.
“Thanks for coming out with me, Hanna. I owe you a really good date,” he said, his lips curving into a ghost of a smile.
“You’re damned right you do.” She squeezed his hand as she added, “I hope this lives up to the hype.”
He chuckled. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
Rhys steered the Jeep down the winding road that headed out toward the coast. As they rolled by the redwoods and hillsides, Hanna sat back in her seat and felt content for the first time in forever. She didn’t let herself think about what would happen tomorrow, or when Rhys would change his mind, or what would happen if this didn’t work out. They were together now, and all she wanted to do was enjoy it.