Page 17 of Cupcake of the Month (Just Add Peaches #2)

What a strange sensation, to feel safe, protected. It wasn’t like Josh could do anything about her problems. But it felt right to be this close to him again, to be touching him.

Kissing him.

His gaze dropped to her lips and he inhaled a deep breath.

Aw, hell. What was one morning almost a decade ago in light of how she felt right now?

The ache in her stomach lurched in opposition to her lingering desire, her brain demanding to have a say in the matter.

Stupid brain. She shifted away from the contact and Josh released her hand.

“What’s happening with your business now?” Josh asked.

“I’m finishing up work for my current clients and my assistant Mark is letting me know when someone calls about hiring us, but I can’t take any new jobs. Not until this is settled and I can give my clients my complete attention.”

“There’s more.” He moved back to the stove and continued prepping breakfast service. “What is it?”

“Wendy and Brandi know most of it, but not...” she trailed off.

“Not how bad it really is,” he finished for her. He wiped his hands on a towel and returned to her side. His face was a mixture of knowledge and compassion and it made her insides weak. “You guys are tight, Jordan. You know you can tell them both anything.”

“What would be the point? There’s nothing they can do. There’s nothing anyone can do. There’s nothing I can do but wait.”

“And yet, clients are still calling. And someone offered you a job.”

The oven timer chimed, but neither of them moved. Yearning burned inside her, but she had to lower her eyes and break his hold over her. Her future was such an uncertain road. She shouldn’t drag her past along for the ride.

Silently, he rose from her side and turned off the timer. With swift, sure movements, he picked up the sauce pan and swirled its contents.

She pushed her glasses back up her nose, watching Josh’s back muscles move and flex under his tight shirt. Her body hummed one hundred percent approval, but her mind took a step back to analyze the big picture.

This Josh now, the relaxed, commanding one, was who she had fallen for all those years ago. She braced herself as a whisper of unease stole through her. How long would this last before he turned into silent, sullen Josh again? And who knew who graced his bed on a regular basis?

It wasn’t going to be her.

When he finished at the stove, he held out a plate of eggs and a piece of toast liberally spread with peach preserves. A spring of rosemary decorated the rim and released its earthy scent. “Eat.”

She guessed they were done talking. At least for now. A loaf of bread lay on the counter next to a container of sour cream. The sizzle of something frying coming from the cast iron skillet filled the kitchen along with the unmistakable smell of butter.

“You didn’t have to hold up your work to make me food.”

He put the plate on the island in front of her, then picked up her hand and shoved the fork in it. “Eat.”

She stabbed the egg and put a bite in her mouth. He must have infused them with a cloud, because they were the lightest she’d ever had. “Wow. These are phenomenal.”

Josh went back to the stove and picked up a slice of bread. “What’s the job?”

“I haven’t studied the potential yet, but I’d be transitioning what I already do to a new environment.

Instead of helping a company break down its real and perceived strengths and weaknesses to build a better work force, I’d be interviewing different groups of people and finding out what they think about issues facing the district. ”

“For Congresswoman McGraw.”

How much did he notice behind the tray and tuxedo at those parties? “Yes.”

He nodded. “I like her. Voted for her.”

“She’s definitely a force. I hadn’t planned on saying yes, but she’s very convincing.”

A wave of motion caught her eye at the skillet. Josh had flipped the French toast in the air and caught it back in the pan. “So what’s holding you back?”

She blinked back the sudden tears that threatened behind her eyes. “What if I really did mess up? What if everyone lost their jobs because of something I did?”

Josh put the finished French toast in the oven and crossed over to Jordan. He put his hands on her shoulders.

“You didn’t.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because you don’t mess up, Jay. How many CEOs and presidents, directors and managers were pleased by your work? How many companies did you helped make stronger and more successful since you opened your doors?”

Jordan shrugged. “Enough.”

“So this one bad apple...?”

“One bad apple can ruin the barrel. Especially when the badness lurks under the surface of its perfect red skin and you end up spitting it out in front of a cameraman filming you for the evening news.”

He gave a low chuckle. “If you let it. Or you can chuck it back and get yourself a new and improved piece of apple.”

“You don’t think I’ve told myself the same thing?”

“Stop telling. Do.”

It was scary how easily she fell back into the pattern of confiding in him what she couldn’t tell her friends. She’d always maintained her composure when others were watching, like tagging out a power hitter at first or avoiding reporters.

And why was that? She studied him with a full-on stare, taking in his mouth, his shoulders, the rawness in his eyes.

He returned her look without blinking, without withdrawing from her, without hiding. Letting her see all of him.

And her heart stirred again, a subtle increase in rhythm that pulsed through her blood. Oy vey . She shifted her plate to the side and stood up, leaning over the island.

He mirrored her actions, pausing before making contact. She pushed through the final quarter inch between them and captured his mouth.

Delicious heat swept through her and she grabbed the edge of the island to stop her trembling at the unexpected wildness in the kiss.

She wanted to grab his hard body and devour him piece by piece, until the tempest within her settled into oblivion.

But she couldn’t stop the itch in her brain that wondered at his angle.

Why he was interested in her now, when he had tossed her aside eight years ago?

She put a hand on his chest. He broke off the kiss, but returned for round two. This time it was a soft brush of his lips on her forehead and a gentle caress of his hand on her neck.

He huffed out a quick breath, his mouth quirking in a self- assured grin that she hadn’t seen since The Night Before. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. He’d laid everything between them on the table with that one kiss.

“When are you going to call Mrs. McGraw?”

She fiddled with her fork. “I want to talk to the girls first.”

“Don’t wait, Jordan.” Josh studied her over his shoulder, the desire in his eyes shadowed by their intensity. “Don’t come up with excuses. You’ll miss out on something real and wonderful, and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”