“I don’t remember you saying anything about friends.”
She opened her mouth.
“And neither did the neighbors across the street sitting on their front lanai.”
She covered her face with her hands. “Oh, God.”
“Or my father, who heard through the open window. Not to mention Evan who saw what you did to me in the parking lot of Dupree’s.”
Embarrassment shifted through her. That temper would be the death of her someday. She lowered her hands, but before she could apologize there was a knock at the door. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mrs. Blakenship who had ordered the cake.
“I have to give her the cake.”
“No problem. I’m good at waiting. Take care of her, then we’ll talk.”
She nodded and hurried to help the customer. She pushed her nerves aside and concentrated on her task. Then she could deal with Kai.
Kai listened to Jocelyn speak to the older woman, who kept thanking her for the beautiful cake.
It took her more than ten minutes to get the woman out of the bakery and relock the door.
“I was thinking we could go on up to the North Shore. It is nice this time of day. There are jellyfish warnings over here.”
She started when he spoke, then she looked up at him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She shoved a hand through her hair and sighed. “That woman can talk.”
He laughed. “She wasn’t that bad.”
“I’m not used to handling customers. But Cynthia looked tired and well, Chris was…”
She trailed off and he started laughing. “Sick. Yeah, May is giving him a hard time, but I told her to be careful. One of these days it could bite her in the ass.”
She cocked her head as she studied him. “Why are you here?”
Because I can’t stay away. That would be the blatant truth. He couldn’t admit it to her. Other than the fact that his crew was ready to stage a mutiny, there were other things. He went to bed with her on his mind, woke from dreams that tormented him.
“I wanted to clear the air.”
“I said I was sorry. I thought we had a truce.”
Her back was ramrod straight again, and he could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was irritated. Embarrassed too. Well, too bad.
“Yeah, I heard ya. Then, you know, there’s the thing about going to the beach.”
She sighed. “I know you’re trying to be nice, but you don’t have to.”
He would think she was stupid if he didn’t know her so well. “I know. But I want to.”
She opened her mouth and the frustration he’d been suffering from came up. “Listen, I asked you out. I stayed away a week. This is not about pity.”
The room was silent after he finished and she pursed her lips. “Okay. You want to follow me up?”
“I thought you would take pity and drive me in your cute little car.”
“You saw it?” she asked, and he nodded. “I couldn’t resist. Convertibles in Atlanta seemed like a waste to me, but here, it’s almost a necessity to enjoy a drive. I loved May’s so I couldn’t resist. Let me double check the back door.”
He nodded and waited, trying to calm his heart. It was beating out of control and his body hummed with arousal. He hadn’t touched her, hadn’t even gotten that close to her since stepping in the store. But it apparently didn’t matter. Just being in her presence had him rock hard. He hoped she didn’t notice.
“Okay, let’s go.”
She turned and locked the door and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts. He didn’t need to touch her, not here, not now. There was a good chance that he might just take her up against the window of the bakery.
“I’m parked around the corner,” she said with a smile.
They walked in silence for a few moments.
“Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
“It’s about a day together, just like the others.”
“Oh.”
She sounded disappointed.
“No plans, just enjoy.”
She smiled. “I usually plan out everything.”
He nodded. “Just like May. I like to take life as it comes at me.”
She reached her car and unlocked it. Once they were both inside, she said, “Total opposites.”
“But it can be fun.”
She laughed. “You’re right about that.”
He settled back and let her drive.
They snagged some fish tacos on the North Shore, then headed to Kaiaka Bay Beach. It was normal, or at least would have been if the underlying sexual tension wasn’t driving her slowly insane. Yes, she had felt this with other men, but not as over powering. Why was this man so tempting to her? He stretched out beside her and sighed. She bit back her own.