Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

“God, I’ve missed this place. And this taffy,” she said, finishing the wonderful bite of smooth, buttery deliciousness.

“Well, we’ve missed you. Business dropped thirty percent after you left town,” he teased. Sure, Laura had spent most of her money in the candy store, but she couldn’t help it. Mr. Gaffe wore his usual pressed, all-white uniform, red bow tie, and matching paper boat hat. He looked like he’d stepped right out of 1955.

“Well, fear not, I’m back now and fully intend on spending a paycheck in here.” That was, as soon as she actually had a paycheck.

“Happy to hear it. That’s a lovely vase,” he said, looking at the flowers. She set them gently on the counter near the register before him.

“Thank you. I’m running Baughman’s floral shop, and I wanted to bring you a free arrangement.”

“How kind,” he said. He looked at the flowers and grabbed the vase, turned, and set it on the back counter, where the employees set their purses out of sight of customers. Which made her heart fall a little.

“I was hoping you could maybe mention where you got them if anyone asks?” Laura said. “I’m trying to grow my customer base. Let everyone know Baughman is back to selling flowers again.”

“Of course,” Gaffe said. But Laura felt like the importance of displaying the flowers where people could

see them was lost on him.

“Maybe putting them by the register?” she asked.

“They smell lovely, child, but with the candy in here, I don’t want to overwhelm the place with smell.”

“Oh, right.” Laura hadn’t thought of that.

“I’ll tell everyone, though,” Gaffe said and smiled. Laura thanked him and left. Grabbing her wagon, she had five more stops to make on Main Street before she had to get back to the shop and load up the centerpieces for the party. At least the crew was at Baughman today and could help her.

Jacob wasn’t an idiot. Okay, maybe he was, but only when it came to mouthy blondes from California. Because he was stupidly thinking about her for the millionth time that week.

He didn’t know if she was avoiding him since their little sex session fight in the office—excuse me, floral shop—but he could bet she was. And he was kind of avoiding her, too.

But she’d been out of the shop more. Just today he’d caught a glimpse of her at Ron’s Java Pit on the corner, handing him flowers. She was trying.

And he was, too. Trying to keep Baughman from losing any more money. His regular deliveries and working extra to prepare for the coming winter months were keeping his days long. Cal had called, and he’d sent it to voice mail. The man had to pick a foreman and supplier soon, and once he did and stopped holding out for Jake, he could finally stop avoiding him, too.

As always, Jake’s mind turned to Laura. The Laura he could taste and touch but not date. She’d already lasted longer than he’d thought. Granted, when things started to get tough, she might still run. He was starting to really think she might stay. But things were about to get real tough. She kept wanting to lump the warehouse and shop together. She had no idea what came with that. She wanted a taste of what running the shop was like? Spending the shop’s money? She needed to start seeing the entire shop, including the warehouse. Not just her magical oasis of snapdragons and daisies. Jake had no way to show that to her. It was easier said than done, and his head hurt trying to keep up with that woman and her ambition.

“Uncle Jake!” his niece Bella yelled and ran in his direction to give him a bear hug around the leg. It had been a whole week since he’d seen his sister last, and like clockwork, every Saturday morning, she came.

“Hey, doll face!” he said and lifted his niece up. Her six-year-old smile made his chest warm.

“I have bear claws!” his other niece, Lexi, announced. She was on her mom’s heels, carrying a pink box. “They aren’t from real bears, though. Just called bear claws.”

“Good thing,” Jake said and patted Lexi’s head as she strutted by, heading straight for the table, clearly ready to devour the pastries in the box she was guarding.

He kissed his sister’s cheek, happy to see the twins today and needing to regroup and refocus and figure out what the hell to do for this coming week. Priority number one—stop thinking about Laura naked. Priority number two—figure out a way to make Laura happy without losing any more of Baughman’s warehouse money.

“You look grouchy this morning,” his sister said.

He was. He glanced at the trailer. Everything that woman had ever said was lurking in his mind. Like the fact that his house was . . . what had she said? Sparse?

Everything looked sparse compared to her camper. Especially since he thought of how warm and inviting it was. Or how warm and inviting her body was.

His house was fine. His job was fine. So why was he seriously considering digging out his old Larry Bird poster from the garage and hanging it on the wall just to liven the place up a little? He then decided against it, because even if he could find the poster he’d had at thirteen, it probably didn’t belong in a man’s home.

It was a cool poster, though . . .

Maybe if he got it framed it would work better. Framed posters were classy, right? And Larry Bird was the best basketball player of all time. And then maybe Laura would come over and see he had some taste in art and then she’d want to hang out instead of saying things like how his house was empty and making him acknowledge she might have a point.

Priority number three—get Larry Bird poster framed and hung.