Rosie’s tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she held the frosting bag and carefully outlined the cookie. Julio had been kind enough to stay a few extra minutes and give her some tips on how to perfect the art of decorating. After he left, Rosie decided to bake a fresh batch of sugar cookies and try to frost the lot.

She’d called to make sure Louanne wouldn’t mind. Her surrogate grandmother had chuckled and said she could spend the whole night baking if she wanted to. As long as she cleaned up after herself and locked up when she left, the place was hers.

For the first time in what felt like years, Rosie had felt a thrill rush through her.

She snorted with laughter, surprised that something as small as frosting cookies would spark something inside of her, but since starting work at Lulu’s, she’d discovered an unknown passion for the art of baking. Julio had the patience of a saint and was teaching her whenever he had a moment to spare. And Mandy would chip in to reprimand or correct him whenever she was listening in.

Rosie couldn’t believe how much she loved it.

Finishing the outline of the star-shaped cookie she’d made, she stepped back and hummed while she thought about what else to add to the design. She was pretty sure Mandy wouldn’t appreciate her raiding the decorating supplies, so she decided to make it all about the frosting.

Grabbing a clean bowl, she started to prepare a fresh batch. This one would be white, and she’d do her best to attempt a cool snowflake pattern she saw on Pinterest. Mandy had been looking for wintery ideas. Nothing would be sweeter than to have her show up the next morning and see Rosie’s success. She’d be lost for words.

Rosie giggled as she stirred a little corn syrup into her milk and powdered sugar.

A noise from the front of the store made her heart lurch. The jitters that always lay so close to the surface jumped over her. She gently laid the spoon down and wiped her hands on the apron, inching around the kitchen counter and calling out a shaky, “Hello?”

“Hello!” a man replied from the front.

Erratic breaths spurted from Rosie’s nose as she snatched the rolling pin off the counter and crept to the front of the store.

“Rosie?” Blaine’s head popped into view and she quickly laid her weapon down, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, hi.” She tittered, sounding ridiculous and inwardly cringing.

Blaine gave her a curious look before breaking into a grin. “I hope you don’t mind me popping in like this. I know Lulu’s is closed, but I buzzed your door and no one answered, and then I saw the light from the kitchen.” He pointed to the back door he must have come through. “You know, you should probably lock up if you’re in here on your own.”

“Oh, yeah, I…I was going to when I left.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, successfully smearing frosting across her cheek. “Oh, geez.”

She tried to wipe it off, only to smear more.

Blaine laughed and stepped forward, gently wiping his thumb across her cheek. They both froze when he touched her, their eyes locking in a moment of stillness that made it impossible to breathe.

Rosie’s heart accelerated, but that time the erratic rhythm was from something other than fear.

She hadn’t been touched with such tenderness…ever.

Blaine’s brown eyes were melted chocolate pools—warm and delicious. She gazed into them, captured by their softness and the gleam of affection.

Her lips twitched with a smile, her breath catching as she became aware of the rest of him. His height. His strength. She could easily picture the muscles that no doubt lay beneath his clothing. They’d be hard with power yet have a soft control about them. Blaine wouldn’t take and own. He’d give. He’d pleasure.

A hot tingle buzzed through her as she saw herself in his arms. He’d envelop her, protect her, caress every inch of her until her nerves were ignited and then sated. And afterward he’d hold her and make her feel like nothing bad could touch her.

Blaine Hartford. She couldn’t believe she was suddenly thinking those things about him. She shouldn’t be thinking those things about any man. Not with everything that was going on.

As if sensing her sudden hesitation, Blaine swallowed and took a step back, licking the end of his thumb and giving her an awkward smile. “It’s, uh…it’s in your hair too.”

She blushed and spun around to reach for a paper towel. “I’m just learning to decorate cookies. I obviously have a long way to go.”

Blaine stepped around the counter, his boots loud and even on the hard floor. His jacket rustled as he rested his hands on his hips and surveyed her handiwork. “Well, I like the color, and the edging you’ve done is awesome. You obviously have a steady hand.”

She grinned. “That’s sweet, but just hold that compliment until after I’ve finished the snowflake pattern. You may have to take it back.” She raised her eyebrows.

He laughed. “I’m sure they’ll turn out great. And they look delicious, even without the snowflake pattern.”

“Would you like one?” She pointed at the tray.

His lips pursed as he gazed down at them. “Well, I don’t usually eat cookies, but they do look good.”

She bent forward and leaned her forearms on the counter. “You don’t eat cookies?”

“They’re not good for me.” He patted his belly.

“Oh please, like you could ever get fat.”

He snickered and shook his head. “After I left high school, I…” He swallowed and glanced at her. “Well, actually, after that day, I decided to do everything in my power to become strong and fit. I studied health books, joined a gym, did everything I could to get away from the skinny loser I was.”

Her nose wrinkled when he said skinny loser, but then she smiled. “You’ve bulked up hugely. I didn’t even recognize you when you pulled me over that day.”

“You were right. Back then, I mean. I had to man up. Once I started gaining strength, it gave me confidence, you know? It made me feel like if they ever tried to beat on me again, I could fight back. I could win.” His expression bunched, his thick swallow loud enough to be heard across the kitchen. “You did more than save my life that day.”

“You don’t need to say thank you again.” Rosie brushed her hand through the air and stood tall. “Like I said the other night, I did the world a favor. If anything, it says a lot about your character, the way you were able to fight. You were always stronger than you thought you were.”

“And so are you.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he studied her.

Rosie felt like those warm brown eyes were looking straight through her and she blanched, crossing her arms and scrambling to change the subject. “Do you want a hot cocoa or something?” She moved to the pantry. “Just have a cheat day. Enjoy a cookie and drink with me.”

She glanced over her shoulder and he gave in with a sigh, shrugging out of his jacket and hanging it on the hook next to hers.

He didn’t say much as she prepared their drinks. Popping two cookies on a plate, she handed it to him, then carried their steaming mugs to a table out front. The main lights were off, but the dim glow from the streetlights and the light streaming from the doorway to the kitchen were enough for them to see each other. If anything, it created a peaceful kind of ambience.

Rosie took the chair closest to Blaine’s and smiled at him. “So, you coming by to check up on me?”

His chuckle had a nervous edge to it and she tensed.

“Um…” He rubbed the back of his neck, then reached for his cocoa. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay.” She swallowed, picked up a cookie, then changed her mind and placed it back down again.

“You don’t have to be nervous, Rosie.” He brushed his fingertips over the back of her hand, his smile sweet with longing. His forehead crinkled and he tucked his hand under the table, clearing his throat before having another sip of cocoa.

She let out a soft snicker. “You look more nervous than I do.”

“Gimme a break. You were the girl I crushed on all of high school, and now you’re sitting here sharing cocoa and cookies with me.” He winked and they both laughed, but the sound quickly petered out. “Thing is, Rosie, I just… I can’t help feeling like your return to town is…” He licked his bottom lip. “Is there more to it? I mean, what you said the other night… Are you in some kind of trouble?”

She sucked in a shaky breath, scrambling for an answer to appease him. Did she tell him the truth? Lay it all bare?

He was looking at her with those eyes. Eyes that cared. Eyes that wouldn’t shout or try to hurt her.

Maybe he could help.

With a thick swallow, she tucked her quivering fingers under the table and fidgeted with the hem of her apron. “I, um… I was with this guy. We were living together, and then I found out some stuff.” She hesitated, still too scared to mention the drugs. Even though she felt she could trust Blaine, she wasn’t sure what it would mean for her.

Instead, she started with the easier stuff.

Well, kind of easier.

“It turns out he was in debt to this big, scary-looking guy. He showed up at the apartment and my boyfriend…my very ex-boyfriend tried to—” Her eyes smarted, tears popping on her lashes as she struggled to get the words out.

“He tried to what?” Blaine whispered as he slid his hand down her arm and cupped her elbow.

She swallowed and quickly blurted, “He tried to sell me to pay off his debt.”

“Sell you?” His expression buckled with disbelief.

“Yeah.” She nodded and sniffed. “To this big hulking guy who…” Her stomach jerked with disgust. “He was looking me up and down, and I could tell exactly what he was going to do with me, and I just…” She dipped her head, tears spilling from her eyes as she relived that horrifying moment.

“Rosie, I am so sorry.” Blaine choked out the words and she glanced up. His expression was stormy, and she had no doubt that if Chester or Damien dared to appear right then, he’d rip their heads off.

It was kind of comforting.

She sniffed and let out a short laugh. “I made him bleed. When he reached for me, I just reacted, scratching his face and kicking him so I could take off.” She lowered her gaze. “That was the day you pulled me over for speeding.”

“You could have told me.”

“Yeah, right.” Her laughter was hard and sounded out of place in the cozy coffee shop. “How do you admit to someone that you’ve let yourself fall so far? I am beyond humiliated that I got mixed up with such assholes. I didn’t know he was like that, but still. I was stupid. I slept with him the first night I met him. I moved in with him only a week later. I’m…I’m…”

“You’re safe now.” He squeezed her elbow.

Rosie was about to squeak, not if he finds me, but she didn’t have a chance.

The door creaked open and she jumped with fright. Blaine spun, moving his body in front of hers.

She studied his broad back, in awe of the way he put himself in the line of danger without hesitating.

Not that it was danger.

“Hello, Rosie, my sweet,” Louanne singsonged as she walked into the coffee shop.

Her steps came to an abrupt halt when she spotted Blaine.

“Oh. Well, Officer Hartford. Nice to see you.” Her eyes darted between the two of them, her cheery smile soon replaced with concern. “What are you doing here?”

“I just, um…” He pointed over his shoulder, glancing at Rosie and giving her a tight smile.

“He was just passing by.” Rosie stood. “I spotted him out the window and invited him in for a drink.”

Louanne’s eyes narrowed, so Rosie put on her innocent smile. She’d used it a hundred times in the past and it came easy.

For Blaine, not so much. He sat beside her, tense and awkward, which only got worse when Louanne asked, “So, Blaine, how’s Erin?”

Rosie didn’t need to be told that Erin must be Blaine’s girlfriend. The tension in the air intensified, Louanne’s motherly expression heaping on the guilt in spades.

“I, uh… She’s good. I’m just heading over to see her now, actually.”

Rosie winced and started clearing the table. She couldn’t understand the harsh emotion spiking through her. Was it jealousy? Over some woman she hadn’t even met?

It was freaking ridiculous. She barely knew Blaine. Even though she’d saved his life all those years ago, they’d spoken more words to each other in the last week than they ever had in high school.

He was taken. And so he should be. He was a good man.

With a little sniff, she walked the dishes back to the kitchen.

“I was just popping in to grab my reading glasses. I can walk you out if you like.”

“Sure thing, Louanne.” Blaine cleared his throat, his chair scraping as he no doubt pushed it in. “Let me just grab my jacket.”

Rosie placed the dishes in the sink, glancing over her shoulder as Louanne took her glasses off the shelf and smiled at her. “Don’t forget to lock up, kiddo. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Okay.” Rosie forced a smile and waved as Louanne disappeared from view and Blaine stepped into the kitchen.

She gripped the edge of the sink while she watched him slowly walk around the counter.

They shared an awkward glance before they both looked to the floor. As Blaine reached for his jacket, he paused with a sigh. “You know I’d never let anything bad happen to you, Rosie. If you ever need help with anything, no matter what it is, you can always come to me.”

He pulled on his jacket and turned to face her.

And she couldn’t stop herself.

Pushing off the counter, she killed the space between them. She rested her hands lightly on his cheeks and stretched up on her tiptoes.

It was supposed to be a quick, light kiss, a mere brushing of lips. But the second her mouth connected with his, she couldn’t pull back.

He breathed her in, his hand gripping her hip as she threaded her fingers around the back of his neck.

She shouldn’t be kissing him. He was taken.

She needed to step back, to pull away, but she couldn’t make her body move. The chemistry between them was strong enough to light a stadium. Rosie felt it all the way to her core.

It was taking everything in her not to open her mouth and turn the kiss into something hot and searing. Their lips vibrated against each other, and she felt her will beginning to crumble.

She jerked back before she crossed a line, stumbling away from him. He steadied her before she fell and then quickly let her go, like she was a hot ember in the fire.

Pressing her fingers over her mouth, she blinked and stared at the floor.

Blaine’s gaze was on her. She could feel it.

He wasn’t saying anything, though. All she could hear were his erratic breaths punching into the room.

“I’m sorry. I know you’re taken.” She bit her lips together. “I won’t do it again, I just… You’re a good man. And I’m grateful.” She sniffed and crossed her arms. “I’m sorry I wasted my time in high school on guys like Taylor. You would have treated me better.”

“I would have treated you like the queen you are.” He gave her a pained smile, running a shaky hand through his hair. “You deserve someone good, Rosie. Never settle for less.”

She nodded and they shared a meaningful smile before he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Slumping back against the counter, she watched Blaine disappear and couldn’t decide if her heart was cracking with disappointment or if it might actually be on the road to repair.