Out of respect to the Attmans Sasha kept the name of the bakery the same, which was fine with Kallie. It not only made good business sense, as Attman’s had been a fixture in the neighborhood for so long, but she liked it. It gave the place a sense of history, and gave her the feeling that she’d joined a family of sorts.

Sasha took care of all the details. He’d already seen to the staffing, replacing Lev and Katia with a cook and a baker that Sasha had known from his old neighborhood. The cook was a Russian fellow somewhere in his mid-thirties, who did his work quietly and kept to himself. But the baker was an attractive woman, and immediately Kallie found herself on the defensive whenever she was near the woman. Especially since Sasha seemed to be inordinately pleased with himself for having found her.

Sasha also hired a new delivery guy to go with the old one, though she was somewhat dubious about the man, as he seemed rather rough around the edges and not what she would have wanted as a public representative of the company. But at least with two such drivers they expanded their delivery radius, adding in catering, and a truck with the bakery’s logo on it. He hired the caterer himself, and the wait staff that went along with that portion of the business. Sasha moved so quickly, Kallie wasn’t doing much of anything except for answering the phone. The online orders went straight to the cook, who filled them and set them up for delivery.

If she’d had more time to think about it, Kallie would have been upset about all the arrangements Sasha made without even consulting her. It occurred to her more than once that most of these things had likely been decided before they’d even signed the contracts.

Katia stayed on the first couple of weeks to help her make the transition into a business that she was so unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, this training focused mostly on the front operation of the business, while Kallie was more interested in the office operation of the business. But when she brought up this concern to Sasha, she found out that he’d already taken charge of that end of things.

So, it was they found themselves in something of a routine. The bakery opened at 6:00 a.m. and didn’t close until 5:00 p.m. And just like Sasha said it would, business boomed during the time people were on their way to and coming back from work. Whatever she didn’t sell in the morning, she marked off and sold at night.

Sasha came in after each rush and wiped out the cash register, leaving them with only enough change for the next morning.

“What are you doing?” Kallie asked finally after a couple of days of his doing that.

He got an almost angry look in his eye. She had seen it before. It had been there in the dark when she’d checked out the duffle bags of cash. She didn’t like such an unmistakable look directed at herself. Regardless of the slight smile on his face, it made her uncomfortable. What was she supposed to do, call him on it? He’d only say she was imagining the whole thing. She crossed her arms and waited him out.

“I’m making a deposit,” he replied, as though it was perfectly obvious.

Where? At what bank? They’d never so much as discussed it. Here she was, the person who was chosen to be involved with the bakery because of her business savvy, but she had no part of the actual business.

She sighed and changed the subject. What was the point?

So far, with the exception of the name, all the decisions, including who made the deposits, were being made without any discussion with Kallie. Everything kept happening so fast, her head spun. She hated it. She hated every part of it. This was supposed to be her enterprise, too. They were partners, weren’t they? She should have said something long ago, but now she’d let it go on for so long that she had no idea how to bring any of this up. And the whole thing was driving her crazy. What was worse, there wasn’t a staff member there who even thought of her as the boss. The other day when she’d picked up an order to hand it to the delivery guy, he’d snapped at her. Where was the respect? To them, she was just another person working the counter.

Finally, when the delivery guy yelled at her for putting something away she didn’t know that he’d needed, Kallie, as owner, fired him. He’d been insolent from day one and this was truly the last straw.

“You can’t fire me,” he snapped.

“The hell I can’t. I own this place!”

“Liar! Sasha owns this place. He hired me. He alone can fire me,” the man retorted, snatching up the deliveries and storming out before she could say another word.

The other counter clerk shot her a look. Kallie couldn’t help but notice there was no sympathy in the woman’s gaze, but rather a certain contempt intermingled with pity. She stifled a scream and opened her mouth to say something when her phone rang. Of course, it was Sasha.

“Hey.” He sounded too casual. Too reined in.

“Hey, my ass,” she muttered, spoiling for a fight. She’d had too many glib explanations from him, and was getting fed up with the whole ordeal. Wasn’t being partners in a business supposed to be fun?

He chuckled. “Okay...”

“It’s not funny. I’ve had enough. I’m not doing anything of any value here. This business project you said was for me specifically, and I have nothing to do with any of it. I’m completely shut out of a business that, I might remind you, I partially own.”

And, of course, he never listened to a word she said. It was as though he’d just picked up the phone and started talking about the first thing that came into his head. “I’ve broken it to Katia and Lev that we’re going to remodel after all. I want us to give the place a whole new look. Something modern. Trendy. I had to be gentle but eventually they accepted it. I thought you and I would sit down and figure out the details.”

The fact that he was distracting her wasn’t lost on her. But he knew exactly how to give her what she wanted—a project. And, of course, it was perfect. The more she’d spent time in the bakery, the more she’d wanted to make these cosmetic changes that would bring the place into the twenty-first century.

“As you know I rented the place next door, so we’re going to get started on the push in that direction first. I figured we’d concentrate on the renovations there first,” Sasha informed her.

Kallie flared. One more decision made without her. It was all she could do to bite her tongue.

“What?” he asked into the silence. “We discussed it. We were going to expand, remodel. You knew that,” he reminded her. “What are your thoughts?”

“And I’ve told you my concerns before. We really should just close down for a week and work in the old place first, to upgrade the kitchens. We’re already set up with a lot of the basics—water where we need it, exhaust fans, the freezer. Why build a whole new kitchen over there, only to dismantle this one? It makes no sense.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it. I’m on the road, but I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. We can go next door and brainstorm colors and décor.”

He hung up and she was left there holding her phone, shaking her head though she knew he couldn’t see it. No, no...Kallie knew this tone. They weren’t going to go next door and talk color schemes. He would change the subject, and pacify her with sex while he went ahead and did whatever the hell he wanted to with the bakery and anything else he had a mind to. The problem was, he could. The chemistry between them was so good, she’d melt into his arms and that would be the end of it. She took a breath and counted to ten. Or tried to. Somewhere around five he showed up. Before she even said hello, she turned the conversation back to a point that was still bothering her. “So, what about the deposits?”

He tilted his head and gave her a pretend stern look. “Interesting greeting, sweetness. Bad day?” He sighed. “Look, in this neighborhood, it’s not a good idea to have a bunch of cash lying around. This place never got hit in part because people respected the little old people who used to own it. All bets are off now that ownership changed,” he said, as though it should be perfectly obvious. As though there was no safe at all in the back room.

So, what was she supposed to do? Protest that he wasn’t trusting her? Complain that she could make the deposit if he would just tell her what bank the money was going to—if it was actually going to any kind of legitimate bank.

She sighed. No. She didn’t want to start any of those arguments. She was tired of it all. And she had the uncomfortable feeling that she might have been overreacting just a bit.

“So why didn’t you say that?” she asked finally.

“Because, my darling, do you think you would be able to work here if I thought it wasn’t safe?” he asked, calm and reasonable as ever. “I wouldn’t have you here if I thought it wasn’t safe; remember that time when those kids fired into the bar?”

“It wasn’t air rifles they were shooting, Sasha,” she reminded him, mad that he would make light of that incident, too. “They shot first and asked questions later.”

He shrugged and nodded. “I guess.” He took her hand. “Are we going next door or no?” he asked softly.

She wanted to. There was no way she wanted to be at odds with him. She adored him too much. Why was she wasting her time questioning him? He seemed to love her, at least she was fairly sure he did, so whatever he was doing had to have her best interests in mind, right? They walked hand in hand till they were at the entrance of the place next door, which Kallie hadn’t remembered as being empty before, but suddenly it was. Though, hadn’t Katia said something about them moving out last year? Suddenly she wasn’t sure.

He turned the key and punched in a code for the alarm system. Before Kallie could step inside, he swept her up in his arms and carried her over the threshold. The gesture was unmistakable.

As he cradled her in his massive arms, his face remained close to hers. The pull of desire for him swelled in her chest. Her eyes teared up. He was such an incredibly sweet man. Romance was his middle name. “I’ll bet you carry all your business partners over the threshold,” she said, though her voice was barely audible.

“Only the ones I’m crazy in love with,” he said, resting his forehead against hers.

Love. Suddenly all her doubts fled. Sasha never said something he didn’t mean. He loved her. He’d finally said he loved her.

How do I respond? “Uh...”

“Uh?” he sort of sang as he toyed with her lips.

“I....” She couldn’t say the words. Not when she’d been so mad at him.

He chuckled softly. It was a deep laugh that came from a total point of control.

And just like that she knew. This wasn’t at all spur of the moment. This whole scene had been planned out. He’d already mapped out the entire conversation in his mind.

“Is that what you say when a man says he’s crazy in love with you?” he asked ever so softly.

“You’re the first man to ever say such a thing to me.” It was an honest answer, and kind of sad when you thought about it. I was engaged, and I never heard a man say he was crazy in love with me.

He kissed her and set her down. She moved to the center of the unit, turning in a slow circle. Her long hair brushed against one of the chairs at a salon station. She wondered why she’d walked past here so many times back when she worked at Darkness and never come in. Even with the windows papered over so that no one would see in, the place had a bright and attractive feel. For the first time she felt a little sad that it was gone. How long had it been there? Some of the posters advertising hairstyles were absolutely vintage. From the yellowed, curling edges to one advertising a beehive hairdo, the posters had to be originals. It gave a unique and somewhat trendy feel to the place.

He gave her a tour. It wasn’t remarkably different from any other rectangular retail space circa ninety years prior. Kallie studied the space, trying to formulate her opinion about it. She wanted to make a meaningful contribution to this project, especially since this was the first time he’d actually asked her opinion.

The walls were lined with art deco-styled salon stations and scalloped mirrors. Kallie drifted back in time when women got their hair done at least once a week. She imagined what the place might look like hopping full of housewives, back when women would chatter loudly beneath the roar of hairdryers. “This is so cool,” she murmured as she walked around, stopping at a bank of chairs that had to come straight out of the ‘50s.

“Wanna open a salon?” he asked with a smile.

Kallie laughed. “You mean have two places?”

He would do it, too, if she said so. She shook her head, absorbed in exploring the small breakroom and storage space.

But it was soon obvious Sasha hadn’t taken her over to the salon just to talk about layouts and décor. He found excuses to touch her as he opened a cabinet, or reached past her to gesture broadly, explaining the vision he had for the space. It was as if he’d known she’d been just about to lecture him, and was doing everything in his power to work his magic on her. It was like the paralyzing bite of a viper that left her doped and helpless under his spell. He maneuvered her so her backside lined up with the front of him. He covered her, bending her over the surface of a salon station.

“So, this is the business you wanted to discuss?” she asked, moving her hips to press more deeply against him.

“Uh-huh,” he replied spicily.

Kallie pressed her palms on the station and looked forward into the station mirror. Her eyes met Sasha’s in the reflection, making her feel bold and in charge. He was already watching the two of them in the reflection. The very notion that they could watch themselves have sex was itself an aphrodisiac—so naughty, so forbidden to behold the expression on her own face as he drove into her. She was thankful she’d chosen to wear a skirt today. He lifted the hem, his fingertips brushing the backs of her legs, sending electric charges straight to her already-overheated core. Underwear was dispensed with quickly as he tore it from her body with an impatient jerk of his hand. She gasped as the material caught before tearing, watching in fascination as he dropped the tattered silk on the floor behind him. So intent was she on the fluttering wisp of fabric, she almost missed the harsh sound of his pants unzipping. Without even bothering to do more than to shift his own clothing aside, he entered her hard, without warning. She gasped, her head turning to stare in fascination at the window where the paper didn’t quite cover the glass thoroughly. Should anyone pass by at that moment, they would see everything.

The thought left her breathless.

Let the world watch. Together we are...beautiful.

Kallie stared at her mirror self through lowered, hazy lids as their bodies moved together as one. Sasha met her gaze in the mirror as she arched her lower back, pushing her rump into his abdomen hungrily. His eyes were so dark they seemed almost black in the half-light.

Then he bent his head, nipping at her neck, one hand coming up to cup a breast, to squeeze her hungrily through the cloth. She made a mewling sound that ended on a short gasp as he hooked his arm around her belly and hunched over her backside, driving into her crudely, quickly. It was obscene, doing this in such a public place where they could be discovered at any minute—and she loved every damned explicit second of it.

He braced her and swiveled as he pushed up into her. When he caught her watching him, they stared into each other’s eyes through the reflection. He purposely slowed his thrusting to an erotic pace, holding her gaze. She dropped her head, unable to watch any longer, suddenly embarrassed and overwhelmed by what was starting to look like what she’d always pictured video porn to look like.

Wicked girl. Wicked, wicked girl.

Moaning, and wetter than she could ever remember being, she was almost thankful when Sasha turned her around and lifted her onto the counter. Unable to see herself, to see her reactions, she put her focus on him and only him. One hand came up to cup his chin, another to brace herself against him as he drew her knees up on either side of him and drove into her with such violence that they both exploded in a powerful climax only moments later.

Never had a quickie been so worth remembering. I will hold this memory forever, making love...no...fucking in a beauty parlor of all places. She pressed her forehead to his chest and giggled.

He pulled back from her and righted their clothing, bending to pick up her underwear and handing it to her with a solemn expression as she hopped up to her feet, still smiling.

“Something funny, little girl?” he asked.

She took the silken scrap from him and eyed it dubiously. “I was only thinking what all the neighborhood ladies would think if they’d known what happened right here, where they’d had their hair trimmed and set.”

“And what would you say just happened?” he asked, his tone perfectly wicked.

Of course, he would try to make her say it. She hated talking dirty, though he’d tried to get her to do it before without much success. She hated being embarrassed, though she knew they were only words for...well...this. Them.

“You know what happened,” she insisted, her skin flushing.

He crowded her, making her look at him. Flirtatious. Pushing her limits. “Who knew we’d be fucking our brains out in here one day?” he asked so bluntly that her throat went completely dry.

There was no way she could answer to that.

“Something wrong?” he asked as her face purpled.

“Water...I think I need some water.”

“I think we can arrange that.” Despite her request he took her chin, bracing it in his strong fingers, holding it still so he could kiss her thoroughly. From the way he breathed, hard and fast, he was still randy as hell and ready to go again.

Funnily enough, as it turned out so was she.

This time it was...emotional. Romantic. She actually started to believe the words he’d said, that he was madly in love with her. Every touch, every kiss, told her this truth. The world had disappeared completely. There was only them, together, with no shame or embarrassment. He pressed his cheek to hers, breathing hard. Hair stuck to his neck in damp tendrils; his eyes held passion, adoration, as he reached up to tangle his fingers in her hair. “We’d better get back,” he whispered.

The spell was broken. Back. That meant returning to work, where no one respected her or even accepted her as...anything at all. “Yeah,” she said after a moment, pulling away from him to readjust her clothing a second time, pocketing the torn underwear so she could dispose of it later. “I gotta get back or I’ll be late for all that standing around and doing nothing.” She’d meant it as a joking comment, but her tone came out bitter and harsh.

“Hey,” he said, reaching for her and pulling her back into his arms. “I thought we decided that’s going to change. I just got us going because I’ve done this so many times. I set up Sal remember. I’m sorry if I’ve been thoughtless.”

“I’m sorry if I overreacted,” she said with a sigh, and closed her eyes, leaning into his embrace. “I’m just used to being in charge when I’m business.”

He laughed. “I guess it goes without saying. So am I.”

It was an impasse. Sasha pressed her close. For a long time neither of them spoke. Kallie snuggled tight to him; he felt so warm. So wonderful. He loved her.

Why, then, did that make her so uneasy?