His Paradise

“I promise I’m right where I want to be,” he tells me, making a flutter hit my stomach. We drive into town and I have to tell him where to turn a few times.

“You never been here before?” I ask. Our town isn’t big, and if you’ve been here once you should really know where the center of town is.

“Yeah, a few times,” he says after a long pause.

“And you don’t know your way around here? Are you that bad with directions?” I tease.

“I normally stay at the resort here.”

My stomach tightens at the reminder of that place. It’s bittersweet having it here. It’s been good for the town but bad for me because they want my land. And it’s becoming clear to me they are going to get it. They’ll rip down the place I’ve called home. Then I would really have nothing left of my family.

He glances over at me. “I like your place better,” he tells me with a smile.

“Thanks.” I don’t tell him if he ever comes back he likely won’t get to stay there again. I shake those thoughts away as we pull up to the farmer’s market. I don’t want to dwell on the negative today. I’m going to enjoy this time I have with Liam.

I go to open the door, but he stops me. “Let me.”

Before I can respond he’s out and around the truck, opening the door for me. Then he pulls me to him, kissing me right there. My face flames for a moment. The whole town will know about this now. But that slips my mind as the kiss deepens and I fall into him, forgetting everything else.

“Do I need to get the hose?” Sammy asks, breaking the moment. Liam sighs as he pulls away and I laugh.

“Where do you want the boxes, blondie?” He wraps his fingers around a lock of my hair, giving a playful pull, making me smile.

“There.” I point over to where our tent is already set up, along with our tables. He nods and starts grabbing the boxes and taking them over for us.

“I like him. He’s all over you. It’s hot,” Sammy says as she lays down a tablecloth emblazoned with our logos. We take stuff out of the boxes and set up our display.

“You got some stuff in your car, too?” Liam asks Sammy.

“Yeah, it’s over there.” She points to her Jeep but drops her hand when we see the sheriff heading our way. I see he’s carrying some of the stuff from her Jeep already.

“Morning, sunshine,” he says to Sammy like she isn’t giving him a death glare.

“Sheriff, isn’t it illegal to break into someone’s car?” she throws back at him.

He smiles down at her as he places her stuff on the table. He gets in her personal space, knowing she won’t back up. “You hear Minni is selling her bakery? Putting it up for sale real soon.”

“What?” Sammy gasps.

Liam pulls me to him as I watch the show in front of me. Now I understand why Sammy finds what’s happening with Liam and me so entertaining.

Sammy has wanted to open her own bakery but thought it might never be possible. Our town already has one, so it would never work. Now it looks like she might get what she wants.

“Just thought you might want to know.” Then Cyrus leans down and kisses her, shocking us all.

Sammy doesn’t push him away. In fact, she melts into him for a moment. Then after a second he pulls away, leaving her stunned.

“I’ll leave you to it, sunshine.” He grabs the hem of the T-shirt she made and pulls it off over her head. She’s left standing there in a white tank top like mine with a swimsuit underneath.

He doesn’t say a word and neither does she as he strolls away with the shirt in hand. Sammy looks dazed and I can’t help but laugh.

“There anything else I can do for you?” Liam asks me with a chuckle in his voice.

“Coffee?” I suggest, wanting a moment with Sammy. He kisses the top of my head before heading off to find us some.

“You could open your own bakery!” I pull her into my arms for a hug. “No more stupid talk about having to move somewhere else to open one.”

“Yeah,” she responds, still looked shocked. “He stole my shirt,” she finally says, making me giggle.

“Let’s set this place up. We can show everyone know how good your stuff is so you’ll be crazy busy when you land Minni’s place.” I nudge her.

“It seems too good to be true,” she sighs. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself and think of it as mine before it really is.”

“You’ll get it,” I try to reassure her.

“Why is your man being all chummy with the mayor?” Sammy says, looking over my shoulder.