I Only Have Pies for You (Pumpkin Spice Life 1)

She winked, and his lips twitched upwards into a smile. It wasn’t if your boat was rocked that counted, but how you handled the sudden storms that appeared.

Retracing his steps, he waited in the office for Rosaleen to appear.

“I assume the two of you know each other?” Ms. Smith asked with a smile.

“Yes, we’re actually really good friends,” Alaric assured her.

“We had a promise to bid on one another,” Rosaleen supplied.

“That’s sweet of you both. I’m going to assume you can make date arrangements without me then?” Ms. Smith tilted her head.

“Yes, ma’am.” Alaric smiled.

“You owe me surf and turf and an expensive bottle of white wine,” Rosaleen said.

“I’ll even pitch in dessert,” he agreed.

“We seem to keep getting off on the wrong foot today.”

“I think our past is haunting us,” Alaric admitted softly.

“Hunting is a more appropriate word.” Rosaleen sighed.

“At least now we outnumber them two to one.”

Rosaleen laughed. “Always the optimist, huh, hero?”

“I’ve never been one to let go of the things I want easily.”

“And that includes me?” she inquired softly.

“Do you really have to ask?” He stepped forward into her personal space.

Her voice lowered. “A girl likes to hear these things.”

He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her frame against his. “I never got a chance to tell you how amazing you look in this dress.” Leaning over her, he grazed her ear when he whispered, “Did you choose it for me?”

She shivered. “Yes.”

“In case there’s doubt, you are a top priority in my life.” He cupped her neck. She leaned back to look up at him, and he lowered his mouth to hers, unable to resist her full lips. Sighing into his kiss, she parted her lips, and he slipped his tongue inside, tasting champagne and fruit. Her mouth was every bit as intoxicating as the bubbly alcohol. He squeezed her left hip and tilted his head, delving deeper into her slick heat. Her hands came up to tangle in his hair.

Her nails scraped against his scalp. He moaned, and their tongues dueled. She moved closer, creating friction between them that made him twitch in his pants. Pulling away, he breathed heavily. Her whimpered protest forced him to put his desire in a headlock.

“When I take you for the first time, it won’t be in an office where we’re rushed and looking over our shoulders.” He rested his forehead against hers and massaged her neck. “Understand?”

“God. Yes.”

“Why don’t you go ahead, and I’ll follow you in a few minutes.”

Nodding her understanding, she stepped away from him and walked toward the door. Pausing, she glanced over her shoulder and smirked. “I like this look on you, hero.”

“What look is that, sugar?”

She gave him an appraising once over. “Barely contained and losing that tight grip you keep on control.”

Her words took him by surprise, and his jaw dropped. Smirking, she winked before she slipped out of the door. Sassy. He fell deeper in like as she walked away with gently swaying hips, and he closed his eyes, forcing his brain to go blank, so he didn’t embarrass himself. Rosaleen made him feel young and smitten. All the old rules and worries went out the window when they were together. Things were developing fast, but he didn’t want to slow it down. When you know, you just know. He’d heard the phrase tossed around over the years. Now he thought he might be truly understanding its meaning for the first time. Am I letting attraction blind me? No. The things he found himself most drawn to had nothing to do with looks.

Calm enough to be seen in public again, he left the room, wondering if she felt the same way.