Joon leaned against the kitchen door and admired Sky as she kneaded flour dough for the stuffed jacks with the heel of her hand. A tendril of brown hair unfurled from her bun and flopped in front of her forehead. She pulled in her bottom lip, a sign he’d learned meant she was completely focused.
He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of her.
Sky remained oblivious.
He stepped closer, taking hundreds of shots until Sky looked up and noticed him standing there. Her eyes widened, dazzling with a mixture of surprise and pleasure. Joon’s heart stirred and softened all at the same time.
To say Sky had changed him was an understatement. When he looked into the mirror, he didn’t recognize the sloppy-grinned, lovesick fool staring back at him.
Tyler had crossed a line, but he could understand why the man had stabbed him in the back for Hanna. Joon would probably do worse if Sky needed his help.
“Morning,” she said with a smile.
He lowered his phone and slanted her a scolding look. “Did you mess with my alarm?”
“Maybe…” She drew out the word and dropped her gaze.
“Sky—”
“You were working on the laptop until late last night. I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
“You’ve got too many orders to try and juggle it all by yourself. Even if I’m only good for cutting vegetables, it’s something. You need all the help you can get.”
She slapped her flour-dusted hands against her apron and flashed her big brown eyes on him. Joon’s heart twisted into knots when he saw the sadness in her gaze.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He groaned. “Sky, don’t be upset.”
“I’m not upset.” She stepped back before he could draw her into his arms.
Joon struggled with the right words, words that wouldn’t pierce Sky’s sensitive spirit. “I’m not trying to scold you. I appreciate the fact that you wanted me to sleep, but I’m still an employee of Sweet Treats. Just because we’re dating now doesn’t mean I can slack off.”
“Maybe you can separate your feelings from work, but I can’t.” Sky folded her arms over her chest.
“Who said I could separate my feelings?” Joon’s lips quirked. “I didn’t say that.”
Sky closed her eyes. “Don’t smile at me. We’re having our first fight here and I can’t lose.”
“Come here.” He wrapped his fingers around her wrists and tugged her to him.
Sky resisted. “I’m separating our love life and our professional life. No fooling around on the job. That’s what you promised.”
Joon was stronger than her and successfully yanked her forward. Sky tumbled into his chest. Joon quickly scooped her up and set her on a clean surface of the counter, caging her in with a hand on either side of her legs.
Sky curled back but she couldn’t go far thanks to the metal bar where she hung her pots and pans. Joon invaded her personal space, locking his gaze on her, breathing in her air. The dimple in her cheek flashed, thick eyelashes fluttered.
“I’m busy, Joon.”
“I have some news.” Joon felt when Sky stiffened. He set his hand on her upper thigh, calming her down. “Good news.”
She tilted her head. “What is it?”
“Remember when I went to the bank yesterday?”
She nodded, her short ponytail bouncing.
Joon smiled. “To pay back for the damages done to Sweet Treats, Tyler generously decided to cancel your mortgage.”
Her jaw dropped. “What? You mean…?”
“You don’t have to worry about that bill anymore.”
She threw her hands up and let her palms land against his cheeks. “Joon, that’s incredible.” Sky leaned forward to kiss him and then paused. Joon’s lips withered in disappointment. “Wait,” she said. “Why would the bank call you and not me? It’s my mortgage.”
He froze.
Busted.
Sky dropped her hands and leveled him a scolding look. “Joon.”
“Okay.” He backed off. “So I might have been involved to some degree…”
“Did you blackmail Tyler to get that money?”
“Me? I would never—”
“Joon Gi!” she screeched.
He straightened. “Tyler may not have come up with that idea on his own and maybe I was a little… aggressive—”
“Aggressive? Wow. Is that what you call it?”
“—but he’s not getting punished by the law for what he did to you. He might as well pay for the damages.”
Joon held his breath, waiting to see if Sky would skin him alive for the morally grey decision.
At last, she relaxed her tense shoulders. “Alright.”
“Alright?” Joon took a tentative step back into her orbit.
“Yes.” She threw her arms around his neck and bobbed her head. He leaned in to kiss her, but Sky pulled away, shrewd eyes narrowing. “I’m warning you, Mr. Kim. If you ever blackmail anyone again—even if it’s justified—I’ll…”
He leaned close to her. “What?”
Her gaze landed on his and darkened with desire. “Give me a minute, I’ll think of something.”
Joon didn’t give her that minute. He brushed his mouth against hers, thrusting his knee into the cupboards between her open legs. Sky’s lips were soft, plump. Kissing her, no—every moment he spent with her was a dream. One he didn’t want to wake up from him.
The fervor of their embrace intensified and he kept his hand on the back of her hair so the pressure of his kiss didn’t push her head into the metal grids behind them. Sky twined her fingers into his shirt and he swept his free hand around her waist to pull her to him.
The oven wasn’t even on yet, but things were definitely heating up in the Sweet Treats kitchen.
Joon Gi pulled back before they both combusted and playfully nipped at her bottom lip. “You’re killing me, Sky.”
“Me?” She pecked his face with her lips—his cheeks, his nose, his jaw, her voice muffled. “What did I do?”
Joon Gi took a breath and wrenched away from her to keep from engaging in something that would sully her kitchen.
Sky grinned mischievously as if sensing his battle for restraint. She hopped off the counter and sashayed past him, grabbing his phone on the way. As he was currently trying not to jump her, Joon Gi didn’t have time to react.
Sky went through his gallery. “Why’d you take all these pictures of me?”
“Uh…” He ran a hand through his hair and painstakingly shifted back to work mode. “It’s for your social media page. Well, not yours. The bakery’s.”
“The bakery?” Her eyebrows slanted.
“Nowadays, people spend more time online and on their devices than anywhere else. Your baking skills are top notch and so is the location of the store. What Sweet Treat lacks is visibility. If we get more eyeballs on the ads, we get more customers.”
“I’ve always wanted to do ads and social media properly, but I’ve never had the money or the time.”
“It costs nothing to set up a few online profiles. We can set aside ten minutes everyday to add content to the page. Plus, we can sponsor a few local social media influencers to put a plug about the bakery on their site. It’s not as daunting as it seems.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She grinned, her smile taking his breath away. “I love it.”
“I’m glad.”
Sky turned away to get back to her fried jacks. He observed her quietly. Joon had promised not to keep secrets, but there was one thing he’d kept to himself.
Yesterday, he hadn’t just gone to the bank to deposit Tyler’s money. He’d gone to do an interview for a small business loan. As much as he enjoyed spending time with Sky, Joon didn’t plan on being her employee forever.
Things were going so well, and he didn’t want to disappoint her with the news. Besides, there was a slim chance he’d get approved.
For now, he’d focus on making Sweet Treats the most popular bakery in all of Belize City. Social media was the first and most important step. Next he’d work on branding, putting Sweet Treats’ logos all over the napkins, paper bags and coffee cups so they’d do the advertising legwork for him.
Joon had a million other ideas. Even without spending a dime on traditional advertising, he planned on seeing Sweet Treats rise.
And then, he’d focus on his own store.
A tap on the side door grabbed his attention.
Sky glanced down at her watch. “Jo must be early.”
“I’ll go.” He held a hand out to keep her in place. “You stay here and finish up.”
“Thanks.” She sent him a sweet smile before returning to the counter and the fried jack dough.
Joon strode to the door, expecting to see Joana’s curly brown hair and exotic eyes peering at him through the mesh. Instead, he found a chubby kid in a vest and jersey shorts.
Assuming he was a beggar, Joon Gi frowned and turned around. “Sorry. The store isn’t open.”
“Hey, mister. Wait. Can I please—?”
“Sir, there’s a shelter a few blocks over. You should check with them if you’re hungry.”
“No, you’ve got it wrong. I’m Sky’s cousin, Phillip. Can I speak to her please?”
“What?”
The boy flung himself against the door. “I’m not homeless.”
Joon flushed with embarrassment and quickly let him in. “Sorry about that.”
“No prob, man.” Phillip puffed out his chest so his already sizeable stomach expanded.
Footsteps approached a moment later, Sky appeared. “Phillip? What are you doing here?” She cut Joon a quick look before hissing, “It’s not a good time.”
“I’m not here to beg for money,” Phillip said. “I swear. I’m just here for breakfast.”
Joon looked at the young man. Dark brown skin. Huge eyes. Plump lips. He could smell the laziness on him and—from their brief conversation—Joon deduced that Sky had catered to Phillip’s bad habits before.
But there was a new guy in town and he’d made it his mission to keep Sky from being bamboozled by anyone else.
Joon folded his arms over his chest. “You came for breakfast?”
“Yeah.” Phillip shot him a strange look. “Who are you?”
“He’s…” Sky opened her mouth. Shut it. Sent him a worried gaze. “We’re… I mean, this is…”
Joon held out a hand. “I’m your cousin’s boyfriend. Joon Gi Kim.”
Phillip’s jaw dropped. He ignored Joon Gi’s handshake and leaned forward to whisper, “Cuz, he’s Asian.”
“Yup.” Sky squirmed.
“Okay then.” Phillip shrugged. “Everyone has their own thing, I guess.”
Joon narrowed his eyes, unsure of what that meant.
“Phillip, be nice. I’m going to finish up the stuffed jacks.”
Sky left them in the room alone.
Phillip sent him a skittish look. “So you like my cousin?”
“Yes, I do. Very much.”
“Why?”
“Why?” Joon cocked his head. “Because she’s a good person and I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“I see.” Phillip nodded.
“My turn.” Joon lifted his chin and jutted it toward the young man. “What do you do for a living?”
Phillip tugged on his ear. “This and that.”
“How often do you eat breakfast at Sky’s?”
“Whenever I can.” He twined his fingers together. “We’re very close.”
“How much money have you borrowed from her?”
“I’ve—” Phillip froze. “Hey! How’s that any of your business?”
Joon walked over and bent down at the waist to get on Phillip’s eyelevel. “I think you and I should have a talk.”
Ten minutes later, Joon and Phillip walked into the kitchen.
Sky turned around, her gaze darting between them. “What’s going on?”
“Phillip just had a wonderful idea.” Joon glanced down at the boy.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Phillip mumbled. Joon tapped him on the back. The kid jumped in fear and blurted, “Sky, it was very irresponsible of me to take advantage of your kindness and keep borrowing money without paying you back.”
The pastry fork in Sky’s hands clattered to the ground.
Joon pulled his lips in to keep from chuckling and simply stood close by Phillip’s side to encourage him along.
“I want to help out in order to pay back my debts so I’ve decided…” Phillp shot Joon a quick look. “I mean, I can do some deliveries in the morning. If you want.”
“Deliveries?”
Joon spoke up then. “He can act as an errand boy for a few hours in the morning. I thought it was a good idea. What do you think, babe?”
“Me?” Sky blinked rapidly. “That’s amazing. I would love that, Phillip. Thank you.”
“Whatever.” Phillip grabbed a hot fried jack and went to sulk in the corner.
Sky glided closer to Joon and whispered. “What was that about?”
“I have no idea.”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “You threatened him, didn’t you?”
“I just helped Phillip mature a little.” He put his hand on her shoulder and steered her around, marching her back to the stove. Before releasing her, Joon dropped a kiss on her cheek. “All I want to do is make you happy.”
Sky sighed. “I am.”
Joon settled his head tenderly against hers. If Sky was happy, then so was he.