Rain splashed on the pavement outside her shop and she and Michael watched in fascination. It was silly the way they were watching the rain, but it had been forty-seven days since any rain had fallen. Her heart sped up as she watched a car slide to a stop. Michael yelped, and they both laughed as nothing happened. It had been close, and she was glad she was already at work.

“There’s going to be a wreck,” Michael said.

She frowned when another car almost lost it in the rain. “I know.”

This wasn't a good day to drive. The rain would cause a dip in business, she’d already seen it this morning as fewer people came in off the streets. If business continued like this, she wouldn’t need to do extra baking this weekend, which was nice since it was her birthday. Not that she would go out to celebrate, instead she had planned a weekend filled with Cake Boss reruns and maybe a new episode of Master Chef.

The chime above the door rang, and she stood tall, trying to brush off the melancholy which came with birthdays.

“Hi Jen,” Brent called out as he entered and set his umbrella by the door. His smile made her heart warm. The last two months he’d been her best, well most consistent, customer. His excessive tipping wasn’t the only reason she liked him. He looked better today, happier. If ever she wanted to be a piece of cloth, it would be the shirt on Brent’s back or maybe his pants. She shivered and pushed away the lust. He wasn’t interested in her, just her coffee.

“How was your workout?” She wondered if he understood how good looking he was. Why he continued to stop by her place was a mystery to her. All he ever ordered was a plain coffee when she couldn’t even walk into her shop without getting something to eat. The fresh scent of baking bread, delicious muffins, cookies, and cakes crushed any willpower she ever gathered.

“It was interesting. The rain put a stop to what I wanted to do, so I did yoga.”

She lifted a brow and turned to glance at him as she filled his cup of coffee. “Nice. I like yoga.”

“It was good, but I need to go for a run this evening if the rain stops.”

“Be careful out there.”

She put a lid on his cup and placed it on the counter. He gave her a five, and she opened the register and pulled out his change which once again he dropped into her tip jar. He was the most generous customer she’d ever met. He tipped more than what he paid for the coffee which just amazed her.

“So, I was wondering if you could make me a special cake for a friend’s birthday?”

She froze, surprised he wanted her to make him anything from her bakery. “Really?”

He chuckled as his cheeks grew darker. “Yes.”

“But you’ve never eaten anything from my store.”

His eyes slid to her pastry case and narrowed just a little. The corners crinkled, making him look sexy. She wished someone would look at her the way he was eyeing her goodies. He moved his gaze back to her and shrugged. “I know your stuff must taste good because it smells incredible.”

Her cheeks warmed from the praise. “Thank you. So what type of cake and what size and more importantly when?” Normally she required two days’ notice, but she would bake this man a cake right now if it meant he would eat her treats.

“Um, I’m not sure.” He looked at the cakes she’d baked yesterday and put in the display. They were medium in size because medium cakes sold almost every afternoon before school let out or before the workday ended. Some mom or dad would come in, realizing they’d forgotten to order a cake for their child’s birthday and they didn’t want a store-bought cake. She didn’t blame them. Though some store cakes were good, many were from a mix loaded with preservatives. Her cakes were made from scratch and everyone said they tasted the difference.

Brent pointed at the cakes and shook his head. “Those would be too big.”

“How many people will be eating cake?”

“Um, not many, but—” Brent glanced up, his gaze slamming into hers. He looked kind of panicked. He swallowed and his eyes grew wider in what looked like fright. “I-I want you to come too.”

She narrowed her gaze unsure if she’d heard him right. “Me?”

He nodded, his eyes going brighter. “Yes, I'd like it if you were there.” Brent rubbed the back of his neck. “I know you probably already have plans…but, um, well I'd like you to be there on Saturday evening, I guess that’s tomorrow, so tomorrow evening. It would be…um, please come that is if you’re not already busy.”

Cake Boss and MasterChef could wait. “No, I’m not…I mean, sure, I’d love to come. What’s the party going to be like? Formal or casual.”

“Casual. It’s very casual. It’s nothing big, I just—”

Brent stammered over his words and though it was adorable, she interrupted him. “I think it sounds great. Thank you for inviting me. So a small cake for five, ten people?”

“Yeah, more like five or four. It’s really a small gathering. I…it’s small.”

Her heart was racing and her brain buzzed. This wasn’t a date, he was just having a party with other people. He was so nice he'd probably invited her out of some misplaced guilt, but she wanted to get to know him a little better. “Sure. What flavor cake?”

“What is your favorite?” Brent hadn’t taken his eyes off her in the last minute and she felt a little self-conscious. Did she have something on her face? Maybe she’d rubbed a little muffin batter on her cheek.

“Mocha Love Cake is my all-time favorite. But it’s really chocolaty, and it’s well, decadent. Are you sure?” He would probably have a huge sugar rush if he ate a slice. If his friends were anything like him, they wouldn’t be able to eat the sugar laden treat. She loved her Mocha Love cake, but a little went a long way.

“Yes, I’m positive.” Brent gave her a heart stopping smile, and she warmed even more.

“Okay, so I’ll have the cake ready for you tomorrow morning, or I could just bring it, I guess. If that’s okay.”

His lips turned up even more and his eyes looked so bright they mesmerized her. Why couldn’t she find a guy like Brent? She only got guys who wanted to use her for her food or make her change to fit some ideal woman they’d made up in their head.

“That would be great,” Brent said.

“Do you want any words like happy birthday anywhere?”

“No, just the cake and yourself.”

“Okay, sounds good.” She rang him up, and he paid for the cake, again dropping his change into the tip jar.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. And thank you for tipping so generously, I really appreciate it.”

Brent’s cheeks seemed to turn a little pink. He scrawled an address on a slip of paper and handed it to her. He turned, looking back once as a group of young mothers entered the shop. After a few seconds, Brent came back in to grab his forgotten umbrella. He gave her a quick wave before walking out into the rain. At one point, he’d told her what he did for a living. If she remembered correctly it had something to do with real-estate, but she wasn’t sure. She still believed it was a missed opportunity with the movie thing.

Her day was a mixed bag. She’d been stiffed for one cup of coffee and a muffin. The extra money Brent had dropped in for tips covered the cost. She hated taking her own tips and using them to pay for her supplies, but that’s why she was the boss. She would never take her employees tips though. That would be wrong.

Her spirits stayed up for most of the day. Excitement filled her at the prospect of spending time with Brent. Since Mia wasn’t there, she spent most of the afternoon baking and preparing dough. That evening, she made Brent’s cake and thought she would decorate it in the morning.

As she was working on his cake, a horrible, terrible thought struck her. What if that woman who worked out with Brent was there as his girlfriend? She was fairly sure they weren’t married, but how would she know. All he did was buy coffee from her. Showing up at his party was so stupid. They didn’t have a relationship, just a casual acquaintance. Oh God, what if she’d misunderstood him and he hadn’t asked her to the party because he wanted to spend time with her? Maybe he wanted her there to cut the cake and serve it to his friends. She should tell him something had come up. He was way out of her league. A stray thought about going to the gym and getting in shape entered her mind. Would she find someone then?

Her life had stagnated in the love department. Stagnated was putting it kindly. Even the dating application she’d loaded onto her phone hadn’t netted her anything other than guys who weren’t suitable, and lowlifes who only wanted her to post photos of her naked breast and other body parts. The worst was a guy who requested she email him a few shots of her feet, nails painted orange, flowers positioned between each toe. She deleted the dating application after the foot incident.

Exercising was in order. She would enlist Brent and beg him for help. Maybe he could teach her how to get in shape. The man probably knew a trick or maybe he would be inspiration enough.

Since it was Saturday, Brent didn’t come in to the store. Michael was on the floor while she dealt with a delivery driver who flaked and didn’t drop off the right package which held the special vanilla and cinnamon she’d ordered from a supplier in Vermont. She wasn’t happy about the mix-up and had to scream to get the delivery company to send out a currier to drop the supplies.

She’d planned on decorating Brent’s cake at the store, but a little after one in the afternoon, a church tour bus broke down outside her shop and she was slammed with customers. After two women from the broken-down bus ate a cookie from her shop, their friends streamed in, buying all her cookies, muffins, and her special frittatas she’d made that morning. They cleared her out of everything in the pastry shelf and most of her reserves. Her coffee pot was empty though she’d just brewed a huge pot minutes before and she had no tea bags left in the store. They’d thrown off her numbers, eating and drinking everything she had prepared.

Luckily, Michael understood and had stayed late so they could make two batches of cookies, the dough for bread, a few dozen cupcakes, and scones. Brent’s cake somehow got finished, but it wasn’t her best effort. She hoped the people at the party would cut her a break.

By the time she left the store, she was exhausted and running late. She smelled of sugar and vanilla, but she had enough time to drop by home and shower before Brent’s party. It had been a crazy week, and she’d enjoyed herself. Her Yelp ratings had gone up after the group on the bus all left her glowing reviews. It was the perfect birthday present though none of them knew it was her birthday weekend.

Before leaving her house, she grabbed a bottle of pinot grigio. She prayed Brent wasn’t using her as the server for his party. Perhaps she should just drop the cake and leave. If he’d already picked up the cake from her store, she knew she would have stayed home since doubt had its claws in her. She had no business going to this party.

Brent lived on a quiet street with cute bungalows and bushy trees. The yards were well maintained, and the area looked lovely. This wasn’t an inexpensive neighborhood like hers, the people who lived here had money of some sort.

The street was empty in front of Brent’s house and she guessed no one else had shown up yet. The lack of other guests made her stomach twist. Again, the thought hit her that he’d asked her here early so she could set the cake up for the real guests.

She checked her lipstick in the mirror, worried she looked too plain. Her throat closed with emotions and she tried to laugh off the despair. He wasn’t into her and this wasn’t a date. Maybe he’d have a friend who was interested if she got in shape. She rolled her eyes. Why did she do this to herself? She was fine being single, and she needed to stop getting her hopes up.

After a short pep talk, she grabbed the cake box and hustled up the walk to Brent’s place. A quick excuse lingered on the tip of her tongue, ready for use if she needed an escape.

Long ago, she’d mistaken another chef’s friendliness as interest. Embarrassed didn’t even come close to how she’d felt when he’d laughed at her. This was probably like that. With each click of her heels on the concrete walkway You shouldn’t be here echoed through her mind. Guys weren’t interested.

The door opened a few seconds after she rang the bell. Brent greeted her, his smile wide. He looked amazing in a blue button-down with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows. The blue jeans he wore weren’t too tight, but they hugged his thighs nicely.

“Hey, you’re right on time,” Brent said.

“Oh, is everyone else running late?” She stepped in, impressed with the dark wood furniture and jade green upholstery on the chairs in the living room. A beautiful blue vase was on the entry table and a matching one sat on the coffee table in the den. “Nice house.” She glanced around, searching for photos of him with a woman. There weren't any to find on first look.

“Thank you,” Brent said as he reached out and took the cake. “Come in. Would you like a glass of wine?”

“Oh, I brought a bottle, let me run out and grab it from my car.” She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten the wine.

“There’s no need. I’ve already opened a bottle. The weather is cool out so it won’t get too hot.”

“And if we drink your bottle, I can always go out and get it.”

Brent’s shoulders went stiff, and he turned to face her. “About that.”

Oh no, she’d already made a fool of herself, assuming he wanted her to stay for the party. He was just being kind, nothing more. She imagined the next words out of his mouth would be to tell her she was there to serve the food and leave. Though she’d prepared for this, pain knifed at her heart. The excuse she’d been thinking about using fled. “It’s okay, I can go,” she said, unsure how she would ever face this man again. She hated losing such a good customer, and she knew she would lose him because why would he ever come back to her shop after this.

Brent shook his head. “No, God no. I…um.” He closed his eyes and blew out a sharp breath. “I don’t know why, but for some reason I suck at this.”

She narrowed her gaze and stepped closer. “At what?”

“I…no one else is coming.”

“Oh, why not?” For a moment, she wondered if his other guests were angry he’d invited her, but she didn’t even know any of his friends so how could they be angry…unless it was that woman he worked out with. She’d met her.

Brent shook his head and gave her a weak smile. “No, I’m explaining this badly.”

She paused, waiting for him to say more but he was silent. “Okay, so just tell me.”

He moved away from the door and she followed him to the kitchen where he set the cake down before turning to face her. He was standing on the other side of the counter from her and she had the odd thought she really liked his kitchen with his wide island and double ovens. Too bad she would most likely never see it again.

He placed his hands on the countertop and then suddenly reached for the wine, knocking over a glass. It didn’t break but rolled close to the edge. He grabbed it at the last minute, saving it from crashing to the floor where it would have shattered on the tile below.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

He shook his head and looked down at the glass he was still holding in his hands. “Yes, no. I’ve been trying to ask you out for the last month and when I heard it was your birthday, I made up the party.”

She sucked in a breath and reached up, grabbing onto the chain around her neck. “Like a date? You’ve tried to ask me on a date?”

“Yes.” Brent looked like he was in pain. His brows bunched and his lips thinned.

She came around the counter and placed a hand on his arm. “Why didn’t you ask me out?”

His gaze met hers and she almost took a step back from the pain she saw in his eyes. “You said no.”

His words may no sense. “Wait, what? I never said no to a date with you.”

“Okay, you didn’t say no, but you didn’t say yes. I tried, but each time…um, you blew me off and I couldn’t take another no. It…” He blew out a breath and shook his head. “I suck at this.”

She reached for the wine and poured herself a big glass. She took a sip, her mind churning over his words. “You were asking me out?” She glanced up at him, trying to catch up to the information tossed her way. “When were you trying to ask me out?”

“The concert.”

“What?” She took another sip of wine, not even tasting it. “You asked me to go to the concert with you?”

“Is it so hard to believe? I know I’m not—”

“Not what? Incredibly sexy?”

Brent shook his head and opened his mouth then closed it. “Wait. You think I’m sexy?”

“Please, you’re like the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. Well, I think you are though I haven’t seen you without clothes—not that I want to see you without clothes on. Oh, I didn’t mean I don’t want to—Oh God, did I say those words out loud?”

Brent laughed, and she froze. Heat filled her, but the comedy of the situation took over and she rolled her eyes and giggled.

“I guess I walked right into that one.” She took another sip of her wine and met his gaze.

He lifted his brows and nodded. “Sorry, but yeah, you did.”

“So is this a date then?”

“I panicked. Mia said it was your birthday and then I saw the cakes so I ordered one. It was stupid. I should have just asked you out, but I wasn’t sure how.”

She drank a gulp of wine, trying to come to terms with the fact Brent, the sexiest man she’d ever met, had asked her out…well, kind of. “Um, you could have just asked.”

Brent poured himself a glass of wine and motioned for her to follow. They headed outside where fairy lights hung from the trees. Brent had turned them on though the sun wasn’t down yet. It looked nice, and she could only guess how romantic it would be out here once the night turned dark. There was a table and chairs along with two lounge chairs in the yard. He pulled out a chair at the table for her to take a seat. He settled in a chair next to her and she turned slightly, studying his profile.

“I really didn’t get that you ever once tried to ask me out. I totally missed the fact you were interested in me.”

Brent sipped his wine then put the glass down. “I shouldn’t be drinking this.”

She glanced up from her glass, worried he thought she shouldn’t drink either. “Why?”

“I shouldn’t eat the cake in there either, but I’m going to have a slice. I’m training for a race and I’ve been working hard to make sure I do my best. The wine, the cake, I like both, but it’s not something my coach would approve of.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “You have a coach? Of course you have a coach, I mean, look at you.”

His cheeks turned pink. “Really, he’s just a guy at the gym where I work out. His name is Dan. He has this Ironman plan which doesn’t involve wine or cake.”

She felt a little guilty. “You shouldn’t have a slice then. I don’t want to throw you off your game.”

He gave his head a short shake. “Hey, I’m having a taste of your cake. It looks good and sweet and perfect, and I can’t wait to get it on my tongue.”

The glass was halfway to her mouth, and she paused, staring at Brent, wondering if he realized his words could be twisted to sound sexual.

He shook his head. “That didn’t come out right, did it?”

She took a sip of the wine. “No, we’ve both blundered.”

He lifted his brows and shot her a look that was so cute her heart squeezed. “So, maybe we start over.”

“What do you suggest?” She hadn’t eaten anything for dinner and knew the wine would go straight to her head, which may be a good thing based on how the evening was going.

Brent had wanted to ask her out. His interest freaked her out because the man looked amazing, and she was normal, less than average was how she saw herself.

“I have dinner ready, and no I didn't cook. It's something I just picked up. I'm intimidated, you know, with being such a good cook and all.”

She laughed, and he looked a little hurt. “You're intimidated.”

“Yeah, I don’t really cook much. It’s been hard eating clean for this race because I can’t just go pick up food at a restaurant. I have to make sure it’s good food that doesn’t have preservatives or added fat.”

“Well, then my cake will blow you away.”

He chuckled. “You’re making me blush.”

“We can’t get away from it, can we?” She felt lighter, happier. Brent was flirting with her and it felt good.

“Come on inside and I’ll heat dinner.”

“Sure.”

Brent held open the door, and she stepped in then turned and caught him staring at her butt. She lifted a brow and he glanced up, his lips turned up and his eyes sparkled.

“I just have one question?” Brent asked. His gazed turned serious, and she worried he would toss in some weird contingency like other men or women, or something else.

“What?” her voice was whisper quiet.

“Are you dating anyone?”

She missed a step and almost stumbled. “You’re joking, right?”

His shoulders slumped. “You probably are, aren’t you?”

A laugh escaped her lips. “God no.”

“No?” His eyes widened, and a smile spread across his face. “Do you have something against dating?”

She shook her head and stopped beside the kitchen counter. “No, it’s just been a while since anyone who didn’t want to change me showed interest.”

He crooked up an eyebrow as he opened the refrigerator. “How do you mean? Like what do they want?”

She chuckled, watching as Brent pulled a bowl from the refrigerator and popped it into the microwave.

“Some of the guys who’ve asked me out recently, let’s just say they weren’t the cream of the crop.”

“You’ll tell me if I’m not measuring up.”

There was no question, Brent would measure up. She narrowed her gaze and studied him as he pulled a platter of meat out of the oven. Could he really believe he wouldn’t measure up or was he pulling her leg? She decided to ignore his statement and tell him about the men who had asked her out.

“There was one guy who said he would date me if I gave him pastries from my store. And I’m not talking about a onetime thing, he wanted me to supply him with food on a daily basis. Then there was the guy who asked me to get contacts before he'd go out with me. Then one guy said I needed to straighten my hair.”

“What? That’s crazy. You look so cute in your glasses and I like your hair.”

Shock pulsed through her. So many men had told her she didn’t fit their idea of perfect beauty she believed she was hopeless. “I tried online dating but deleted the application when one guy wanted me to paint my toenails orange and take photos of my feet with flowers between my toes.”

Brent put down his oven mitts and leveled a serious gaze at her. “That’s too much. Green or red nails I could understand, but orange. What was he thinking?”

She laughed and Brent rolled his eyes. This was fun. It had been too long since she’d laughed like this.

“That’s what I thought.”

They were both giggling, and she realized this felt right. It was nice hanging out with Brent. His shoulders relaxed a little and his smile came a little quicker.

She helped him get the plates and utensils to the table. She felt comfortable being here, just having a good evening without a ton of pressure. Him asking her over to his place alone was a little weird, and she probably would have insisted on a public date if she’d known this was what the invite would lead to but being with Brent at his home was nice.

They chatted about the house and some of the renovations he’d done. The man seemed capable and willing to take on challenges which was a nice change from what she’d run into lately. It seemed like most of the men who had shown interest weren’t even half as capable as Brent appeared to be.

“The kitchen was small and closed off. The house was built in the thirties and well, a lot has changed since then.”

“Tell me about it.” She took a bite of the chicken and wanted to moan but held it in. It really was good food.

“I knocked out a wall and put in the pass through which created the island. Some people think I was dumb to change it, but I like being in the kitchen and still able to talk to guests. The bathrooms and the bedrooms were also remodeled a little.”

“The house looks great. I like the neighborhood.”

“It’s had its ups and downs. Right now, there are a lot of people with money and time to renovate. Who knows what ten years will bring.”

She nodded as she thought about her condo. “This is a good area.”

“So, have you bought a house around here?”

“Um, I got a great bargain on a condo. It’s small, one bedroom, a main living area, kitchen and then a room I use as a food prep area. I guess most people would have a dining room or study, but I set up my mixer and work in the room.”

“Do you take home your work often?”

“Enough so I need a larger kitchen, at least larger than I could afford.”

They had been taking bites between talking and were almost finished with their meal. She stared at him as he took a bite of his food. Lust hit and she wanted to see what was under Brent’s shirt, how his muscles flexed, what his pecs looked like. Was there hair on his chest or was he smooth? So many questions. She swallowed as she thought of the two of them in bed. Would he take care of her, or would he come and leave her hanging? All too often she’d been left wishing there was more after the guy came. So many men had no idea how to pleasure a woman. They thought if they had an orgasm that was enough.

Brent glanced up from his food, his gaze heated. Warmth spread from her center to her toes. The guy was hot, no doubt about it, and he was looking right at her. His interest was almost too much, and she had to look away.

They finished their meal, and she helped him put away the food and rinse the plates before loading them into the dishwasher. She liked him, liked his house, and he made her feel special.

“Let’s take a walk and then maybe we can have some of your cake.”

Brent held out his hand and she took it. The shock of his touch lingered, making her fingers tingle. His gaze held hers for a long moment before he moved to the door. The sun was dipping low and lights on the hills were coming on. The view never got old for her. When she had time, she went up into the hills and watched the sun set, taking in the city below. It was a beautiful sight in the evenings. Los Angeles was packed with people, but the area was beautiful.

They walked out to the sidewalk and Brent took the street side of the walk. It was sweet, and she appreciated his gesture. After a few feet, he dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, his thumb gently tracing circles on her side. She felt the tingle again, and the warmth from his touch grew hotter. No words were spoken as they turned the corner, heading away from his house.

A gentle breeze rustled the trees above and birds chirped. This was the type of neighborhood she wanted to live in but couldn’t afford, at least not yet. The Hollywood sign came into view and looked almost orange tinted as the sun dipped even lower. Brent stopped walking and turned to face her. His arms came around her back and pulled her to him. She placed her hands at his sides and squeezed, feeling his muscles under the cloth. The man was extremely fit. This had to be a dream, or maybe she was hallucinating.

Brent lowered his head, his breath tickling as it warmed her ear. She squirmed closer and he chuckled.

“I’ve wanted to see what you felt like in my arms since the first moment I met you.”

She gulped in a breath and moved her head just a little so she could look in his eyes. There was no mistaking the heat. He wanted her. It didn’t seem like he was playing or joking. Doubts bubbled to the surface but were burned away by the heat in his gaze.

If she moved, their lips would meet. How soft were his lips? Would he be gentle? What if they were in bed, him stretched out on top of her, holding her arms out to the side, how would he feel? She shivered, and he moved just a little closer, his lips almost meeting hers.

She needed to feel him so she closed the distance. The slide of his lips on hers made her melt. His strong arms supported her as he drew her closer. She was about to pull back when he swiped his tongue over the slit in her mouth, pressing in a little. It was enough to get her to open. The first swipe of his tongue sent electricity shooting through her. A moan from him caused her hands to tighten. He shifted, and she felt the slight rock of his hips. Wicked hot desire wrapped around her, holding her to him.

Brent pulled back, ending the kiss. Confusion filled her, and she blinked up at him, wondering how to make him kiss her again. A car drove past and the sound of people talking nearby came into focus. She’d lost track of where they were and the people around them.

She stepped back, but he didn’t let her go far. He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, swiping his thumb over her lips.

“So beautiful. Want to head back to my place?” Brent’s low voice raked over her senses and she swore she almost melted right there on the sidewalk.

They hadn’t even made it all the way around the block, but who was she to demand they actually walk the whole way? She didn’t care if they ever walked again as long as he touched her and kissed her.

“Sure, that would be good.”

It was almost dark out. The lights sparkled on the hillside. Brent hadn’t turned on a porch light so he helped her navigate the way to his door. Once inside, Brent shut the door behind them and she expected to head to the den or back outside, but his hand on her arm stopped her progress. Then she found herself pressed up against the door, her hands held over her head as Brent’s gaze took her in. His eyes lingered on her breast and she shivered as she thought about him touching her.

“Tell me to stop and I will. We can drink a little more wine, eat your cake, and you can go home, or we could see where this next kiss leads.”

There was no doubt in her mind she wanted to know how far they'd go. Brent was sexy, kind, strong, sweet, and overall a nice guy. No, she didn’t know everything about him, but she was willing to find out if there was more to him. Maybe they wouldn’t mesh. Perhaps the heat they’d felt outside had already died and wouldn’t reignite, but she doubted their attraction was a onetime thing.

Since he had her hands trapped, she used her leg and hooked her ankle behind his knee, applying enough pressure so he had to move closer. His lips turned up just before he moved in, delivering a life altering kiss. Her nipples grew hard, and she pressed her breasts against his chest, trying to gain some relief with friction.

Brent ended the kiss and stood tall. His eyes were dark with desire and swept over her face then lower. He let go of her wrists and removed her glasses first, then worked on the buttons on her shirt. Once open, he pushed the material over her shoulders and part way down her arms, trapping them at her sides. His forefinger traced the edge of her bra, bringing goose bumps to her skin.

“I like this.”

“What, my bra?”

“It’s sexy. I like how your breasts swell out of the top a little.”

She rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath. “It’s because my boobs are too big, my hips too. Actually, overall I’m just too big.”

He shook his head. “Oh no, your boobs are not too big. They are just right. And your body is just perfect…absolutely perfect.”

Brent ran his hands lower, around to her back before tugging off her shirt then reaching around behind her to her bra hooks. “Can I?”

She nodded and felt the hooks come free. Brent drew in a slow breath before he slid his fingers under her bra straps and pulled them down her arms. He hissed in a breath as her bra fell from her body.

“Jesus. So freaking sexy,” Brent said.

His praise made her knees go weak and her head swim. She watched his face as he cupped her breasts. He looked delighted, like he’d discovered the best thing in the world. His eyes darted to her face and he smiled before pressing against her and capturing her mouth.

Brent’s hands smoothed down her torso to the waistband of her pants. She flinched when he unbuttoned them. He slid the zipper lower and heat raced through her. When he pushed them over her hips, she knew she was in too deep to stop now.

Brent bent and helped her out of her shoes before tugging off her pants. She was only in her underwear when Brent stepped back, his gaze slowly exploring her body. She wanted to cross her arms over her chest and stomach and hide from his gaze. When she moved, Brent caught her arm, stopping her movement. Then his eyes met hers as he slid his hand down her arm to weave their fingers together.

After what seemed like too long a moment, he drew her close, running his fingers in her hair and gently tugging her head back.

“You are beautiful,” he said before smashing his lips to hers. There was no question, he was interested. She didn’t know how much or for how long. Not that it mattered. He’d not promised her anything, and she hadn’t promised him more than just a kiss and some cake. They were two people who knew each other in a casual sense. He’d started coming to her shop and buying coffee, tipping great, worked in some form of property management, and he was fit, other than the little she knew, she had no clue who he was. This was sex, and she’d walked into it with her eyes open. If all she got was one night of passion that was fine.

The kiss ended, and he stepped back, his gaze fixed on her eyes. “Seriously, you are beautiful, but if you don’t want this to go further, just say the word. I’ll give you your clothes back, and you can leave.”

“You wouldn’t be mad?”

His gaze narrowed, and his brows knit closer together. He looked almost devastated as he shook his head. “Mad, no. Disappointed as heck, yes.”

She reached up and popped the top button on his shirt then the next. He kept his eyes on hers as she worked her way through his buttons, opening his shirt. She glanced down and was rewarded with the sight of his bare chest which had a light dusting of hair. The look only enhanced his pecs and made her wetter. His six pack abs were magnificent. He was cut like only a model would be. This was the closest she’d ever been to a man this fit. Her heart sped up, and she bit her lower lip as she trailed a finger down his chest.

“I take your touch to mean you don’t want to stop.”

She shook her head. “No. No way do I want to stop.”

“Good, because I really want you.”

He picked her up, and she shrieked as he tossed her over his shoulder. One hand wrapped around her thighs as his other hand came up and tugged at her underwear as he slid a finger over her bare ass.

“Put me down, I’m too heavy,” she cried out.

“Not even close, darling.” Brent chuckled as he carried her to the bedroom where he flipped on the lights before dropping her to the bed. Dropping may have been too harsh of an assessment. She only bounced a little before she lifted on her elbows and watched as he reached for her panties and drew them down her legs, going slowly. Before they were off, he licked his lips and she shuddered. Desire poured off him.

Exposed to him, she was glad she’d shaved. A small part of her had hoped for something like this, but she never imagined he wanted her. Brent was so far out of her league she couldn’t believe he was really doing this. Had nothing happened, she would have been disappointed. Of course, she would have lied to herself as she baked a batch of cinnamon chocolate chip pecan cookies, claiming them for the store as she ate half the batch while she cried fat tears. But now, with Brent staring at her body, she was relieved she’d taken the time to trim things up.

Brent knelt between her legs and held eye contact as he lowered to kiss her belly. She groaned as his lips worked down her body, his tongue licking over spots he grazed with his teeth. She gasped as he licked just above her belly button but yelped when he nibbled her hipbone.

He chuckled and then moved lower, kissing his way to her center. Just before he made it to her clit, he glanced up, catching her gaze. One side of his lips quirked up as he slid his tongue out and flicked it over the top of her slit. She dropped her head and moaned as he pushed her legs farther apart and buried his head there. His skilled tongue flattened and slid over her clit in a long lick, leaving her breathless. He sucked on her, making her arch off the bed. It had been a long time since anyone had gone down on her and she wasn’t sure if anyone had done it as well as Brent. She felt like she was about to shatter into a million pieces.

He touched her inner thigh with his fingers before moving them to her opening and pressing in. With his mouth on her and his fingers in her, heaven had come to earth. He still had his pants on and she was ready to come. Too much time had passed since her last orgasm induced by a real live human for her to hold off. No one, not even her last long term boyfriend, which had been years ago, had caused her to come this fast. Her fingers wove through Brent’s hair, holding him tight as she whimpered unintelligible words. She pulsed against his tongue as she came.

Brent moved fast, discarding his shoes and pants before stretching out beside her. His lips tasted of her and when she opened for him, his tongue had her essence on it too. She shivered as his fingers trailed down her body and back up, swirling patterns on her skin as he caressed her. When he teased her nipples, she almost came unglued. He worked her to a state of passion where she was on edge again. Brent hadn’t stopped kissing her, and she was surprised when he rolled on top of her and pulled her knee up, his cock at her entrance.

“Condom,” she squeaked out.

“Always, sweetheart,” he uttered just before sliding in.

Lost in desire and overwhelmed by the orgasm he’d given her, she hadn’t gotten a look at him, but if how he felt was any indication, he was big. She gasped as he rocked his hips forward then pulled back, stilling as their gazes locked. No words came to mind as he paused above her. His gaze stayed steady as he slid in, going deep and grinding before pulling out. She held on to his forearms, knowing another orgasm was close.