Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

She lifted her chin. “So were you,” she snapped, and his gaze met hers again. She could dish his flirting right back at him, because if there was one thing that was never going to happen, it was them.

Sex was one thing. An accidental lapse in judgment was excusable. But it was over.

“You think the floral shop offers nothing? That’s where you’re wrong. There’s more to Baughman Home Goods than just the warehouse.”

“Nothing profitable. Which is why they’re separate.”

That made her seethe. She’d show this smug man a thing or two, starting with restoring the flower department to its role as a major player in the business.

“I disagree.”

Jake ran his free hand over his neck. “There’s nothing there. It’s our office now and has literally brought in zero money for the last several years. Zero flowers. Zero.”

“I know how to count to zero,” she said in a sharp tone. “But you have to spend money to make money, and the flower shop will bring profit once it gets going in the right direction.”

“I hate to break it to you, but you really are living in fantasyland.”

“My fantasies are all grounded and obtainable, I assure you,” she said, defending her genius idea that she wasn’t going to waste her breath telling him about.

He just rested his wrist on the door frame and leaned in close enough so she could smell the fabric softener from his bedsheets faintly wafting from his warm skin. The man smelled like a Saturday morning she could get wrapped around.

“All of my fantasies are grounded and obtainable, too.” He openly looked her from lips to eyes and smiled. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“And hard work,” she stuttered, though she had a feeling they weren’t talking about the same thing anymore.

“Oh, I’m willing to put in the work for the reward,” he said, and that time his gaze paused extra long on her mouth, and yep, she knew they weren’t talking about the business anymore.

“Again, I don’t even like you,” she said.

“Is that why you jammed your tongue down my throat last night?”

“That has nothing to do with liking you.”

“All right. Then can you not like me all over again? I promise I’ll not like you right back. Hard and slow and—”

“Is there a reason you sound so smug?” she asked. Hating that she had, but Jacob tended to bring out her sassy side, which normally she had no problem hiding. Until she’d accidentally had sex with him against his truck last night. Whoops. Now she had to be on high alert about everything she said, every move she made. Because both would be aimed at him if she wasn’t careful.

“I just thought it was fair to talk about my fantasies since we talked about yours,” he teased and stretched on purpose, running a palm over his hard stomach. “Just feeling good this morning. Had a good night, after all.”

“Really? Because from my point of view it was a big problem.”

“Two things.” He held up his hands and counted them off. “One, I’m glad you noticed I’m big.” He winked, and she rolled her eyes. “Second, I’m a problem solver, Miss Baughman.”

That made her blush, and she instantly thought of last night. Yes, they’d had sex, but if his mind was anything like hers, all she thought about was reliving that moment. She’d even considered touching herself to ease the ache of withdrawal from him. Had he made himself come last night? Thinking of her? Why did the just the idea make her hot and—

“Jake?” a female voice called from inside.

Laura’s eyes shot wide. He had a woman over? This early in the morning? He was half-naked and . . .

Oh hell no.

“Be right there,” he called casually over his shoulder.

Fire raced through her veins. Had he seriously had sex with her last night and then still found time to get another woman to his house? She was learning quickly that Jake did mean what he said. And clearly, he’d taken another woman home last night. He had clearly changed so much since she’d k

nown him ten years ago. How could she be so naive?

“Problem solver indeed,” she said between gritted teeth and turned on her heel to walk away.