by Janie Crouch
He took a bite and sighed in bliss, just the response she loved to see. “These are wonderful. I don’t even want to know where you bought them, because if I do, I’ll be showing up there every day, and soon I’ll be too fat to move.” Almost reluctantly, he held the box out toward her. “Do you want one?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.”
He finished off a few more, licking his fingers, after putting the box down on the counter. She had to force herself not to offer to do it for him. “So, tell me about deciding not to finish your engineering degree.”
“Anne Griffin, Charlie Devereux, and Wavy Bollinger all showed up at my place in Idaho Falls about a week after I got home.”
He nodded. “I heard about that. I think your brother is calling them the terror triplets.”
Violet laughed again. “Let’s just say Gabe likes to be in control of everything. Maybe it comes from his Navy SEAL training. Or maybe from being a CEO. But he likes to call the shots.” She studied Aiden for a second. “Were you a SEAL too?”
He shook his head. “No. The Linear guys and I were all army. Special Forces. But actually I did work a couple of missions with your brother before he got out of the navy.”
Special Forces. No surprise there. “Charlie, Anne, and Wavy have been godsends. Charlie because of understanding the physical pain I’ve been through, although what I went through was nothing compared to what she did. Anne because she’s so much more like me in temperament. Plus,” Violet swallowed hard, fighting to get the words out, refusing to let the thought of it all take over now, “Anne was attacked once. I guess you know that. So she understood some of the other elements of what I’ve been going through.”
Aiden nodded.
She finally shrugged. “And Wavy . . .”
“Wavy is Wavy. You can’t help but smile around her,” he finished for her.
“Exactly. I’ve never really been one to have a lot of girlfriends. I spent most of my time at school or working. But having them around has really helped me.”
“And that’s why you’ve been in Oak Creek? Because you were hanging out with them?”
Violet grimaced. Damn it, this talk was not taking them down the right path. The sex path.
What was she going to do, tell him the whole story? About how her parents had died in a car accident that had pretty much been her fault? That her brother had left a career he loved in the navy to take over the company and raise her?
She didn’t know how to tell Aiden that her brother, only in his mid-twenties himself, hadn’t known what to do with the traumatized teenage girl she’d been after her parents’ death, so he’d encouraged the parts of her that had made sense to him: her gift for math and science.
Or how, even though that hadn’t been what really interested her, she’d acquiesced her whole life.
She’d acquiesced when she’d agreed to study engineering instead of going to culinary school like she wanted. She’d acquiesced when she’d started working at CT at sixteen, as Gabe and Edward Appleton—her parents’ good friend who had helped with the company after their death—had wanted. It wasn’t like Gabe had been forcing her. Everybody knew how good she was in research and development even as a teenager. She’d had two scientist parents who had passed down their intelligence and analytic abilities to her. Not using those gifts would have been a waste.
How many times had she heard that?
Maybe it was true. But she couldn’t do it anymore. At least not right now. She was done acquiescing.
Done being passive.
But none of that information was going to get her what she wanted with Aiden.
So she just told him the very basics to get it out of the way.
“I bought a shop in downtown Oak Creek, and I’m going to open a bakery,” she blurted out.
His poker face was good, she would give him that. If it hadn’t been for the slightest widening of those hazel eyes, she would’ve thought he’d already known. “A bakery?”
“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do as a career. But I let myself get talked into going the engineering route.” She pointed to the box of pastries.
“You made those?” Now he couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes.
“Yes. My own recipes.” Maybe at some point she’d be willing to share that it was some of the same recipes that had kept her sane during her abduction. “I love coming up with new recipes. You’d be surprised how similar science and baking are. Both require such exactness in order to be successful.”
He took out another chocolate pastry and ate the entire thing in one bite. “This is amazing.”
His mouth was so full of food, it was difficult to understand him. But Violet wasn’t offended. This was how she wanted people to feel about her food. “I always thought that one day I would open a bakery. But it was always just that . . . one day. I guess now I realize that we’re not all guaranteed one day. So I decided to make now that day.”
She hadn’t realized until right this minute how much Aiden’s support would mean to her. Not that she wasn’t going to open the bakery if he told her it was stupid, but she wanted him to understand. He’d been such a crucial part of her survival. He’d been such an encouragement to be strong. She wanted him to understand that this was a continuation of that, of finding her strength, finally.
He popped another pastry into his mouth. “I don’t know how good of an engineer you are, but if you are anywhere near as good as you are a baker, your brother and the rest of Collingwood Technology are going to be crying about losing you.”
“You don’t think it’s stupid?”
“Well, to be honest . . .”
She could feel her heart clench. She braced herself for his words. No more acquiescing. No more passivity.
He shrugged. “I’m going to need more samples to be sure. You know, three or four a day for the next year or so. All your different flavors. Then I can let you know for sure if it’s a smart idea or not.”
She smacked his arm, taking the opportunity to stand closer to him at the counter. “I’m glad you like them.”
“Like is definitely too weak a word. Those things are sinful.”
Sinful. She very much enjoyed the sound of that.
She eased a little bit closer, happy when he didn’t move away. Should she touch his arm? Step closer? Let him make a move?
She was so not good at this seduction stuff.
“I came over today to tell you about the bakery,” she whispered. “But also to ask you something.”
He smiled. “Sure. Anything. What’s on your mind?”
“That first night, when we were in the back room together, I know it was all part of a mission for you, a rescue operation . . . But I was wondering if any of what you said that night was true.”
His eyes dropped to her lips, then popped back up. “Which parts exactly?” His voice was deeper than it had been a moment ago.
“The part where you said I was sexy.”
“Firefly . . .”
“I get that the situation was bad, and you were acting. I understand that. I was just wondering if any of it was true for you.”
He eased back slightly. “That’s not as easy a question to answer as you might think. Thinking about you in that situation is definitely not a turn-on.”
“No, of course not. Not for me either. I guess what I’m asking is if you’re attracted to me now. If you kissed me that second night only to put the tracker on me, or if you felt something. If you feel something now.”
His eyes drooped, and he leaned just the slightest bit closer. She remembered the feel of his lips on hers. She wanted that again. And with nothing hanging over them this time.
She closed her eyes and just said it. “I want you, Aiden. It’s not out of hero worship or anything like that. I want you because I refuse to give Randy or any of those other people any other part of me. I came here because I wanted to see if our connection was real.” She kept her eyes closed so she could get the words out. “Because I�
�d like to . . . have sex with you.”
She let out a breath. It felt good to say what she wanted, that she wanted him and what the two of them had felt together.
When he didn’t respond she opened her eyes—and immediately wanted to close them again. She wanted to suck back all the words she’d just spoken. Because although Aiden hadn’t moved, there was suddenly a huge chasm between them. She could feel it, full and obvious.
She’d come here to ask him if he had really wanted her, and now she had her answer.
A resounding no.
He cleared his throat. “Violet, you’re a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman.”
She took a step back but forced herself to keep her smile plastered on her face. “And a fabulous baker, don’t forget that.”
He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “I’m not trying to say I don’t want you . . .”
“You’re just saying the situation was already weird enough without me coming in here and hitting on you.”
Now he let out a sigh. “No. I mean, yes, our situation is weird but . . . you need time. I mean, I’m glad you’re opening your bakery because that seems to be something you’re really passionate about. But be careful about making decisions that you might regret long-term.”
Oh, she already knew she was going to regret long-term coming in here and telling him she wanted to sleep with him. It was time to go. “You know, you’re right. I shouldn’t have come in here like this.”
“Firefly . . .”
No. And she didn’t want to hear him call her that in his sexy voice that had meant so much to her.
She wasn’t going to be mad at him, of course. He had every right to be weirded out at the thought of being intimate with her.
But she sure as heck wasn’t going to sit around and discuss it with him anymore.
“The five million items on my new-business to-do list are calling, so I’m going to go. I promise I’ll still send some goodies to the Linear office. I expect you soldier types need lots of carbohydrates to keep up your rescuing skills.” Gabriel had told her about the men who had helped him get her out, Aiden’s partners.
She grabbed her purse—a bigger bag than she normally carried, one she’d stuffed a toothbrush and deodorant in because she’d been stuck in the delusion that she might be spending the night with Aiden—and headed toward the door.
She would not cry. Not about this. He wasn’t trying to hurt her feelings, he was just being honest.
If she wasn’t acquiescing anymore, she shouldn’t want anyone else to either. Not for any reason.
“Violet, wait. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to . . .”
She turned around and gave him a smile. She needed to make this right before she left, or things might always be awkward between them. That wouldn’t be a problem in a city the size of Idaho Falls, but in a small town like Oak Creek? It wasn’t how she wanted to start her new life here.
“Aiden. It’s fine, I promise. There’s nothing else that needs to be said about it.” She reached up and mock-punched his shoulder, then wanted to take the movement back because how stupid and lame was that?
“And look,” she said quickly, words running over each other, “in case all the baked goods I’ll be throwing your way don’t make it clear, thank you for what you did. For getting me out and going way above and beyond even your Special Forces duties. For figuring out I was in trouble. For being persistent.”
He grabbed her by her upper arms, stilling her frantic words and movements.
Breathe with me, Firefly.
He didn’t say it, of course. But she could almost hear it as if he had. They stayed that way until they were both breathing in tandem. In sync.
Finally, he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking like he wanted to say something. She waited, her heart bubbling up again, hoping he would tell her that he wanted her too. That she’d just caught him off guard. That he wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but hell, who cared?
But finally, he just dropped his hand. “Any time.”
It took her a second to even remember what she’d said.
Thank you for what you did.
Any time.
And for anybody. That’s the variable she’d failed to factor in. What Aiden had done for her, the words he’d said, the way he’d acted—even that kiss they’d shared—he would’ve done for any woman in need. Violet had just happened to be that person.
She had just been a job.
She gave him a nod, her heart cracking a little, although it shouldn’t be. “Thanks again, Shamrock. See you around.”
Chapter 12
Violet looked around the small building on Oak Creek’s main street. It wasn’t huge, just enough space in the front for three small two-top tables and a little cozy sitting area with a couch and a couple of chairs near the front window. The kitchen area in the back was bigger but still not huge.
Fancy Pants Bakery. And it was hers.
She had been working from morning until night for the past five days to prepare for the grand opening scheduled ten days from now. She had crews who’d been working with her, but she had wanted to be involved in as much of the process as possible, even when that meant grabbing a paintbrush or even helping with wiring—something she understood the basics of due to her engineering background.
But most of the time she spent on the recipes. The men and women working in the bakery didn’t mind her poking and prodding in their business because she used them as guinea pigs for her concoctions. They seemed willing to provide her their opinions as long as she kept feeding them.
She wanted to make sure she had the most fantastic offerings possible the first week she was open. So after working all day, she stayed up well into the night reworking recipes, sometimes in her mind, sometimes on paper, sometimes back down in the bakery kitchen, since she was, ironically, living in the small studio apartment right over her shop. Some things didn’t change.
Not that working herself into exhaustion had anything to do with trying to keep her mind off Aiden, of course. Not at all. It was just what a new small business owner had to do to make things work.
Right.
Kendrick was still around during most days, even though Stellman had been arrested. He didn’t really interact with her or the work crews. Sometimes he spent big chunks of the day parked out front in his car working on his computer, but his dark eyes kept watch over everything. Another security team watched the building at night, and Gabriel had made sure that the security system for both the bakery and her apartment rivaled that of Fort Knox.
Telling her brother that she wasn’t coming back to CT had been hard. She loved Gabe and didn’t want to disappoint him. For a long time he’d been the only parental figure she’d had.
He hadn’t been out here to see the place yet, at her request, but she knew Kendrick reported back details now that she’d freed him from his promise not to report anything non-security related. She and Gabe texted nearly every day, though he was trying to give her space. Although it wouldn’t be long before he showed up in person. She had no doubt about that.
But even with the hard and the tired and the not thinking about Aiden, this felt right. Doing this made her happy. Moreover, it ignited her passion.
She would finish her chemical engineering degree—she only needed two more classes to complete her bachelor’s, and not doing so would be a waste. But she wouldn’t be going on to the master’s program like she’d planned. Or like Gabe and Edward had planned and she’d acquiesced to. And she wouldn’t be working for them as an engineer.
Gabriel was hoping this whole thing would blow over and she would change her mind and come back. Edward was even more adamant, with near-daily emails to entice her back to her research.
This wasn’t something she was going to just walk away from. But only time would prove that to her brother and Edward.
She hadn’t quite been able to force herself to go back to the culinary classes she’d been leaving the night
she’d been kidnapped. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to set foot in that parking garage—maybe any parking garage—again. Plus, although she’d loved those classes, their purpose had really been as a creative outlet since it was the only kitchen work she’d done. Now she had plenty of kitchen work to thrill her soul.
The Fancy Pants name was hers. She spun around and looked once again. The crews were gone for the day. Even her baking couldn’t keep them here past five o’clock on a Friday. They all had places to be. Some had even been talking about dates and going out to the local bar called The Eagle’s Nest.
Dates. That only served to remind her what a fool she’d made of herself with Aiden. She didn’t think she’d be asking for any more dates anytime soon. Heck, she hadn’t even been trying to get him to date her, just to sleep with her, and he hadn’t even wanted that.
It was all so cringeworthy.
The front door chimed, and she spun, expecting Kendrick or one of the security team members. But it was two of the three terror triplets: Anne and Charlie.
“That is not the face of a woman excited about opening her own fabulous bakery,” Charlie said, tucking a strand of her blond hair behind her ear as she looked around. “But, seriously Vi, this place looks better every time I see it.”
“Are you having second thoughts?” Anne asked, her voice as always much more soft-spoken than Charlie’s.
“Of course she’s not having second thoughts!” Charlie said. “She can’t. I plan to be pregnant in the next few months, and this place will be my primary source of carbs.”
“I’m fine. Everything is a little overwhelming, but in a good way, you know?” She smiled at Anne, then turned to Charlie. “And don’t you think maybe you should actually marry Finn before starting to pop out babies? Not that I mind you eating all my concoctions.”
Charlie let out a dramatic sigh and plopped onto one of the couches framing the front area of the bakery that Violet hoped would become a neighborhood gathering area. “Finn is so worried about hurting me, I can barely get him to touch me these days. I swear, before the attack it was all”—her voice deepened in an imitation of her fiancé’s—“ ‘As soon as we get home that skirt’s going to be around your waist, princess,’ and ‘There’s a desk and the Linear office is empty? Let me bend you over that right now.’ ” Charlie’s eyes took on a dreamy look before she sat up straighter and narrowed them. “But lately it’s been all sweet kisses and breakfast in bed.”