My Ex's Baby (Crescent Cove 8)

Suddenly, the customer in front of me glanced up over my shoulder.

“Need anything else?” August’s voice was low in my ear.

A full body shiver was my first response. Then I lost words. His calloused finger skimmed under my shirt to stroke along my lower back. There was no way anyone could see him, but my nipples were freaking beacons to anyone who was paying attention.

“Kin?”

I swallowed. “I’m okay.” I looked up and his cheek was right by mine. The sharp tang of eucalyptus washed over me, and I barely controlled the urge to take a deep breath. It must’ve been a sealing day down in the workshop.

His lashes lowered as his gaze drifted to my mouth and then to my very annoyingly perky nipples. “I’ll see you tonight?” His voice was barely a whisper.

I

nodded.

He straightened and his touch was gone. “Mrs. Brown, I’ll bring that chandelier down for you.” He lifted the bubble-wrapped light fixture and tucked it into one of the oversized boxes I kept next to the desk.

“Thank you, August.” Cathy smiled his way before returning her attention to me.

He gave her a quick and friendly smile before he headed to the door.

Cathy handed me her credit card. “I really like your young man.”

“He’s not—”

“Even an independent woman needs a little help. He’s got a very sweet way about him.”

Until he flips me on my stomach and fucks me within an inch of my life. But sure, yeah, he’s a sweetheart.

I simply smiled. What else could I do?

Especially since the total I punched in for her order would put me well over my sales goals for the week—heck, the month. And I’d figured higher with the Spring Walk.

Ryan, Luna, and April had disappeared. Once I finally rang everyone up, I searched them out. They were in the dressing room area with a pile of shirts, jeans, and a few of the crochet dresses I’d bought from a local crafter.

April had layered the crochet dress on over a flirty black slip that made it seem more like sexy date wear than I’d considered. Maybe I should whip up a few simple tank dresses to sell near the others.

“I knew it.” Luna clapped from the floor. She was sitting on one of the bamboo beach mats. A package of trail mix stuck out of the top of her bucket bag and four cans of wine spritzers were sweating on the tray I used for my lime water pitcher.

“Are one of those for me?”

“Yes!” Luna popped up and brought me the green can. “You deserve it.”

“I don’t know about that.”

April was swishing the skirt of the dress in one of the three mirrors I had set up along the side as she munched on a pretzel. “Are you sure it’s me though?”

“It’s vacation you, which is totally separate.” Luna flitted over to her friend. “I mean, look at those miles of legs. And we know you can tan, you bitch.”

April grinned at her through the mirror. “I sure can.”

Luna gave a lusty sigh. “Takes me three weeks of daily beach time for a hint of beige and then it’s gone in three days.”

“I just burn, then maybe keep a freckle or two.” I took a sip from the bubbly wine and hummed out my pleasure then took another sip. “I need about three more of these.” Not that I would be having them, but a little was okay during practice time, according to the doctor.

“Handily, they’re from that cute little wine bar a few buildings down.”

I turned the can around. Sure enough, it said Ashes and Wine with a mix of scripty and heavy masculine fonts. “Guess I’ll have to text my order into my friends who were coming in for a photo shoot tonight.”