Playing with Fire (Hometown Heat 3)

Her eyes narrow. “How did you know that?”

“I told you, I know everything.” I wink. “I had a heart to heart with Lucy yesterday when I was scoping out your Saturday schedule. She’s ready for more responsibility. Especially if the dough’s premade and all she has to do is load the pans and man the ovens. She thinks maybe you’re a bit of a control freak.”

Maddie licks syrup from her lips. “Oh, yeah?”

“But I told her that’s not true,” I say, leaning closer to her oh-so-tempting mouth. “Because I know for a fact that you have fantasies about being tied up and blindfolded by a domineering man with an impressive love-rod.”

She laughs, that low laugh as sexy as fingernails raking down my back. “You did not. The poor girl would have died. She would have blushed hard enough to set her hair on fire.”

“No, I didn’t.” I admit. “But I did tell her I’d put in a word for her, you know…the next time I saw my friend Maddie.”

“You’re a good friend,” she says.

“I am.” I kiss her, confirming that her syrup-sticky lips are every bit as delicious as they look. “Yum,” I whisper as we part.

“Cloves,” she says in a husky voice. “And possibly molasses.”

“You’re the sexiest food detective ever.” I cut her another bite and deliver it directly to her mouth.

“You’d better believe it.” She closes her lips around the fork in a slow, deliberate way that makes my thoughts turn to all the filthy things her pretty mouth was up to last night in my bed.

I blink hard and force my gaze away from her lips. If I let my thoughts head in that direction, it won’t be long before I’m sneaking Maddie down to my Mustang for a drive over to the hammock in the backyard, where I can fuck her with sunshine in her hair.

Considering she has to be back at work soon, that isn’t a good idea. Besides, I’m enjoying just hanging out with her. Our relationship has changed in dramatic ways, but she’s still as easy and fun to talk to as she’s always been.

“You’re not too bummed about missing out on the family meal, are you?” she asks, taking another sip of coffee before offering me the mug. “I know you guys love Saturday mornings.”

I shrug. “Nah, I’m good. I’ve had more than my share of brunches and, I don’t know…it didn’t feel the same this morning.”

“How so?” Her brow furrows. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I guess it’s just…”

“Just what?” she asks, her warm gaze making it feel okay to let her know this is quickly becoming about more than sex for me. Way more.

“I like having you around. A morning doesn’t feel right without you in it. I wanted you there with me.”

Her eyes widen slightly before she smiles and drops her hands. “That’s sweet.”

The words are right, but her tone is…off, and I can’t help but feel like I’ve taken a misstep.

I do my best to move the conversation back to safer ground—asking her what I should get the baby for a christening gift and if she’d be up for a trip to the old drive-in movie theater that just reopened in Happy Cat, a few towns over—but things still feel strained for some reason.

When she stands a few minutes later and makes an excuse to leave, I’m not surprised.

Bummed, but not surprised.

She kisses me good-bye and promises to see me tonight, but there’s something wrong, something that makes my chest ache and my last few bites of waffle taste like sandpaper in my mouth.

Chapter Eleven

Maddie

I pace back and forth in front of the apartment window overlooking the street with my cell to my ear, nibbling my thumb as I wait for Dawn to finish making sandwiches for her kids and get back on the line.

I know I shouldn’t leave Lucy alone downstairs in the bakery for much longer, but I need girl talk so desperately I’m willing to risk Lucy being overwhelmed by the Saturday afternoon rush in the name of gaining some peace of mind.

“Okay, I’m back,” Dawn says, sounding breathless. “The savages are fed and I’m all yours for at least the next fifteen minutes. Or until someone spills something.”

“Thanks so much,” I say. “I’d usually pester Naomi, but I can’t talk to her about this and I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.”

“Jamison troubles?” she asks.

I nod. “Yeah, I think I should end it. Like, tonight. Tell him I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. Give us both a clean break before things get too complicated.”

“But weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want to date unless it had the chance of going somewhere?” she asks, sounding as confused as I feel.

“Yes,” I say. “But that was before!”

“Before he started falling for you.”

“Or acting like he’s falling for me.” Just thinking about what Jamison said on the roof this morning is enough to make my stomach explode with anxious butterflies all over again. “I’m not sure what to believe. I mean, I’ve known him for years as a friend, but I don’t know how he acts with women he’s dating. This might be his M.O.”