Aiden didn’t know if it was the dare from Rafe or the fact that the guys wouldn’t shut their damn mouths about her food, but he’d booked Lily’s services within the week. Now they sat side-by-side on his couch, going through her forms, talking about his schedule, his workout routine, and the recommendations for his diet made by his team doctor.
And, it was all he could do to focus on any of that.
She smelled freaking phenomenal. Like cinnamon and buttered sugar, and something he’d like to sink his teeth into. Aiden shifted on the couch, making sure his raging erection wasn’t blatantly obvious through his jeans.
“Last question,” she said, smiling up at him. She was all business, seeming utterly unaffected by him. “Any allergies to food that I need to know about?”
Damn, he was distracted. His allergy to shellfish had been drilled into him from a young age. He never forgot about it. Forgetting it could mean his life.
“Shellfish,” he said, sitting up and refocusing.
“Got it,” she said and whipped a roll of stickers out of the small organizer bag that sat by her feet. He watched as she stuck a shellfish allergy label on each sheet of his form on the top and the bottom. No way those stickers could be missed.
“I’m impressed,” he said. “You seem to be really on top of everything.”
She grinned. “I love doing this. Getting everything exactly right for each client. It’s fun. I have to thank you, by the way. I have so many baseball players for clients, I’m able to devote two whole days to cooking just for you guys. You actually don’t have higher calorie needs than most people because you’re not in constant motion in your sport like some athletes, but you do have slightly different protein, fat, and carbohydrate balance requirements. I’ve also suggested some custom supplements for some of the guys, so if that’s something you’re interested in, we can work with your team doctor to come up with the right plan and tweak as we go along.”
She stopped and blushed. “I’m babbling. Anyway, thank you. For everything you’ve done.”
He watched her, the softness in her eyes drawing him in. “You were able to quit the club?” He knew the answer to that. He’d gone in for a few nights after his friends had hired her, and there wasn’t a sign of her on any of those evenings.
“Yes.” She nodded and the blush grew. “With the big chunk of new clients at once, I was able to get all caught up on my loan payments, and if things continue this way, I’ll be just fine. My business will make it.”
She glowed as she smiled at him, and all he could do was stare at her. His fingers itched to reach out and touch her, to brush that soft skin, to feel those lips, see if they were really as plump and soft as he imagined. To taste them, nip at them and see if she moaned in response.
Oh, hell.
Holy hotness, Batman. Lily thought it was her imagination for a minute, but there was no mistaking this—Aiden Kyle was thinking dirty thoughts. And, oh shoot, so was she. She blinked, slowly.
She could not go there with this man.
For a number of reasons. Not the least of which was the fact that the man had single handedly saved her business. If she screwed this up by acting unprofessionally, she could lose everything she’d worked so hard to build. Then, of course, there was the fact that she wasn’t baseball-player-girlfriend material. No, she was more like the tortoise and he was the hare in this story. He lived a life she couldn’t imagine. He had his pick of any woman he wanted. He had money and fancy shiny toys like the Corvette sitting in his driveway. He was so far off her pace it was laughable.
“Here,” Lily said, probably a bit too loudly, a bit too suddenly. She reached for the cooler bag at her feet, unzipping it, and pulling out the glass containers. “I have some samples to get you started. These are cookies. They have a great deal of protein and fiber, and are the perfect snack for before a workout when your body will need an extra boost in a small package.”
Aiden didn’t break eye contact as the corners of his mouth tipped and he took the container. “I’ve heard a lot about theses cookies. The guys rave about them.”
She grinned. “They’re my secret weapons. They have shredded carrots and pecans, but you won’t even know you’re eating something that’s good for you. I promise.”
She pulled another set of containers out and handed them over. “These ones are lunch-sized portions of a few things for you to try. I’ll drop off three days' worth of meals at a time from now on. Leave the empty containers on the counter, and I’ll take them to refill. No need to wash them. Just leave them with the tops off. I’ll gather them, clean, sanitize and refill.”
She was babbling again. They had already gone over this, as well as the alarm and key instructions so she could access his home if he wasn’t there. She had his schedule; she’d given him the drop off routine. They were finished.
Yet, here she sat, repeating everything again.
He smiled at her now, a full on melt your panties kind of smile that said he knew exactly how nervous she was.
She stood. Abruptly. He joined her.
“Well,” she said and stuck her hand out to shake his. And, then she didn’t know what to say.
He smiled down at her hand, taking it carefully in his much larger one, as though afraid he’d break her.
Lily retrieved her hand, a little disturbed at the way the warmth of the handshake seemed to seep into her, shaking her to the core. He still smiled at her, that knowing, confident smile that told her he knew exactly how flustered she was. And, he was not.
She backed up to the door. He was not the least bit flustered as that smile remained on his lips. Oh, those lips. What she wouldn’t do to have a free pass to those lips for a day. Or a night. Or five minutes. Lily felt behind her for the doorknob.
“So,” she said, still lost. Goodbye. Goodbye is the word you’re looking for.
“Goodbye, Lily,” he said.
“Bye,” she squeaked.
Good grief.