I closed the door behind my last customer and flipped the lock. Max’s eyes darkened at the sound, like one of Pavlov’s dogs who knew he was going to get a tasty treat. I had to admit, between the lock and the look from Max, my body tightened and I felt that delicious tingle between my legs.
Yeah, it was time to get the hell out of there.
“Okay, so I’m going to run upstairs and change real quick. I can clean up later though so just relax. I won’t be long.”
Max moved toward me, his eyes dancing and his dimple peeking out at me from beneath the slight stubble on his jaw. The rough look made him go from cute, gorgeous really, to downright sexy. His dark jeans and black t-shirt gave him a dangerous vibe, but when he smiled his slanted half-smile he threatened to melt all my clothes off.
Before I turned into a puddle, Max reached me and cupped my jaw. “I came here to help. Put me to work. I can box up these last few muffins and cupcakes, sweep up, clean counters, whatever. Besides, it’ll keep my mind off you being only a few feet away stripping down to nothing. If I just sit here I might not have the strength to stay downstairs.”
I blushed and tipped my head up to him, offering myself for a kiss. He obliged, his lips coming down on mine hard and strong. His tongue forced its way into my mouth and his hand dragged my hips hard against him where I felt his erection already firm against my belly.
Max walked us backward until I hit the edge of the unforgiving stone. Max lifted me up onto the surface and settled himself between my legs. My back bowed into him and he growled before laying me back over the counter. His body followed mine down and when our lips couldn’t stay together any longer his mouth drifted over my jaw to my collarbone. One hand ran up my thigh and the other cupped my breast. I felt his teeth through my t-shirt, pinching my nipple. I moaned and arched into him.
Then he stopped.
He moved off me, stepping across the room and away from me. I sat up, feeling dazed and confused, not knowing what the hell happened or why. Max stood glaring at me, his hands tunneling through his hair like a high speed train. He drug a hand down his face, pulling his jaw down so he looked like Munch’s painting, The Scream.
“Charlotte, I’m so sorry. I didn’t come over here for that. I wanted to show you that I’m interested in more than sex with you and I screwed it up. Shit, I’m so sorry. Please, go upstairs before I attack you again. I’ll clean up.”
I started to move toward him to tell him it was okay but he jumped back like I was going to attack him. Or maybe he was going to attack me. “Charlotte, if you get close enough that I can smell you, or touch you, or kiss you… fuck. Just go, please.”
I nodded and went upstairs. When I was in my apartment I started smiling, thinking about what he said. As hard as it was for me to believe, it seemed Max was just as into me as I was into him. I couldn’t believe it, but the proof was right there in front of me.
Stripping off my work clothes I decided to jump in the shower to wash the day off me. If Max wanted me, I wanted to make sure it was me and not my cupcakes he was after.
Clean and fresh I walked naked across the apartment to my dresser on the opposite side. Pulling open my underwear drawer I wrinkled my nose, trying to make a decision. My friends had been trying to convince me, for years, to wear thongs, but I refused. I loved pretty underwear, but I never intended to wear a thong. I’d also never had a guy who turned me on as much as Max did to dress up for. I fingered the delicate satin of the hot pink thong Lexi had given me and couldn’t deny the silky feel of the fabric made me want to feel it against my skin. I pulled it from the drawer before I could talk myself out of it and slid it up my legs, settling the scrap of satin between my legs.
It was like wearing nothing.
Which made me feel sexy.
I grabbed a bra that matched well enough then pushed the drawer closed. Max said to dress comfortable so I went for jeans, my favorite pink sweater, and brown knee high boots. I fluffed up my hair, leaving it loose around my shoulders, and applied mascara and lipgloss.
With one last look in the mirror, I grabbed my purse and jacket and headed downstairs. Max was waiting for me in the shop, eating a cupcake. He grinned sheepishly before his eyes swept the length of my body, slowly, then met my eyes. The heat and desire in his nearly made me trip, but thankfully I was close to the counter and grabbed it for support.
“You look amazing. Stunning. Fabulous,” he grinned. I thought about the last time he told me that, when I complained about being fluffy. I could tell Max remembered it too. Before I got wrapped up in Max, or my own fluffiness, I asked if he was ready to go.
Max drove us to Nicolino’s, a great little Italian restaurant in the center of Winterville. As a kid Grams would bring me to Nicolino’s for special occasions and she became friends with the owner, Carla. I hadn’t seen Carla in years and wondered if she was still there.
“Two, please,” Max said to the hostess when we walked in.
She walked us to a table near the kitchen and I couldn’t help but ask, “Is Carla here, by any chance?”
“Yes,” she beamed. “Would you like me to send her out to see you?”
“Oh, um, if she has a chance. I’m not sure she would remember me though.” I suddenly felt embarrassed by asking.
“Carla remembers everyone, and I’m sure she’ll love to see you again.”
I nodded and she turned away to seat the next set of guests. Max reached over for my hand and said, “I take it you’ve been here before.”
I looked over the familiar space and remembered. The dark burgundy walls hadn’t changed. Neither had the gray carpet, the rich wood tables and softly padded chairs. Even the art, photographs from Carla’s travels around Italy, were the same. “Yeah, my Grams used to take me here when I was little. It’s been a while since I’ve been here though.”
A waitress stopped by and took our drink orders. She told us the specials and I couldn’t shake that I’d seen her before.
“Why did you stop coming?” Max asked when the waitress left to get our drinks.
“Um, when Grams died I sort of fell apart. I had a hard time finding reasons to celebrate, or people to celebrate with.”
Max squeezed my hand and offered me a half-smile. “I’m sorry, Charlotte. She must have been someone special.”
“She was. She was everything to me. She raised me when my parents decided I wasn’t worth their time or effort, but she never made me feel badly about it. Grams just loved me. She’s the one who taught me to bake.”
Max grinned and his dimple snuck out. “Then I know she’s special. Only someone filled with lots of love could bake the way you do. When did she pass?”
I took a deep breath, not really ready to share the story. It was a first date for crying out loud, but Max wanted to know. “I was twenty. She was sick, but she never told me. I was a self-absorbed college student and she didn’t want me to give up school or my dreams to be there for her. I guess her sacrifice was in vain because I did anyway, but she tried.”
“What dream did you give up?” Max asked, seeming genuinely concerned.
“Baking. I always planned to open a bakery but when Grams died I stopped baking. I didn’t want to stay in school. I finished because I didn’t know what else to do. I got a job at a bank and hated it. Finally I decided to go back to school and take some more business classes at night. I ended up meeting Lexi there and she convinced me to move forward with Bite Me!”
“Okay, I have to ask… Where did the name come from?”
I laughed and debated telling him the truth. Usually when people asked I told them the made-up story I’d created. The story that said I really wanted a cupcake as my logo and wondered what a cupcake would say if it could talk. Somehow, telling Max that story didn’t seem like enough. I wanted him to know the truth. The truth that only Lexi knew.
“If I tell you, you’ll have to promise not to share it because Lexi is the only other one who knows the real story.”
Max rubbed his hands together and his eyes glittered in the candlelight. He looked so excited.
“Charlie! Is that really you?” I heard from behind me.
I grinned as I stood up. Carla came into my view and pulled me tight into a hug. The feel of her arms around me brought me back to when Grams was still alive. Tears sprung to my eyes and I couldn’t stop them. Christmas always made me miss her more, but hugging Carla brought back my need for Grams in a rush.
Carla pulled back and wiped the tears that were streaming down my cheeks and gushed, “Oh, sweet Charlie. Don’t cry dear. Sit, sit. How have you been?”
I furiously wiped my cheeks, trying to hide the tears I knew the whole restaurant saw. I felt insanely silly for getting so upset. I avoided Max’s gaze, not willing to see whatever look he was giving me. I was sure he thought I was crazy and was rethinking the whole night.
Carla pulled up a chair from a neighboring table and sat with us. “How have you been dear? I haven’t seen you since Elise passed.”
“I’ve been good, Carla. I’m sorry I haven’t been in. It’s been hard.”
“Of course, dear. I lost a sweet friend, two really. But I understand why you wouldn’t want to come here. Tell me, did you ever open a bakery?”
I nodded. Only Carla could make me smile about my Grams. “I did. It took a little longer than I planned, but yeah, I did. I’m actually relocating next month. I’m trying to get it all together, but I’ll end up shut down for a month.”
“You’ll come back better than ever. Are you having fun? This handsome young man sitting across from you makes me think you are.”
I blushed and risked a glance at Max. He was grinning from ear to ear at Carla. “Yes, Carla, I’m having fun.”
“Good. Where is this new shop going to be located? Close to here I hope. Maybe I can talk you into baking some cupcakes for me. I could use some of your sweetness around here. And it would keep you coming back.”
I snapped into business mode quickly, but found myself blurry with the lines in front of me. Carla wasn’t business, she was personal. I’d never had to blend the two before.
As if sensing my unease, Carla spoke again, “Charlie, don’t let it worry you. We’ll work out something that will be good for both of us. I remember how good you and Elise were at baking. You know if you ever need anything, just call me or stop by, right? I’ll do anything I can to help you.”
“Thanks Carla. That means a lot. And once I get set up in my new shop I will definitely call you about bringing some cupcakes over here.”
“Excellent. I better get back, but you two enjoy your dinner. Amy will take good care of you.”
“Amy,” I whispered. Carla’s daughter. She babysat me a few times when I was young. I couldn’t believe I didn’t recognize her right away. She was always my favorite because she let me stay up late and eat whatever I wanted.
Amy was at our table the moment Carla walked away. “I thought that was you,” she said. “It’s been a lot of years, Charlie.”
Amy hugged me and I grinned. “It’s so good to see you, Amy. How are you?”
“Great. I have two teenage boys and a wonderful husband. Mom is slowly backing off things and letting me take over which is good for her. How’s your bakery?”
“How did you know I had a bakery?”
“Charlie Black? Was there really any doubt? If I had any talent for baking it was because you taught me. I knew you’d make it.”
“Thank you, Amy. God, I really wish I’d come here after Grams died. My life would have been so different.”
Amy took my hand in hers and squeezed. “You can’t wish the past away, Charlie. Besides, it looks like you’re doing pretty well for yourself.” She glanced toward Max and he blushed under her gaze. “Charlie and I are old friends, obviously. You’ve got a wonderful woman here. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”
“Believe me, I do. And every day she’s willing to give me another chance I realize all over again just how amazing she is.”
Amy appraised him for a few minutes before turning back to me. “I like him, Charlie. You did good. Now, what can I get for you two?”
After placing our orders Amy left us alone again. I could feel Max watching me as I looked around the restaurant that was so familiar to me, yet so foreign. I was waiting for him to say something. He ordered food so I guess it was good that he hadn’t already run screaming for the door, but I still wasn’t sure how he was feeling.
“Charlotte, look at me,” he demanded softly.
After a moment’s hesitation, I forced myself to look at him. I saw acceptance and care in his eyes, no judgement and no pity. “What are you afraid of?”
The loaded question.
The ultimate question.
What did he want to know? Was he talking about at that moment or in general? Was he talking about in my business or in my personal life? Was he asking about why I kept my heart hidden or why it was on my sleeve now?
If he knew how many things I was afraid of he’d start charging me by the hour to talk about it all.
“Do you think I’m going to think differently of you because you miss your Grams? Or because you were upset? I promise you, Charlotte, nothing will make me think less of you. I would erase all your worries if I could, but it kills me to see you hurt.”
Max scooted his chair closer to mine so he was sitting right next to me. He rested his hand on my thigh and leaned into me. “I’m glad I picked this place. It was definitely kismet to come here and see another side of you.”
“I’m glad we’re here too. It’s been too long since I’ve come. I’m really happy I’m here with you.”
Max moved his hand to rest on the chair behind me as he leaned in. “Me, too,” he whispered then he kissed me.