Tough Cookies (New Year New Me 1)

Win laughs. “You’d be the only one who thinks so.”

“It’s always nice to be the first at something, I suppose.”

I want to shove Win away from the table and block him from her view.

“Are we going to take the pictures or what? She has to get back to work.”

Matilda blinks up at me. “I have time.”

“No.” The words are harsher than I intended. “I know this is extra from what we agreed to originally. I’ll clean up, and you can head over to the Valentine’s Day area they have set up with the Gem pan.” I busy myself gathering our garbage, ignoring the startled look Win shoots me. I can feel Matilda’s annoyance like a physical presence. Every step I take forward with her is countered by two or more steps back.

MATILDA’S FRONT DOOR swings open. “I’m going to wring your not so scrawny neck.”

“Hi?”

“Have you seen this?” She slaps a piece of paper at my chest.

“Hands are a bit full here, Tilly.”

She pauses. “What did you call me?”

“Tilly?”

“Humph.”

I step inside, and she stands beside me, an angry fire ready to burn me up with her rage. After setting my things on the rug, I remove my coat and shoes before taking my cooking supplies into her kitchen. I put the bags on the kitchen counter and turn to her. “Okay.”

She slaps the paper in my hand.

“Are there more than cookies baking in the kitchen between the Cookie King and Cookie Queen in training? Sources say yes.” Photos of us embracing in the coffee shop follow in the article.

“Why did we take pictures there?”

“Because it’s cute.”

“No. It’s misleading.” She taps the papers with her pointer finger.

“Is it that bad?” I set the paper down on the counter and step closer, boxing her in with my body.

“What?” Her voice wavers.

“To be romantically linked with me?” I stand so close I can feel the heat of her body.

“But I’m not.” She grips the counter behind her.

“Did you want to be?”

“Anders?” she whispers.

I grip her hips and pull her body to mine. She molds against me like she’s meant to be there. “Because it’s crossed my mind so many times.”

“I ... We shouldn’t.”

“No?” I bend down and let my lips hover above hers. Her breath caresses me. I don’t know who moves first, but our lips are meeting. A jolt of lightning streaks through me, and I canter my head, needing more. My tongue caresses her lips. She parts them, and I dip my tongue deep, tasting her. Sweet, hot, and irresistible. My heart threatens to burst through my ribs, and the blood rushing straight down has my cock straining against the zipper of my jeans. I’m slowly catching fire for this woman.

Her fingers caress the hair at the nape of my neck, and I groan as she leaves streaks of fire in her wake. Her tongue slicks against mine. I lift her onto the counter. She winds her legs around my hips. Our teeth clash as we drink deeper of each other. We’ve unleashed the secrets from Pandora’s Box, and I’m going to make sure it’s worthwhile. Her nails rake against my scalp, and my hips surge forward. Her shoulders knock into the cabinet.

Plink. Plink. Plink. I’m pelted by ... macaroni? An avalanche of dry noodles falls into her lap, on the floor, and me. Defeated, I slap my hand on the cabinet door, closing it, and she slumps back. Her lower lip quivers, and she bursts into laughter. I join her.