“Okay,” she whispered, wondering if she was making a huge mistake.
Nicholas blinked. “Okay?”
She dropped her eyes. “I mean, as long as I still get to work at the bakery and you don’t try to lock me up in this room like Rapunzel or something—”
He grinned and rolled on top of her. “I don’t know, wife,” he said, notching himself between her legs. Her eyebrows lifted, feeling him hard and nudging at her sex. She gasped and grew wet at the feel of him, her legs falling open to welcome him in. He toyed with her, rubbing his shaft against her soft folds, teasing her arousal higher and higher.
He leaned down and nibbled her earlobe with his teeth. “I think I liked punishing you, baby. And I think you liked it, too. So we’ll keep that on the table. But yes, as long as you stick close by Babulya, you can work in the bakery. Just be careful and stay out of trouble.”
Sloane giggled in spite of herself. “That ship sailed the day you showed up on my doorstep.” She shook her head and wound her arms around his neck. She’d tried to keep pushing him away. She’d tried her hardest but it seemed two weeks was all she could manage.
The truth was, this man had wormed his way inside her defenses long before they’d ever left Oklahoma. Maybe she shouldn’t forgive him for what he’d done. But he wanted her as his family.
It certainly wasn’t the way she’d ever envisioned her life, but having this man here, warm and alive and in her arms, promising to be by her side…
She couldn’t continue denying how badly she’d missed him and wanted this, too. So, reckless as it may be, she kissed him hard as he stopped teasing her and plunged in deep.
She cried out in pleasure and welcomed her husband inside her.
Chapter 18
SLOANE
Two months later, Sloane was opening the bakery with another girl they’d hired on a couple weeks earlier, Veronica. A little older than Sloane, Veronica was all Sloane was not—blonde, blue-eyed, skinny to Sloane’s curves, and beautiful in a petite, breakable-looking way.
Until you got to know her. Like Babulya, her looks were deceiving. She also cursed like a sailor but much to Sloane’s amusement, the two women couldn’t stand each other.
“Thank God the old bat isn’t working today.”
Sloane rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you two like each other? Obviously she liked you enough to hire you.”
“My Honey Cake made her cry, it was so good. It had nothing to do with my personality.”
Sloane laughed at that but she could only nod. She knew she was an amateur baker and was still working to get a hang of the complicated recipes, whereas Veronica had shown up on day 1 knowing how to make the most difficult delicacies. Babulya would have been a fool not to hire her and Babulya was no fool.
“She’s just mad because my Vatrushka tastes better than hers.”
Sloane held her hands up. “I’m Switzerland on this one.” She thought both women’s cheese pies tasted freaking amazing… though if she was honest she did slightly prefer Veronica’s. Not that she’d ever admit that out loud to either woman. She valued her head, after all.
“Either way, you’re both making sure my curves become even curvier. I’ve packed on at least ten pounds since moving here.”
Veronica frowned at her over the cake she was frosting. “How did you and your man meet again? I mean, sorry, but you’re obviously not Russian and everyone around here seems to be from the neighborhood.”
Sloane’s eyes darted around, but there was no one in the shop. It was the afternoon hours before evening and the shop was closed. It should be safe to talk. Nicholas made her paranoid sometimes, with all his warnings about being careful. He was over-protective. How was she ever going to learn to relax in her new home if she monitored every single word she said? Besides, it had been so long since she’d had an actual friend her own age.
“It’s a long story, but Nicholas helped me when…” how to say this delicately, “—when I was in a tough spot. We fell in love and I came back with him. We got married here.” There. None of that was a lie and it got the basic facts across.
Veronica pursed her lips as she pulled back from the finished cake and pulled her apron off over her head. Then she paused. “But does it ever… I don’t know. Bother you? What he does?”
Sloane’s eyes shot to her friend.
Veronica lowered her voice and stepped closer. “I mean, it’s not exactly a secret. Everyone in the neighborhood knows this bakery and the club are just a front for—”
Sloane reached out and grabbed Veronica by the arm, shaking her head. Veronica’s eyebrows went up. Sloane wasn’t even sure why she did it. She didn’t know for sure that there were cameras or listening devices inside the bakery—and for more than just watching customers or in case of trouble.