Page 63

“I don’t think you understand,” I say softly. “I’m not taking any job at the Crystal. My friend Nicole works at Champagne nightclub. They’re hiring wait staff right now, and they scooped me up. I’ll be okay.”

“But what about the oven situation?”

“I have an oven.”

He blinks at me. “That ancient relic in your kitchen that’s not even attached to the wall?”

“It’s reattached now,” I say stubbornly.

He shuts his eyes for a second, and I have no idea what’s going on.

“I’m sorry you can’t work at Crave anymore,” he says. “I shouldn’t have bought that bakery.”

He seems sincere.

I sigh. “Why did you, really?”

He opens his eyes, and locks onto mine again. “I told you.” His voice is low and unexpectedly warm, like silken, melted chocolate. “Because you worked there.”

I don’t even know what to say as heat coils in my gut and spreads throughout my body.

He wants to keep me close, is that it? Somewhere that’s under his control?

Somewhere he has access to me, knows where I am and what I’m doing, can even have me driven to and from?

Is that what this is all about?

He drags a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “I’m truly regretting buying that bakery.” Then he grits out, “I screwed up.”

Wow.

I can’t imagine he admitsthatvery often.

“Harlan Vance. Was that the first time you’ve ever uttered those words?”

“It might be.” He adds in a rough voice, “Don’t get used to it.”

“How can I get used to it when we’re never seeing each other again,” I deadpan.

A fraught silence stretches between us.

He’s sitting closer to me now. So close, I can feel the heat off his body. And the tension in his muscles.

How did we end up so close?

I can see every fleck of darker gray in his dark-gray irises, every slight line at the corners of his eyes. Every perfect, dark eyelash.

I can feel his warm breath on my skin.

I can smell him under his clothes; faint soap, and warm, naked male.

“It’s okay.” My voice is soft, the words choked with longing. “You probably did me a favor. I was kidding myself that I could keep working with Justin.”

His eyebrows draw together. “You don’t want to work with him anymore?”

“Why would I want to work with him?”

He stares at me as my heart pounds.