“So I did it,” I whisper, staring at the kitchen full of desserts, my heart racing from what I just did back in the bedroom. Something I told myself I wouldn’t do because he’s no good for me. Someone I should stay away from, but for some reason I can’t.
Six days of wanting to hit that ‘accept’ button, and six days full of regret for not doing it each night when I finally went to sleep. I’ve been warned against him for so long that I feel like I’m breaking all the rules wanting to get closer to him.
“You accepted it?!” Jules, the only girl in this town who still has my back after everything went down a few weeks ago, shrieks from across the kitchen. Our kitchen. On a Saturday night. Because we have a wedding shower tomorrow that needs four hundred cupcakes and we’ve been so slammed lately, that this is the only time we’re able to make them. I keep trying not to think about seeing him tomorrow, but I’m sure it’s inevitable. When I’m delivering cupcakes to the establishment that he owns, I’m sure to run into him.
I laugh, my laugh turning into a groan as the realization of what I did hits me.
“Ugh, I did,” I groan, lying my head on the table, a puff of flour wafting in the air.
“Uh… Mackenzie…” I glance up at her and she’s got her lips pressed tight together, trying not to laugh. “You have flour all over your face,” she squeaks, then barks out this laugh that’s rare for her.
I glare at her, shaking my head before grabbing a towel.
“I don’t know,” I mutter, pausing to swipe the towel down my face, “why I did it. I just know there’s something weird about him.”
“Maybe it’s the fact he’s an alcoholic and you’re attracted to reckless assholes?” She shrugs and grabs the fondant. “Or maybe it’s the fact that you hadn’t had sex in a couple months when you slept with him, so you felt like…guilty or something?” She starts cutting out the tiny flowers we need for these cupcakes and I sigh, starting to squeeze out the icing to the tops of them.
“Whatever. What’s done is done. Can we talk about something other than Ford West, because if we keep doing this I may just send him a message.” I huff, sliding the finished tray across the table to her and grabbing another one.
“Okay, so why are we doing this at home when we have an entire bakery we could be doing this at?” She glances around at our destroyed kitchen and we both start to laugh.
“Because,” I spout, then shrug. “No clue.” I laugh. My brain’s been mush for about a week now. Two times seeing him last weekend and a friend request sitting on my phone and I officially can’t get him off my mind. How he’s dug his way into my life so easily I’ll never understand and I’m not even sure if I’m mad about it. I know I’m worried. I’m worried he’ll end up crushing me because it’s happened before with other assholes. But I’m also worried that whatever I feel for him could be something more than curiosity.
Then what? Then I’m in a town that I didn’t really want to live in, with a guy who probably isn’t good for me, running a sister location of my cake wars winning bakery in Orlando and one friend left in this place.
I mean, I guess it could always be worse.
We finally finish everything at one am and are fully prepared for the delivery by the time we go to bed. I spend the majority of the evening trying to ignore my phone. I failed miserably and by the time I went to bed with no message from Ford, I was disappointed in myself over the fact that I was disappointed there was no message.
Talk about a trainwreck.
“It’s cold,” Jules bitches as we’re unloading the truck.
“I told you to wear a jacket.” I grunt, picking up the box of cupcakes and heading up the walkway with them, trying to get these in and setup before more people show up.
“You’re in a fantastic mood this morning,” she chirps, following me. “Could it possibly be because of the place we’re walking into?” She whispers as I back into the door, opening it with my ass and pushing through.
“Shut up,” I hiss, glancing around making sure no one heard her.
The West House banquet hall is set up in gold and teal decorations. The crew here definitely doesn’t under-decorate any event, but this one looks like plenty of money was spent making everything just perfect. When we arrived thirty minute ago, the manager on duty wasn’t anyone I recognize which is totally okay with me. Less awkward, right? Coming to the West House after fucking Ford West, then ignoring him, feels way too awkward. I’ll be happy when I’m able to duck out of here without running into him. Or either of his siblings.
I’m not from here. I didn’t go to school with the West siblings. I didn’t know them growing up, nor do I really know them now as adults. I moved here from Florida, because my fiancé needed me to move back to his hometown. His grandma was sick and dying. He needed to take care of her.
I bought into it. For two years, I bought into it. It wasn’t until I realized his family, including his wife and kids, lived about four blocks over from our apartment. An apartment I never wanted in the first place. I wanted a house.
I fucking moved here after having such success with my Orlando bakery, just to open this one, get it going, work my ass off in this place day in and day out, just to find out I was the side chick. The homewrecker. If my momma could see me now…
“Your hand’s shaking,” Jules whispers. “You feeling ok?”
I flash my gaze to her and blink a few times.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I set the cupcake on the stand and look at the table. “One more box,” I mutter heading out to the truck.
“You need some help?” I hear his voice before I see him, but it’s enough to stop me in my tracks. “Maybe not, then?”
“I got it. Thank you.” I squeeze my eyes shut trying to rebalance my life before I pick up this final box of cupcakes. No way am I going to let him see what he does to me.
I grip the sides, slowly spinning, and when I look up to walk back into the house, Ford’s leaning against the pillar, not smiling but not angry. Just very broody in a very sexy way. The black dress pants and black button up shirt, sleeves rolled up his forearms and thin silver tie fits his perfectly sculpted body way too good.
“Saw your setup in there. Looks pretty good.” He uncrosses his arms and opens the door for me and I take slow, careful steps to get this box inside without ruining these. Because if there’s one thing I know about myself after these past two weeks, it’s that being around Ford West makes me a very weak woman.
“Thanks,” I say, pasting on a smile, trying to look unfazed by his sexuality. Is he like this around everyone? How does this man not have twelve kids by now? How is he not taken or married already?
He follows me inside, not giving me more than three feet of space as he watches me meticulously set up the final stage of the cupcake tier. This isn’t just a four-hundred-cupcake spread. We have to display it exactly like we drew up for them or it’s our reputation on the line, and with everything else going on I’m not sure putting my businesses reputation on the line is something I’m ready to try right now.
When I finish, I turn and wipe my hands, finally looking at Ford. He surprisingly sat here and watched me quietly the entire time which made me work harder and faster than I ever have, because his eyes on me in such a public setting still makes it feel like he’s melting my clothes off with his gaze.
“Last weekend was a mistake,” I blurt, pushing stray hair out of my face. His eyes land on mine and that dark broody feel is back.
“No it wasn’t.” He pushes off the wall and walks closer to me. So close it feels like all the air’s been sucked from the room. He definitely has the sexy vibe down. But I know better. I’ve been here a couple years, and while I’m not close to the Wests, everyone here knows the legend of Ford West. Party animal deluxe, consumer of more alcohol in one day than most people drink in a week, and part owner of the biggest banquet, historical marker in the city, West House.
Cocky. Arrogant. Hot as hell. And stubborn.
“It’s not happening again,” I whisper, trying to hold on to my final shred of self-control. Eric ruined me not too long ago. I’m still getting over the anger and hurt from it. Ford’s not the type of rebound I’m looking for.
I start to walk away but he grabs onto my arm, spinning me and pulling me to him. I don’t fight it. I can’t. The minute his skin touches mine I’m done for.
“What are you doing later?” he whispers, his eyes flicking to my lips then back to my eyes. The look on his face sends jolts of excitement between my legs. His fingers on my elbow start lazily stroking down my arm and I shift back, because I’m at the point of being so turned on that I need to rub against something, and that something cannot be him.
“Not you,” I manage to whisper, but a sly grin spreads on Ford’s lips and I know I’m in for it.
“We’ll see about that.” He drops his hand and spins, walking out of the room and all I can do is watch his ass in those dress pants.
“What the hell was that?” Jules whispers from behind me and I spin so fast I almost knock over a waiter carrying in a serving tray.
“Shit, sorry,” I huff, shaking off the lust filled haze Ford set in place. “Nothing,” I mumble to Jules. “Come on, let’s go.”
She follows me out to the truck and the entire drive back to the bakery my hands grip the steering wheel tight. I’m a wreck. I don’t need him. He’s reckless. He’s unstable. I don’t need a man right now… But holy hell he’s hot and a good fuck.
“You’re going to see him again.” Jules states it like it’s going to happen, and I throw her a look.
“Why the hell do you say that?”
“Because, ever since we left the West House, you’ve been staring into space, daydreaming. And that whole interaction there? Geeze, Mackenzie, even I was turned on by that.” She laughs and I throw a towel at her.
“Stop. You’re supposed to be my support. Not aiding to my weakness.” I grab a new towel and start to wipe down the counter.
“And you’ve cleaned that same spot on the counter about seven times already,” she says. “Ford and Mackenzie, sitting in a tree!” she sings on her way to the back. I growl and slam the towel onto the counter.
She’s fucking right. I will, because I’m weak. Isn’t that what Eric said when I asked for his explanation of why he did what he did? I’m weak, so it was easy just leading me on like that?
The thing with us started down in Orlando. I thought he lived there, honestly. He was always there it seemed and when he wasn’t he told me he was traveling on business. I fell hard and fast for the beautiful businessman. Stupidly. How I was so blind to what was really happening I don’t know. I was so busy with the bakery that I didn’t see too far past it. I never met his parents because they didn’t live there. I never asked questions because I hate when people ask questions of me. I was content.
I was also stupid.
By the time I hit the mattress Sunday night I’ve worked through every reason in my head why I shouldn’t see Ford again. But that doesn’t mean when he messages me at eleven pm, I’m not right there to answer it.
Ford West: I’m eating your cupcake. It’s delicious.
I roll my eyes, a stupid smile on my face because he actually messaged me and I hate it.
Mackenzie Mueller: Those aren’t yours. Stealing isn’t cool.
I hit send, biting my lip while those three little dots dance at the bottom of the screen.
Ford West: The bride gave me a plate full to take home. Perks of owning a kickass banquet hall.
I’m too giddy right now. Like a damn teenager, grinning and typing as fast as I can with nervous fingers to reply.
Mackenzie Mueller: Well I’m glad you enjoy my creations. I’m trying not to be offended you’ve not tasted me before.
I hit send then look at the words I typed, my stomach plummeting.
“Oh no,” I whisper, immediately hopping from bed and running to Jules’ room. “Jules!” I yell, panicked. “How do I take back a Facebook message?!”
My phone dings as soon as I fall to her bed.
Ford West: I’d like to taste you again.
“Oh my God,” I whisper, not wanting to be so turned on by his words.
“What did you do?!” She shrieks, laughing and pulling the phone from me. As she reads the screen, she lets out this laugh. Maniacal laugh. “Well. Mack. He definitely wants you.”
“He doesn’t. He doesn’t know me. He’s just horny.” I groan and roll over, pressing my face into her pillow.
“We’ll see about that,” she mumbles, and before my brain realizes what she’s doing, I hear the telltale sound of another message coming through.
“What did you do?” I blurt, sitting up and yanking the phone, then swiping up to see the last message.
Mackenzie Mueller: Something like that requires a proper date. How’s Friday night?
Ford: I’ll pick you up at five. What’s your address?
“Oh my fuck, Jules!” I shriek. “You just asked him out on a date for me! I don’t want a date with Ford!”
“Really? Because you can’t see the stupid smile on your face right now.” She shrugs. “At least make him take you somewhere expensive. And make him pay. It’ll be a free dinner and who knows, maybe a really good orgasm!”
I laugh and glance down at the screen when it dings again.
Ford: 1894 Chariot Street. Got it. Be ready at five, Mack.
My mouth drops open and I look over at Jules who’s grinning from ear to ear.
“Man’s resourceful.” She grins. “So what’re you going to wear?”
“I hate you,” I whisper, trying my hardest to be mad at her. “I really hate you.”
I hop off her bed, making the move to walk out when she laughs.
“You love me. And you’ll thank me. Remember, he told you to get the stick out of your ass. Maybe this is what you need. Some meaningless sex.”
“Nothing with Ford is meaningless. He’s full of meaning. Dumb, reckless, youthful meaning.”
I don’t even know what the hell I’m talking about anymore. All I know is I have an official date with Ford West and I’m way too excited for it.
“I don’t want it,” I growl, shoving the blanket away from Eric. He walked in here insisting he needed to return it to me, but I’m not even sure that’s my blanket. “What the hell are you even doing here? You’re being reckless,” I hiss, staring at the man I thought I loved. The man who tore me apart with no apology. If this wasn’t the middle of my bakery, I’d rip his ass apart. As it stands, I’m sitting here at my desk attempting to hold it together so dozens of paying customers don’t get a show they’re not here to see.
“I miss you, Zie.” He frowns. “We can make this work, you know.”
“You’re fucking married!” I shriek in a hushed tone. My heart’s beating out of my chest and I grip the desk with both hands as I stand. “I need you to get out of here, Eric.”
“One night, Zie,” he whispers and I shove a hand in the air.
“Don’t fucking call me that. That’s not my name. My name’s Mackenzie,” I growl. His nickname for me used to turn me on every time he’d whisper it in my ear but all it does now is make me want to burn things.
“I miss you,” he whines and leans over my desk towards me but I shove him back.
“Get the fuck out before I call the cops.” I cross my arms in front of me and he narrows his eyes.
“You wouldn’t call the cops on a man you love, Mackenzie.” He grins like he’s so smart, a showdown of strengths.
Something clicks as we’re standing there.
I never loved him. I couldn’t love him because I didn’t know him. You can’t love a man you don’t know.
“I never loved you,” I whisper, the words falling from my lips so freely I thought they would hurt, but they’re more freeing than anything I’ve tried over these past few weeks.
Including fucking Ford West.
Yes, the night we spent together was after a pretty shitty day I had and I was trying to find a release. I assumed it’d be him. I assumed, drunk, that I could fuck him then feel more relaxed. The only thing it did was give me more ammo for my battery operated boyfriend and really hiked up my sex drive any time I’m around the man.
“You’re going to regret saying that,” he growls, then spins and storms out of my office.
I roll my eyes and fall back into my chair just as Jules walks in.
“So what was that all about?” She sits in the chair and raises an eyebrow at me.
“He’s trying to get back together. I think he just threatened me, too. Maybe I should just move home, Jules,” I mutter, resigning to the feeling of failure that conversation with Eric left me with.
“Don’t let him do that. You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t know, Mackenzie. And the minute you found out, you called it off.”
I nod, staring at the wall. Even knowing how stupid I’ve been the past two years makes me feel like a failure. I hate this feeling. The deceit and the lies and me falling for every damn minute of it. It makes me feel like an absolute idiot, and I am, aren’t I?
“Hey I’m grabbing dinner for us on the way home. My treat.” Jules stands and I smile at her.
“How’d I get so lucky to have a business partner like you?”
“You did get pretty lucky.” She winks and heads into her office.
The rest of the afternoon is spent serving customers and making orders for the weekend. It’s Wednesday, so I start on the Friday night cakes first. The amount of detail that goes into cake decorating is insane, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever been good at. Decorating. I tried interior decorating but I’m not really a people person so that didn’t pan out very well. I tried graphic design, but the clientele that I worked with in Florida sucked ass. Dirty ass.
Then I stumbled upon cake decorating and knew where my calling was. Jules and I met in Florida when I was taking some culinary classes. She’s a goddess in the kitchen, creating the best tasting cakes and bakery goods this side of the Mississippi. She’s slowly taught me her ways so I can make a mean strawberry shortcake, but anything past that is like a foreign language I never studied. I’ve been trying to teach her the decorating side of things, but honestly between the two of us we work out perfectly for each other, playing off each other’s skills nicely. I’m lucky she moved here with me. We had a pretty solid team in Florida so when we left, we were able to leave the bakery in good hands to open a new shop up here.
Just as I’m about to lock the bakery’s front door, a familiar figure pushes it open and stands in the wide-open doorway.
“We’re closed,” I say, trying not to smile that he showed up at my work.
“I’m dying for a cupcake.” He grins widely and there’s a sparkle in his eyes.
“Are you drunk?” I swear there’s something not right with him tonight.
“No!” he boasts, chuckling. “You always assume the worst, Mack, shit.” He grins at me. “But I may be high,” he whispers loudly, then laughs.
“Good Lord, get in here before someone sees you.” I shut the door and flip the lock, pulling him by the shirt, not wanting people to see him here, especially not while he’s like this. He stumbles in, almost knocking me over. His hands grip my hips to steady us and I instantly turn from concerned business woman, worrying about people seeing that we attract the ‘munchies’ crowd, to a melting puddle of hormones on the floor.
“Why’d you come here, Ford,” I whisper, his body pressing against mine in all the right places. He doesn’t let go of my hips. He doesn’t break eye contact. He just stands there, staring into my eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” he mutters, and before I have time to react or respond, his lips are on mine. Gentle at first, then starved for more, he slams me up against the wall and moans as our bodies grind together when I deepen the kiss. I wrap my arms around him, throwing caution to the wind. God, this man knows how to kiss.
I pull back begrudgingly when my phone dings at the counter, bringing me out of the lust haze.
“Ford,” I whisper, but that’s all I can get out because the look on his face isn’t a look like he wants to talk. He wants more. And I want to give it to him.
“I missed you, Mack,” he whispers to me, pressing kisses to my neck and chills run through my body, sending waves of need straight between my legs.
“We can’t do this here,” I pant, pushing him back and breaking contact with him. “We shouldn’t be doing this at all tonight. I have…stuff…to be doing,” I stammer.
“I know. I just came in for a cupcake. Really. Someone once told me this is the best little bakery in town.” He winks and walks across the bakery to the counter and dings the bell. ”Who works around here, anyway?” He boasts, then turns and smirks at me.
“I uh…” I let out a laugh and push off the wall, shaking off the haze. “We were closed, Ford. I already told you that. Everything’s gone for the night.”
The puppy dog eyes he gives me makes me laugh. I can’t tell the man no. It’s hard as hell not fucking him right now, but telling him no about cupcakes is just as hard.
“Fine. I’ll see what we have in the back.”
“Oh, the back,” he growls. “I’d like to come to the back with you.”
“Stop right there,” I blurt as he rounds the corner. “No. Just…no.” I hold my hand up and his eyes go wide. “I’m sorry, but not here. That’s so unsanitary and just…no.” I huff and turn, and as I head into the freezer to grab one of the cupcakes I was bringing home for dessert tonight, I hear him yell.
“There’s that stick in your ass, again!”
I can’t help but laugh at him as I walk his cupcake out.
“Here. It’s all I’ve got. Please, just take it and go home.” I shove it at him with a shaky hand. He takes it, his fingers slowly touching mine before he pulls it away and smiles wide.
“Thank you nice business lady.” He takes a bite and crumbs fall to the floor. “You should really have your cleaning crew clean that up.” He winks and turns the lock before heading out the front door.
I stand there and stare in amazement that a man like him can saunter in here, take exactly what he needs, and leave me wanting more. How the hell does something like that even work? Why did that turn me on so much? And why did I just give my personal dessert tonight to that man?
I need to watch it when it comes to Ford West.