Baking was not really my favorite thing to do. It required such precision with exact measurements and baking times, that it went against my idea of what cooking should be, which admittedly is just pinching a bit of this and a sprinkle of that into the pot, that I just didn’t have fun with it. But I was promoting a sale on the products containing blueberries and I thought blueberry mini muffins would be perfect in the store.

In my amazing CEO brainstorming, It didn’t occur to me until after the fact that I would be the one baking them. But I had three dozen finished and another two in the oven, with enough batter for three more just in case I burnt another dozen or so. I’d just pulled two batches from the oven when the bell rang and the door opened, telling me it was Ken.

“Damn it smells good in here. Chase Donovan must be doing something right,” he snickered, his smile and those big blue eyes filled with amusement.

“Very funny. You’re lucky you didn’t catch an eyeful of something you don’t want to see,” I told him, only half joking. The truth was Chase and I had gotten busy on nearly every surface in this house. I would have to do a thorough cleaning or maybe a sage scrub to get rid of the memories he left behind.

“I watch porn. I’m not opposed to seeing the real life thing. You know, I think I’ll put that on my bucket list, watch live porn.”

I just rolled my eyes. “What are you doing here, Ken?” Before he could answer I shook my head. “That mop of yours need a trim?”

He flashed a dimpled smile that hadn’t changed in all the decades I’d known him. He was hotter and bigger these days, but that smile was still the same. “Yep. Got a date tomorrow and you know she’ll expect perfection.” He raked a hand through his hair, doing his best soap opera dramatic look.

I laughed. “Then why would she be going out with you?” I nodded for him to take a seat at the kitchen table, where I always cut his hair, every six to eight weeks despite my constant nagging that he needed it sooner.

“Because I’m the hottest piece in town,” he joked. “Especially now that the return of the golden boy was cut short thanks to his unexpected engagement.” He laughed, cracking himself up while I gathered my hair cutting accessories. “How long is this engagement and shaking up gonna last, or have you finally decided to stop being stupid?”

“Gee, Ken, don’t hold back.” Why I’d ever trusted him with my most precious secret, I’ll never know.

“Look Kenz, I’m not trying to be all up in your business, but you’ve had it bad for this guy for a long damn time. Don’t you think it’s about time to take your shot?”

I laughed at that. “That’s assuming I have a shot, which we both know I don’t. This is convenient for him, but it’ll be over soon. You’re right, I do like Chase. He’s hot and smart and funny, but I’m under no illusions what this really is.”

“No?”

I shook my head as I spritzed his hair with water, combing out his perfect golden curls, and said the words I’ve been working hard to make myself believe. “No. We’re having fun. We’re also having amazing sex-,”

“Hey, I don’t need to hear that,” he said loud enough to cover my voice.

“Really, mister I want to watch live porn?”

“That’s different, it’s sex. Hearing about it is…creepy unless its dirty talk.”

I laughed at his twisted logic. “Anyway, we’re having amazing sex, but I know it’s temporary. He’s not so different, actually, just more grown up. But if he wanted more than just convenient hot sex, he would have simply asked me out during the months before he needed me.”

That was the other thing I had to remind myself as my thoughts spent more and more time on Chase Donovan. The sex was merely a byproduct of spending so much time together, once that time ended, so would the sex.

“Come on, Kenz. I know you’re not that dense. I’ve seen you guys together, the way he looks at you. The daggers he never fails to shoot at me.”

I’d love to believe that was true, but it wasn’t about me. “That’s just you men and your petty desire to constantly prove you have the biggest dick.”

“I don’t need to prove it,” he said, making a lewd gesture that made me snort.

“You are such a perv,” I smacked his shoulder. “I can’t wait to sit back and watch the woman who brings you to your knees.”

“That ain’t happenin’, babe.”

He sounded confident, but I knew that eventually Ken would fall. He was big and blonde and gorgeous, plus he was funny and kind and a firefighter. Hell, if he wasn’t my best friend I might have tried for him, but the moment your twelve-year-old best friend buys your first tampon while you hide in the Burger Hut bathroom is the moment you both mutually enter the friend zone.

“What’s not happening?” Chase’s deep, angry voice interrupted our laughter.

“A woman bringing Ken to heel. It’s going to be a delight to watch, I think.” I laughed, ignoring the dark scowl marring his handsome face. He was my bedmate, my lover and fake fiancée. Not my boyfriend or husband to be, so I didn’t get where the anger or jealousy came from.

“Oh, it is a delight,” Ken said with a little too much glee in his voice for my comfort. “Too bad you’ll never get the show I got. Hey!” His mock outrage at being sprayed in the face like a cat, made me laugh again.

“Hush, you. Or I’ll tell Maisie you’re ready to test her matchmaking skills.”

His blue eyes went round, a terrified grimace making his deep dimples pop. “You wouldn’t!”

I smiled my most devilish smile in answer.

“I brought lunch,” Chase said, impatience dripping from each word as he held up a bag from Golden Pagoda.

“Good because I’m starved.” After spending the morning in the greenhouse doing quality control, I brought back a few bushels of berries to get all domestic in the kitchen. My back still ached even after a long hot bath with four different essential oils. But looking at Chase, even angry, I knew he was the best therapy I could get. “All finished.” I ruffled Ken’s hair and laughed when he swatted my hands away.

“Thanks, Kenz.” He bent down and kissed my cheek the way he always did. “Dinner’s on me next time.”

“Awesome! I’ll have to find a place with really good steak and lobster.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m sure the Bologna Hut would be happy to cut a few chunks in the shape of your favorite surf & turf meal.” He laughed at my pretend barf sounds. “See you lovebirds later,” he sang and walked through the house as comfortable as ever, since he spent more time here than anyone else. At least before Chase had moved in. Temporarily, I reminded myself for the hundredth time. One quick look at Chase and I knew I needed to deal with his caveman behavior. "What’s your problem?”

“My problem?” He tossed his head back and laughed after he set the food down harder than he needed to. “He wants you.”

My response was a hearty belly laugh. “You’re ridiculous. Ken is my oldest, closest friend in the world. Our relationship has always been platonic, not that it’s any of your business.” That was especially true over the past week, since he signed those papers with Sterling, he’d been slowly, deliberately pulling back. I got the message.

Loud and clear.

“As your fiancé, it damn well is my business!”

I laughed again, but it came out harsh and brittle. “Fake fiancé, right? Because if it wasn’t fake, I might feel that since you’ve gotten what you needed out of this arrangement, you’re slowly extracting yourself from it.”

“Right. Fake. I haven’t been busy trying to get my business off the ground or anything,” he said sarcastically. “Last I checked, that was the reason for this ruse in the first place!”

“Right,” I bit out and shook my head, feeling unreasonably angry and hurt and bitter. The ruse, as he’d called it, had started to feel pretty damn real to me. Especially considering that little condom slip the night we had dinner with the Sterlings. “Then don’t let me keep you from your business. I have things to do too.” I put away the hair cutting supplies, left the muffins on the counter, and left Chase in the kitchen alone.

I slipped on my shoes angrily, grabbed my keys and purse and bounced the hell out of the house of tension.

Men. Who needs ’em?