When We Touch

Bucky parks the truck in front of my building, and before I can say anything, he’s out and jogging around to help me. We walk the few steps up to the front door, and I stop and face him.

“Thanks so much, Bucky. I really appreciated dinner.” I smile and hold out my hand.

“Don’t say thank you.” He bypasses it, circling around and getting between the door and me. “It was like I always dreamed it would be.”

“You… dreamed it?” I do a little frowny-smile trying not to think too much about Bucky dreaming about dating me.

“It’s awful early, don’t you think?” His leery smile turns tentative. “I sure would love to have a slice of your amazing cake.”

Another tiny alarm bell goes off in the back of my mind. “You know what?” I walk toward the truck hoping he’ll follow me away from my door. “I don’t really keep cakes for walk-in business yet. Everything I make is for hire.”

Instead of following me, he peers through the glass. “Well, what are those little things? Right there on the counter?”

“What?” Breathing through my mouth, I go to where he’s standing and look into the shop. “Oh, sweet baby Jane…” I left half of the Yellow Monster Number Four cakes under the glass in plain sight. “I’m sorry, Bucky, we can’t eat those.”

He smiles, and I’m sure he doesn’t mean it, but it creeps me out. “I bet we can have just one… we can share it! And a little coffee, too. It’ll be nice.”

My nose wrinkles. “Ahh… Tell you what. I’ll pack one up for you, and you can take it back to your place and have it with a cup of coffee before bed.”

His smile morphs into a crooked frown. “I guess. If that’s the best I can do.”

With a deep sigh, I turn the lock and lead us inside, headed straight to the case. I hear the door shut behind me, and the lock clicks. It stops me before I even uncover the dish.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Bucky’s voice has changed. I spin around, and my eyes go huge when I see the glint of lust in his. “You know, we never got to finish our dance. That damned Jackson Cane cut in on me.”

Backing up, my legs hit the counter and I stop, holding out my hand. “Bucky… I’m too tired for dancing.”

“We don’t have to do anything fancy. We can just sway like before. I liked having you in my arms.”

“No. I’m sorry. It’s too… I don’t want to lead you on.”

“You’ve just never thought of me that way, Ember Rose.” He reaches out to catch my hand. I try to pull it back, but his grip is a vise.

“Bucky,” my voice is firm. “What are you doing?”

“I want to help you Emberly.”

“Help me how?”

“My mamma said you’re lik

e caged heat. She said you’re smoldering fire burning under ice.”

A knot is in my throat. “That’s a really inappropriate thing for your mother to tell you about me!”

“Oh, she didn’t tell me. I heard her telling one of her friends on the phone.”

“Of all the—” I can’t decide if I’m furious or embarrassed. Or both. Betty Pepper! What kind of stories is that dirty old lady spreading around town about me? “That’s really inappropriate for her to say to anybody!”

“Your aura is calling to me.” Bucky’s voice is low, possibly what he considers seductive, and he steps forward, still gripping my wrist. “Don’t fight it, Emberly Rose. It’s what your body needs…”

“Gross!” My hand is behind me now, feeling around on the counter for anything I can use as a weapon, my spoonula, my cake pan, my knife…

“Mamma said you haven’t been with a man in a long time. Let me help you with that. Use me, sweet Emberly…”

Swallowing the bile in my throat, I push hard against his stomach. He doesn’t budge. Instead he starts leaning forward, eyes closed, lips extended in a pucker.

I dodge his kiss and grunt as I try to push him to the side. “No, thank you!”