Ava was carrying a martini glass with a creamy brown liquid in it—a chocolate martini, Parker knew—and he got the message loud and clear. She wasn’t drinking his fucking apple pie shots.

Yeah, well, that was too subtle anyway. If Noah could stomp up the stairs because Brynn was Skyping with some guy, then he could absolutely do what he was about to do.

He might end up carrying his balls home in a to-go bag, but it was worth the risk.

Because the thing was…he might owe her an apology.

Ava wasn’t the type to run and hide, and the fact that he hadn’t seen her in three days wasn’t just making him itchy in a place he couldn’t seem to scratch, but it worried him.

“Hey, Boss,” he greeted, still sitting back in his chair, just watching her.

“Hi, Parker,” she said. “Evan.”

“Hey, Ava,” Evan said. He cast a glance at Parker. “So, our theme tonight is apples, huh?”

Parker rolled his eyes. Yes, it had been his idea, and yeah, the theme was on the nose—at least for him and Ava—but Evan couldn’t be content to just let it be. He had to point it out.

“I guess so.” She sipped from her martini glass, making her point subtly. Okay, so she didn’t feel more fond of apples now. That was…not okay.

Parker got to his feet. “Since Brynn and Noah aren’t down here yet, can we talk for a second?” he asked Ava.

She met his gaze directly. He realized he should have expected nothing less. “I don’t think we need to talk,” she said.

“Then I’ll talk.”

“I’d rather just get going on the game. I have work to do tonight.”

Her tone was don’t push me, but now she wasn’t meeting his eyes, and Parker simply couldn’t not push. That was the problem. Now that he knew how she looked and sounded when she came, now that he couldn’t look at a stick of butter without getting hard, now that he’d seen her pitch eggs against the wall because she’d discovered that she liked breaking things, he was, most definitely, going to push her.

He moved around the table. “Boss, I really hate to do this.”

“Do what?”

He took her glass from her, tipped it back, swallowing the rest of the contents—and hopefully clearly making the point that he didn’t really fucking care what she was drinking, it wasn’t making this go away—and set the glass on the table. Then he bent, lifted her over his shoulder, and headed out of the dining room, through the living room, and into the room she’d commandeered for her office.

He was, however, impressed that she didn’t even yell as he carried her through the house.

He kicked the door shut behind him, deposited her on the floor, and then, without stepping back even an inch, looked down at her.

“Parker, I—”

“I just want to say I’m sorry.”

That clearly surprised her. She stopped, and a crease appeared between her eyebrows. “You’re sorry? For what?”

“I wanted to make it so that you smile when you walked into the pie shop kitchen. If that’s not what turned out, I’m sorry.”

Her mouth fell open and she stared up at him.

He didn’t resist the urge to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I realize it got a little intense and deep. It was supposed to be fun and silly and hot. I should stop trying to predict how things will go when we’re together because it never turns out that way. But anyway, I hate that you’ve been avoiding the shop and me. I’m sorry.”

She snapped her mouth shut, opened it again, then shut it again. She frowned. She took a deep breath. Then she blew the breath out and said, “Well, you’re right that I’ve been avoiding the shop, but that’s not why. I walk into the pie shop kitchen now, and my heart pounds and my nipples tingle and my panties get wet.”

Her words took a bit to sink in. But when they did, he crowded close, his gaze burning into hers. “Is that right?”

“It is.”

“And that’s why you stayed home?”

She swallowed. “Yeah.”

“You don’t like tingling nipples?”

“Not when I’m supposed to be doing other things.”

“You couldn’t do other things?”

“I could. Technically. But…I didn’t want to.”

Damn. He blew out a breath.

“What?” she asked, studying his expression.

“I just know how much you like to do other things.”

She shrugged. “Yeah. I do. Usually.”

“So you hid out instead of coming over?” He moved a little closer. There wasn’t much air between them anyway, but he needed to be in her personal space. Completely. “I’m very happy to help with tingling nipples. And wet panties.”

Now she blew out the breath. “Yeah, I hid out.”

“You don’t seem like the type.”

“I’m not.”

He really liked that confession. His lifted a hand to her cheek. “I burned garlic bread today and left the cream out last night so it was ruined.”

Her mouth lifted on one corner. “You don’t seem the type.”

“I’m not.”

She shook her head, her tiny smile dying. “I don’t like being discombobulated. At all. Not even a little.”

“And you don’t feel that here at the house?” Because he sure as hell was thinking about her everywhere he went.

“No. I mean, I was still a little distracted, but I didn’t think of you every time I took a deep breath.”

He really liked that every breath at the shop made her think of him. But he wasn’t so sure he liked that she could get him out of her mind when he could still conjure the taste, smell, and feel of her even in the center of Main Street in the middle of the day.

“Huh.” He started backing her up until her butt hit the edge of her desk. He cupped her face and then leaned in and kissed her. It started sweet and soft, but that only lasted a few seconds. They both opened their mouths at the same time, their tongues tangled, and like a spark to dry kindling, every molecule between them seemed to ignite.

But after a few seconds, she put her hands on his chest and pushed. “Whoa. I know what you’re doing.”

“Kissing you.”

“And trying to make it so I think of you here too.”

“Yep.” Damn right, even.

“Parker,” she said softly. “I…need…space. Breathing room. Some ability to do something productive over the next eight or whatever months.” She looked almost pleading as she grabbed his forearm and squeezed. “I can’t be mooning around and distracted and thinking about the cute boy next door to the point that I can’t be…me.”

Okay, whoa. If he’d been expecting her to get all snotty and frosty and haughty—and he had been—she’d just swiped the rug right out from under him. This kept happening. Every time he thought he knew her, thought he knew what to do, how to handle her, she did…this. She became real and vulnerable and…amazing.

“You don’t think you can be you and have tingling nipples at the same time?” he asked, trying not to let on that he felt like there was a vise around his chest. He wanted her. So fucking badly. And it had nothing to do with the black three-inch heels she was wearing. Well, maybe it had a little to do with those. He knew those made her feel confident and kick-ass. He also knew she didn’t sleep in them. Well, he was ninety-six percent sure that she didn’t sleep in them. Which meant, she’d needed to feel kick-ass tonight, in her own house, playing board games with her friends.

Because of him.

Fuck.

“I’m definitely not used to having tingling nipples just because a guy smiles at me a certain way.”

His entire body tightened with her admission this was all new for her. And the idea that he affected her like this. “I would give up my favorite kettle for a chance to bend you over this desk right now,” he told her.

That startled a laugh out of her. “Wow, that’s something.”

“You have no idea.” He took a breath. “But I hear you. I fucking love that I’m getting to you, because, Boss, you have absolutely gotten to me. But I hear you. So— ” He went on as she started to respond. “Even though it might kill me, I’m not going to do anything with your nipples or panties. Right now. In here. But you have to pick a room in this house—I don’t care if it’s the laundry room or the basement storage closet or the attic—but I am going to kiss you again before I leave tonight.”

She wet her lips, her cheeks slightly flushed. “And will my nipples and panties be involved?”

He put his forehead to hers, running his thumb over her lip. “If there’s even a glimmer of goodness in your soul.”

She huffed out a soft laugh. “That bad?”

“You want my fancy new cheese grater? It might be my most prized possession at the moment and I’ll gladly give it up.”

She tipped her head, kissed him quickly, and then stepped back. “Keep all your damned kitchen appliances away from me.”

“Well, technically it’s not an appliance…”

“How about you promise not to make me use any graters of any kind ever and I’ll let you do whatever you want with my panties.” She gave him the most adorable, and cheeky, smile he’d ever seen.

“Deal. Because what I want to do with your panties is very simple—rip them off of you.”

She sucked in a quick breath. “Should I go change into my cheap white cotton ones?”

“Fuck no. You stay in those fancy, expensive, skimpy things that you have on now. Us small-town, blue-collar guys don’t get to see a lot of expensive lingerie.”

“Or rip them up?”

“Exactly. And I’m doing it with my bare hands. Very manly.” He gave her a slow grin.

A little shiver made her wiggle.

“You okay?” he asked.

“We need to get out of this office right now if I have any hope of preserving the ability to work in here.”

She stepped around him and started for the door. He took in the sight, especially appreciating the ass that was currently covered in the fancy, expensive, skimpy stuff he couldn’t wait to get his hands on.

“Full panties or a thong?” he asked, noticing there wasn’t even a hint of a panty line.

She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned back, an eyebrow up, “Get out of my office. Now.”

He did. Chuckling—and giving that fine, panty-covered ass a swat as he went.

---

She couldn’t even concentrate on Apples to Apples, for fuck’s sake.

Because she was human. And Parker Blake, underneath his grumpy, gruff, I’m-always-right exterior, was sweet, and charming, and got her. In a way that no one else did. And he was hot. He was very hot. With a mouth and hands that she couldn’t stop thinking about. Even though she’d had barely enough of either.

Ava laid her cards down and studied the man across from her. He must have felt her eyes on him because he looked up and gave her a wink.

And her heart flipped over.

The men she dated weren’t winkers. And her heart never…got involved.

She sighed internally. Crap. Her heart getting involved was so stupid. This was temporary. It wasn’t even supposed to be real. It was supposed to be about pie.

But if it was about pie, it would be over. Because she’d figured that out. Kind of, anyway. The fact that she was keeping that information from everyone said a lot about her feelings for Parker that she didn’t want said.

She watched as he laid his cards down as well, his long fingers and wide palms making her body heat, even from across the dining room table, playing a silly card game surrounded by other people, with people all around.

As Brynn, the judge for this round, deliberated about who had made the best matchup, Parker drew the cinnamon stick from his shot glass and, as Ava watched, licked it from top to bottom.

She met his eyes and rolled hers. He grinned. She ran her finger around the edge of her glass, picking up the cinnamon and sugar that Cori had rimmed the shot glasses with. She slid her finger into her mouth and sucked.

He coughed and shifted on his chair and she felt victorious. The whole apple pie theme had been his idea. Turning it around on him was fun. She was grinning way too brightly for a game of Apples to Apples, but she didn’t care. Because she also felt…lighthearted. That was a very unusual feeling for her. She didn’t really flirt. She didn’t have to. The men who she dated didn’t go out with her because she was cute and flirtatious. And she definitely didn’t tease about blow jobs. She also had never wanted to give a blow job as much as she wanted to give one to Parker.

And she was sure she’d never wanted to give a guy a blow job because he was the reason she’d discovered that she preferred Golden Delicious over all the other apples.

She also wanted his big hands all over her body. She wanted to find out where exactly his tan line from working shirtless ended. She wanted to find out what sound he would make when she wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked. She wanted to hear all the sweet, dirty things he would say as she kissed her way down his body and asked him which position he wanted to start in.

Now it was her turn to shift on the chair. Good grief. She had never sat across a table from a man and daydreamed about sex. Never. When she was at tables with men they were talking business, and nothing distracted her from that.

Except apples. And cinnamon. And the idea of Parker ripping her panties off in the mudroom at the back of the house. That was where she’d decided they’d go for the goodnight “kiss”. She never went in there, for one thing, so that made it safer. And where better to get dirty with Parker than the mudroom?

She giggled and then froze almost instantly. She slowly looked up from her shot glass. Sure enough, everyone at the table was staring at her.

Ava never giggled. Well, maybe with her sisters after a couple of martinis. But she rarely giggled. And never in mixed company. Not to mention that, as far as they knew, she had no reason to be giggling anyway.

“You okay?” Cori asked.

Ava took a deep breath and then nodded. “Completely.” And she was. She was distracted and horny. And not used to being either of those things. But she was very much okay.

As everyone went back to their cards, she shot a glance at Parker. He gave her a slow smile and mouthed, “Me too.”

Her heart stuttered again and she felt warm. Not take-her-clothes-off hot, though that was just below the surface, but warm like she felt when she caught one of her sisters’ eyes and they communicated with just a look. She liked Parker Blake. While she was increasingly glad that he was attracted to her, she was also glad he seemed to like her. She didn’t really have many friends. People in her world were mostly business acquaintances. She had her sisters and that had always been enough.

Now, as she looked at Parker and Evan and Noah, she realized that they were her friends and that, somehow in a very short span of time, they’d come to matter to her. And vice versa.

Her gaze settled on Parker as he and Noah gave each other shit about their card matches. Ava had played her card without even looking at it. She had no idea what she was supposed to be matching it with or if kitten was even close to being appropriate. She also couldn’t care less. She just liked being here with these people. That might have been the most unusual thing of all. She wasn’t worried about the rules or if she was playing by them. And she didn’t care about winning.

She propped her chin on her hand and studied Parker as he laughed with the others.

He’d understand how uncommon, and meaningful, it was that she just wanted to play the game with everyone and not worry about rules and winning. And he’d really like it. It might even get one of those hot growls he sometimes made when she’d said or done something that pleased him and turned him on at the same time. She’d have to be sure to tell him later in the mudroom. She did love those little growls.

Ava looked over at Cori and Brynn. Brynn’s smile made Ava’s grow. Brynn had definitely started coming out of her shell since they’d been in Bliss. The fact that Brynn was sitting here playing a card game instead of peering into a microscope or reading research papers in her room was as big a step as Ava playing along for fun without memorizing every rule printed on the game box. Her sisters would also get how big it was that she wasn’t concentrating on the game.

They were the people in the world closest to her. They’d shared everything, always. But even though they definitely knew where she was coming from and accepted her, they didn’t fully understand her need for rules and control. Though they were triplets, it was like they’d each taken a third of a whole personality, each different, but complementary to one another.

Cori was a free spirit through and through. Rules had never mattered much to her. Brynn was a scientist, which, on the surface, with the equations and precise titrations might seem to stem from a love for rules and numbers and the need to control. But science didn’t really work that way. There were mutations. There seemed to be more questions than answers. For every rule, there seemed to be an exception. All of that would have made Ava crazy. Whereas Brynn saw it as a challenge. In some ways, when Ava watched Cori cook and listened to Brynn talk about her work, she saw many similarities in her sisters. They were both creating things, and their sense of reward came from people responding positively to those things. Ava, on the other hand, made it possible for people to create things that made people respond positively.

She looked at Parker again as an idea took seed. That was what she did—she saw potential in other people and businesses and provided them with the resources and opportunity to do what they wanted to do and what they were good at. Yes, her sisters and mom were her focus, always, but she did it for other people too. All the time.

When Cori rose to refill drinks and Noah leaned over to say something to Brynn, Ava took the chance to slip a piece of paper from the notepad Noah was using to keep score. She hesitated for just a second before quickly writing mudroom, then crumpled the note in her fist.

Evan said something to Parker about the mini-golf course Evan was putting in at the park with the trust Rudy had bestowed upon the town. Ava leaned back in her chair and tossed the note to the floor next to Parker’s chair.

Without a hiccup in his reply to Evan, Parker shifted forward in his chair, leaning a forearm on the table and reaching for the wad of paper with the other.

She’d never passed notes to cute boys in class. She’d been far too busy taking notes on the class to really even notice the boys around her. Even in high school, she’d had her eye on the prize. She’d figured a relationship would eventually come along, fit right in, and seamlessly become a part of her plan.

She also, somehow, knew that Parker would really like knowing how off the rails she felt lately. He was a guy who appreciated a good plan, who valued routine and predictability. Yet, he would like knowing that he’d shaken hers up a bit. For a guy who didn’t like change himself…

But she trailed off on that thought. Parker didn’t change. That didn’t mean he didn’t want to. He would love to add to his menu. He’d love to experiment with new recipes and techniques. He’d probably love to buy some crazy, fancy appliances and tools. But the most elaborate thing in his kitchen was a cheese grater.

For him, the stability—for the town and for himself—was more important than his own wants. She knew a little about that. She loved her job, she was damned good at it, she wasn’t really qualified to do anything else. But if it weren’t for the stability she was providing for her sisters and mom, and even the employees that depended on Carmichael Enterprises, she wouldn’t be working sixteen-hour days and that would mean more hours in her fuzzy slipper socks. Or bare feet. As much as it would shock Parker, she did enjoy kicking her heels off as much as she liked putting them on.

Then again…maybe that wouldn’t surprise him.

It was a little disconcerting to think about Parker knowing her so well. They’d met not even quite four months ago. No matter what Rudy had told him about her ahead of time, how could she feel like Parker really got her? But as he finally opened the note under the edge of the table, read the single word, and nodded without looking at her, with a tiny smile pulling up the corner of his mouth, she loved the sense of connection she felt with him.

“One more round?” Noah asked, shuffling the cards together.

Cori and Evan and Brynn settled in, but Parker shifted forward on his chair. “Actually, I think I’m ready to head out.”

Noah gave him a look. “Really, old man?”

“I have to feed everyone bacon before they bring their cars in to you,” Parker said, shoving his chair back. “Bacon at six-thirty, car repairs at eight. You want to switch it up?”

Noah shook his head. “I don’t want to deal with any of them before their bacon.”

“Exactly.” Parker stretched to his feet. “You’re welcome.”

“How about you guys?” Noah asked, already dealing cards to Cori, Evan, and Brynn.

Noah was stalling so he didn’t have to leave Brynn, and everyone at the table—except maybe Noah and Brynn—knew it.

Cori grinned and picked her cards up. “I’m always in.”

That was for sure.

Ava realized that Noah hadn’t dealt her in. “I’m not playing?” she asked.

Noah didn’t even look up at her. “Figured you needed to walk Parker out to his car. Or something.”

She did. Through the mudroom. But they knew that? Then she sighed. Of course they did. Maybe this was why she didn’t really have many friends. Having people observing and figuring things out about her was bewildering.

“Yeah, since you will be in to the pie shop tomorrow, I’ve got something else you should read up on tonight,” Parker said to her. His emphasis on will did not go unnoticed.

She got up. “Fine.” She added a sigh for everyone else’s benefit. Judging by Parker’s grin, he wasn’t buying it.

Judging by Evan’s, he wasn’t either.

They started for the kitchen together, the fastest way to the mudroom.

“Hey, didn’t you park out front?” Evan said to Parker.

“Evan?” Parker said without looking back, holding the swinging kitchen door for Ava.

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Ava stepped through the door before giggling again. So only Parker heard it. But he didn’t even pretend to ignore it as he stepped in behind her, grasped her hips, and pulled her back against him. “Fuck, making you giggle and blush makes me want to hike up this skirt right here and now.”

Her smile died as heat and desire washed over her. She grabbed his hand and started for the mudroom off the back of the house. “Hold that thought for ten seconds.”

They practically tumbled into the mudroom and Ava slammed the door. She winced. That would alert everyone else in the house to what was going on. But who was she kidding? They already knew. The room had a light, but she didn’t hit the switch. There were windows along one side of the room, and the moonlight was enough to keep them from being totally blind. And there was something about fumbling around in the dark with Parker, trying to be quiet, feeling like they were sneaking—even if no one was fooled at all about what they were doing—that added to the sense of fun. She’d never made out with a guy when there were other people only a few rooms away. She’d never made out in a mudroom. Hell, she’d never been in a mudroom—or even heard of one—before coming to Bliss.

Parker’s hands were already on her face, holding her still, so he could take her mouth. His kiss was immediately hot and deep and she gripped his biceps, arching closer.

She started walking backward toward the thick wooden table against one wall that would be the perfect height for her to sit on while he thrust. Her whole body clenched at the idea. She’d never had hot and steamy sex like that. One thousand thread count Egyptian cotton was more her usual than an old table in a room with “mud” in the name. But this felt good.

And when Parker slid one hand from her cheek all the way down her body to her ass and pulled her up against the hard length behind his fly, it felt better than good. It felt right.

“Where’re you going?” he asked huskily, pulling his fingers through her hair, then wrapping the ends around his fist and tugging to tip her head back.

“Table.” She took another step.

“And what do you want me to do with that table?” he asked, kissing her and running his tongue over her lower lip before lifting his head so she could answer.

“Put me on it.”

“And then what?”

She drew a shuddery breath. “Touch me.”

“I can touch you right here.” He squeezed her ass, then ran his hand up her side to her breast, thumbing the hardened tip of her nipple through her blouse.

“Touch me like you did at the pie shop,” she told him. “And maybe get naked yourself.”

He gave a low, deep laugh. “And then what, Boss?”

She slid her hands up to his face, staring up at him in the dim light. He wanted to play employee-boss right now? Fine. She’d never role-played either, but telling people what she wanted and expected of them was like breathing to her. “Get on your knees and make me come with your tongue this time.”

His whole body went rigid against her, and she could feel the heat in his gaze even in the near-dark. “You gonna say please?”

“Nope. But I’ll give you Christmas and New Year’s off if you do a good job.”

“From the pie shop or from fucking you?” His voice was low and Ava felt the rumble of it to her bones. That seemed to instantly liquefy.

She pulled in a breath, gripping him a little harder to keep from melting to the floor. “The pie shop.”

“Good. Because buried deep between your legs is exactly where I’d like to end this year and start the next one.”

He kissed her with enough heat Ava was pretty sure she was going to need to be poured out of the room in the end. His tongue stroked deep and hot, his hands were almost rough, in the most delicious way, as he pressed against her, his fingers squeezing, then flicking her nipple.

He had a good enough hold on her that Ava felt safe letting go of him to start working to open the buttons of her shirt. The blouse didn’t fall away since his hand was still cupping one breast, but once it was unbuttoned, she unzipped her skirt and started to step out of her shoes.

“Keep ’em on,” he said gruffly against her mouth.

“You made me take them off the other day,” she reminded him breathlessly. Though once she lost the three inches, she was going to have to get up on the table to maintain the near-perfect alignment of their bodies.

“I needed you a little less kick-ass that day. But the next time I make you come, I want those damned things on your feet.”

Hearing him say make you come got her about halfway there. They’d established that her shoes made her feel tough. “You want me to be in charge here?” she asked. “Because I can do that.” But deep down—or not that deep down—she wanted him to take over. It was a very rare occasion when she didn’t run the room. But when it came to kitchens, Parker was definitely in charge. And she wouldn’t mind adding mudrooms to his resume.

“Nope. I want to show you that I can be in charge even when you have your I’m-better-than-you shoes on. And that you like it.”