The Sweetest Fix

Or better yet, Wednesday, before he’d overstepped and sent Reese running out of his apartment like her hair was on fire.

Was it that thought of Reese that had him imagining her in the crowd of fifty trust fund kids, pushing her way toward the register?

No.

She was actually there. Reese was in the Cookie Jar.

When their eyes locked, her step faltered and he could see it. The way she thought about turning around and walking back out. His pulse flew into a race and he knew, didn’t have a doubt that he would go after her, if she did. Seeing her face was like breathing fresh air after being trapped in a fucking mine and he couldn’t let it end so soon.

She didn’t leave, though.

Leo could only stare at her mutely as she came forward slowly, stopping in front of the counter and setting something down between them. That ease she brought with her flowed into his bloodstream, the silence seeming to pack in around them, insulating them from the surrounding crowd. The bakery might as well have been empty except for her.

“I saw the TikTok. Which is technically now on…every platform.” They traded a grimace. “I brought you cocoa powder from Paris to dull the sting of unwanted internet fame. Courtesy of my landlady, the mysterious Miss LaRue,” she said, finally, loud enough to be heard over the noise. “Leo, I’m sorry about all this.”

He liked it too much that she knew him. Well enough to know he would hate this disorder to his world, as opposed to loving the extra business and attention. “It’s not your fault, Reese.”

A smile ghosted across her lips and instantly, he was in physical pain that he couldn’t kiss her. “It is a little my fault.”

“Fine,” he said gruffly. “A little.”

Without breaking eye contact, she nudged the bag toward him. “Mea culpa.”

Leo picked up the sack, pretending to examine it, even though he could think of nothing but how pretty she looked. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I knew you’d appreciate it.”

“I do,” he said, meaning it.

Reese rolled her lips inward, glancing around the shop. “Do you want to maybe…talk in the back?”

Maybe he should have double-checked to make sure Tad and Jackie had everything covered, but not a split second passed before he answered. “Yes.”

Some kid bounded up to the glass. “Mean Baker, can I get a self—”

“Nope.” He lifted the hatch for a giggling Reese and she ducked under. A minute later, they were in the back, the excessive noise muffled by the swinging door. For a moment, all he could do was look at her. “I can hang up your coat.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Watching her flick open the purple buttons one by one, her graceful fingers seemed to move in slow motion, causing his tongue to grow thick in his mouth. She parted the wool and shrugged it off, her breasts jiggling left to right inside her tight, white V-neck sweater. Jesus, he could actually hear himself swallow, his body recalling the erotic sensation of her hips whipping back and forth on his lap, her mouth open in a throaty moan.

Was she staring at his mouth or was that wishful thinking?

“Um…” Her cheeks were the color of cotton candy. “I’m not just sorry about the extra work. I’m sorry about not answering your texts. The way I ran out the other day…”

“I pushed it. That’s on me.”

“No.” She shook her head. “No, asking to come see me dance was totally normal. Sweet, actually. I’m the one who acted weird.” She looked like she wanted to say more, so he waited. Watched her pace around his workspace, hands tucking and untucking themselves into the pockets of her skirt. “I guess I feel some pressure, you know? To make the most of this opportunity to dance.”

“Is the pressure coming from you?”

“Mostly. Yes. Investing all this time in something and not seeing it through. I guess that kind of scares me. I don’t want to have regrets. I don’t want my mom…to have them, either. Not that she would even allow herself to have them. Out loud. She’s such a good mom. A friend, too. But…” The light sheen in Reese’s eyes gave him the overwhelming urge to hold her. “When my father left, she rebuilt her whole life around this thing I love. I don’t want her to feel like she wasted her time. I want her to say…it was worth every second.”

“Reese…” It took his full effort to remain where he was standing. “You are making every second count. No one could say you’re not seizing the opportunity.”

She looked down at her feet. “There’s always someone better. I’m just…I can barely keep up. That’s the truth.” She wet her lips, lifted her eyes to him. “I just want to make sure I’m giving it everything, you know? It’s a constant push just to be decent.”