Edible Espionage (4 page)

There he stood…Gavin…looking gorgeous in the pink apron with the adorable Crazy for Cake logo smack dab in the middle.
Mmm…mmm
.
Who doesn’t love a man in pink?
She gazed at his muscular arms as he loaded desserts, exactly as she’d showed him, into a to-go box, and handed it to a lady. He wiped off the counter and then the tables. She’d mostly seen him with the cap on, but now, she could see how his thick wavy hair fell around his face. He would be a great candidate for a shampoo commercial.

Sarah could see his tanned muscles flex as he extended an arm across a painted white table to scoop the crumbs.
Man, I need to pay more attention to the men around me. He’s built.
She’d had to stretch to hug him, going up on her tiptoes to meet his lips. He stood around six foot five. One weakness Sarah could remember since puberty was tall men.

He caught her glance in the door and she ducked.
Damn.
Now she would have to go out there and say something intelligent, or he would think of her as a creeper. She stood, straightened her apron, and pushed the door toward the front room. “Just checking to make sure no one was threatening to burn down the place.” She did her best to sound light and airy, but failed even to her own ears.

“Everything is running smoothly. Need anything?”

“Nope, I’m just about to dive in.” She felt her cheeks redden so she turned to The Lab. Sarah started baking and contemplated the best way to tell Gavin the kiss really didn’t mean anything. She pictured scenarios, usually involving another kiss, while she made the shortbread cookies and biscotti.

“How ya doing?”

Gavin’s voice startled her as he walked into the kitchen carrying a brown bag. “Just finishing up actually…something wrong?”

“No. But it’s past lunch time…thought you might want some.” He walked to the same side of the counter where she stood and held up a brown deli bag.

“Thanks. I forgot.” She washed her hands.

“I do get lunch breaks, don’t I?” He set the bag on the counter.

“Yes, you do.”
This might be the opportunity.
Her stomach flipped.

“The lunch dessert rush seems to be over. If the door chimes, I’ll go back out.” He started unloading the contents of the bag.

“What’d you get us?” She pulled two plates from the shelf to her left and gathered silverware and napkins.

“Turkey and cranberry on ciabatta.”

“Yum.” She grabbed for the sandwich and started unwrapping it. “So…there is something I need to talk to you about.”

“Yeah?” He took a bite of his sandwich.

“Earlier…um…today.” She fumbled around at opening her bag of chips and summoned a deep breath.
This is embarrassing.
Her cheeks heated. “See, with Fiona being otherwise occupied this last month, I’ve had to do both jobs and am constantly running around.”

She made eye contact and spotted she’d gained his full attention. “Anyway.”
Just say it and get this conversation over with.
“I was out of line when I kissed you earlier. Especially now, being your employer and all. Sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Forgive. Puke. Did I really have to use that term? I’m going to bed early tonight.

“Huh,” Gavin uttered and bit into his sandwich as he studied her.

“So…that’s what I wanted to say.” She dug into her sandwich so she wouldn’t blabber on.

“I see.” He looked at her, his lips flattened into a straight line. “The issue I’m having is…I didn’t view the kiss as inappropriate at all. Hoping it was a job perk, actually. A kiss in the morning to start off my shift right.” He waved his hand around in a circle.

The mischievous tilt of his lips got her right in the pit of her stomach. “Ha, ha. I don’t normally go around kissing strangers, thank you very much. Let’s call it a moment of sheer delirium.” She bit into another chip, chewed slowly, and let the salt sink in.
Glad that’s over.
She swallowed and lightly chuckled.

“Oh, now you’d have to be insane to kiss me? Tsk tsk. This might be turning into a hostile work environment.” He leaned a hip against the counter and gave a slow wink.

“Man, I just can’t win today, can I?”

“Nope. Seems like you’ve lost.”

“The order is filled and I have you on board. Now maybe I should go home, crawl into bed, and not come out for two days.” She needed to change the subject from all the kiss talk before she did something she’d have to, again, apologize for.

“I’m not sure I’d survive on my own. Someone might try to burn down the bakery.”

They laughed and continued eating their lunch. Sarah chalked up his sandwich choice to dumb luck, but he’d picked up her favorite from the diner around the corner. Her comfort food filled her belly and couldn’t have been more needed. “Let me get this all packaged and out the door then I can take over the front. I don’t have any more baking for today, and I know this job was spur of the moment for you.” She crumpled her sandwich wrapper before tossing it in the trash.

“I can stick around…it’s not a big deal. I’ve actually had fun talking to the locals. Before this morning, I’ve just been eavesdropping on conversations around town, and now I’m an active participant.”

At the measure of his honesty, Sarah laughed. “Glad you are fitting right in.”

“Seriously, if you don’t have more baking to do, why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon and relax? I got the routine.” He finished the last bit of his lunch.

“Just leave you alone when you’ve only worked here for a couple of hours?”
This guy is either off his rocker or really sweet.

“Yep. This isn’t anything I can’t handle.”

“I don’t know.” She put her hands on her hips.
I can’t leave a stranger in charge. Can I? No, not just yet
.

“Thought I’d throw it out there.” He raised his hand, palms forward.

“I appreciate the offer.”

“Also...” He drew closer, his intense green eyes looking downward. “You don’t need to be sorry about the kiss.”

“I don’t?” The smell of his sweet-spiced cologne caused her chest to rise and fall faster.

“No, I don’t think so…even if you do.” His deep voice lowered.

“Oh, you misunderstood.” She tilted up her head to meet his gaze.

“I did?” His eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes. See…” She leaned in, her teasing side taking over. “I wasn’t sorry
that
I kissed you…only about the setting.”

“Setting?” His eyebrows rose.

“Employee.” She put her finger on his firm chest and resisted the urge to splay her palm over his muscles. “And employer.” She pointed to herself.

He nodded.

Sarah expected a witty return, but instead she felt a hand on her hip and his other on her cheek. Full lips pressed on hers and she blanked. Space between their bodies no longer existed. She returned the zeal, slid her arms around his lean waist, and tightened them on his back.

His lips released her, but his hands did not. He leaned back only enough to look at her, then drew closer.

She felt his breath on her ear and goose bumps trailed up her arm.

“Now…we’re even,” he whispered. Again, he took ownership of her lips.

In wonderful helplessness, she closed her eyes. She craved more. Her body screamed for more.

Then, abruptly, both his lips and hands abandoned her. He left to help the customer who made the door chime.

Damn that customer.
She wished the closed sign flashed instead.

Chapter Three: The Trio Trifecta

The next morning, Gavin found Sarah in The Lab moving between stirring mixtures, checking ovens, and reading from propped-up recipe books in quick succession.
How can she bake this early?
He shuffled his hat around and stepped quietly behind her, suddenly aware of her soft flower scent mixed with the strong aroma of cinnamon. With his arms on the counter, he boxed her in.
Let’s make this morning a little more interesting.

“Good morning,” he whispered into her ear—the same ear he’d whispered into the day before. He used every ounce of his willpower then and now not to press her against the counter. Saving grace came in the form of his task-oriented brain. Soon, this assignment would be done and he’d move on to the next job. Sarah deserved better.

She turned.

The move caused him to shift his arms, so they stood face to face, practically nose to nose. She didn’t seem fazed at all.
You are an interesting one, Sarah Zion.

“Good morning to you.” She held her position, measuring spoon in hand.

“Cinnamon rolls on the menu today?” He let his gaze roam over her face. Her creamy skin contained no flaws.
She doesn’t seem uncomfortable at all.
Normally, a person toe to toe with another would start to fidget. Personal space, no matter who you are, was a touchy matter.
What
is
her deal?

“And cider…the air’s a bit chilly out. I thought it might be a welcome addition.”

She didn’t act like she hid anything—she took what she wanted and said what she meant. He liked those characteristics. His own tendencies, however, made him leery. Maybe because the pot calling the kettle black usually didn’t end well. He had a job to do. That notwithstanding, he liked the way she smelled. His insides swirled when she smiled and relaxed into his kisses. The memory shocked him, and so did her willing response.

She didn’t back away nor even break eye contact.

Is she like this with everyone?
Gavin’s body tensed. The notion of her acting this brazen with other men touched every irritable nerve in his body. He clenched his jaw. He wanted to be the only one.
No sense in being miserable up here.
No rule book existed for the games he played. In any case, flirting wouldn’t hurt, right?

A normal person would feel guilty. A normal person would have a moral compass to tell them
this
idea only traveled down a slippery slope.
This? What this?
So he flirted, no big deal. This is what he did for a living. Sometimes the job involved seduction, sometimes weapons. Either way, he’d never failed yet.

“You must be Gavin?” a woman asked from behind him.

Cue Fiona. Smile. You have to get through her as well.
He turned to greet Fiona properly, irritated to leave the connection with Sarah’s playful blue-eyed gaze. “Yes.” He smiled and extended his hand.

“Hi. I’m Fiona. Nice to finally meet you.” Fiona looked at Sarah as she shook his hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“All good I hope?”

“Of course. Thanks for agreeing to help out. Things have been pretty hectic around here lately.”

“No problem.” He turned to Sarah and grinned. “My pleasure, actually.”

“I have some paperwork to go over. Shouldn’t take long since you are temporary, but we need it all the same.”

“No problem. Now?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure how much longer Ella will sleep. When she wakes, she starts the cycle of a newborn all over again, and I am reduced to nothing more than a feeding machine.”

The undertone of exhaustion punctuated her words. “Ella?”

“Oh, my baby girl.” She laughed and shook her head. “Yep, still weird to say.”

“I second that.” Sarah resumed stirring the batter. “Still a little weird you’re a mom.”

“I have all the paperwork in here.” Fiona disappeared into the office behind her.

Gavin followed.

“Wait.” Sarah raised her voice.

“What?” Gavin pivoted and stopped.

Fiona poked her head out of the office.

“Tell me again, how long are you in town?” Sarah gave him a direct look.

“A while. Why?” He raised an eyebrow. Had his mission been going too smoothly? His mind raced with strategies to stay on task.

“How would you like to be a part of a baking competition?”

That was easy. Wow, I’m even amazing myself right now. I bet getting her to do other things would be easy.
Skin and passion flashed in his mind.
You’re a dirty devil, Arnold.
“Me?” He made sure to look confused, adding a finger point at the middle of his chest for emphasis.

“That’s a great idea, Sar,” Fiona piped up and walked toward them.

“Yes, you.” Sarah pointed her batter-filled spoon his way. “I need a second person in the Trio Trifecta. Remember? I told you about the winning cookies. The competition’s in a couple of weeks and Fiona really can’t go. Do you want to be my assistant there?”

“How would I be assisting you?” Affecting a deep frown, he glanced between Sarah and Fiona.

“Baking,” Sarah answered.

Sarah’s stare questioned his intelligence levels. Okay, so maybe he played a little too dumb.
Dial it back, Arnold.
“Sounds like fun. I don’t know what kind of assistant I’d be, but I’ll try.”

“You’ll be fine.” She shrugged. “The only thing is it’s in Seattle and lasts for five days.”