Say You're Mine (Shillings Agency 5)

Lydia relaxed. “Good. That would make what’s about to happen really awkward.”

“Why?” Lauren blinked. “What’s about to happen?”

“You know how last time you broke up with one of those jerks you date, and you were drinking, and you begged me not to let you pick another jerk?” Lydia swirled her straw in her soda. “And then you went and found another loser the next day?”

AKA Brian. Lauren stiffened. “Yeah…”

“Well, surprise.” Lydia grinned. “You’re single again, so I set you up on a blind date with a non-jerk before you could manage to find another one. And he’s here. Now.”

“Wait. What?” Lauren shook her head so fast the world blurred. “No.”

“Don’t worry. He’s great. Wait till you meet him.” Lydia grinned mischievously. “Mark! Over here!”

“Don’t do that,” Lauren hissed, her cheeks going red-hot and her heart beating at a panicked pace. “Don’t call him over here. I didn’t agree to a freaking blind—”

“Glad you made it,” Lydia said, her voice way too cheerful.

A man’s shadow fell over them, and Lauren squeezed her eyes shut, unable to believe her luck. Why, of all nights, did Lydia have to pick tonight to follow through on that promise made over two months ago? It’s not like she could announce she was currently sleeping with Steven, and therefore kind of, sort of, out of the dating pool. Ugh.

“Thanks for the invitation, Lydia.” He paused. “And you must be Lauren?”

Forcing a smile, she turned to the man. “Nice to meet you, M—”

Lauren cut off. Mark was the hottest man she’d ever seen—besides Steven, anyway. He had light blond hair, dark brown eyes, and a body that had to have been sculpted from the gods. He wore a loose gray shirt, but nothing hid the muscles that screamed out to be noticed.

Steven was going to flip.

He grinned. Good God, he was even hotter when he did that. “Mark.”

“Right,” Lauren said quickly. “Uh, Mark.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I work at the Shillings Agency, and just moved here from California.”

So he worked with Steven. Even better.

“Crap,” she blurted out, still distracted by his dazzling smile. When he looked confused, she forced a smile. She needed to lose this guy before Steven showed up. She had no idea where they stood, or what they were doing, but if he caught her talking to this guy—on a freaking date—he would understandably be upset. “Uh, I mean, cool. I bake things. In my bakery. That I own.”

He laughed. “I like baked things. Where is this—?”

“It’s on Chestnut, next to the bank,” Steven said from somewhere behind her.

Of course he did. Of freaking course.

“Steven.” She forced a smile, her heart racing. “Hi.”

“What’s up, cupcake?”

“Nothing,” she squeaked.

He came up beside her, his gaze running down her body with a primitive possession burning in its depths before turning to Mark. “Lauren makes the best treats you’ll ever taste. You should check it out sometime. I could take you after work, if you’d like.”

“That would be great,” Mark said, nodding.

Lauren blinked at Steven. He didn’t seem jealous. Maybe she’d been putting way too much thought behind what he may or may not feel for her. And that bothered her more than it should have. “Thanks.”

“She hand mixes everything to give it that homemade taste,” Steven said, clapping Mark on the back. “Gives everything she touches one hundred percent of her attention. Isn’t that right, Lauren?”

Lauren swallowed. “Uh…”