He shrugged. “I guess you’ll just have to keep swimming in the dating pond until you find the right catch.”
She groaned. “I hate dating. I was thinking tonight on the way over here that I might quit for a while. Put it on hold until after my restaurant is built.”
“Yeah, then you’ll go two and a half years without sex.” He rolled over and faced her. “That’s probably not healthy, Jo.” He stared deeply into her eyes, wanting her so badly, it took everything he had to keep his hands off her.
Her gaze wandered to his lips and then back to his eyes again. “Stop that.”
“What?” He grinned.
“Mind melding with me, nudging me to kiss you first.” She chewed her bottom lip like she was thinking about it.
“If you’re serious about not dating and just want to end your days-without-sex streak, I’m here to help. But I have to go back to San Diego as soon as my knee is better. I couldn’t promise you anything past that.”
She blinked at him but didn’t respond.
Please say yes!
As Jo pondered, his bedroom door creaked open.
He glanced over his shoulder. Ryan approached the bed, his bottom lip quivering. “Hey, Ry.”
Ryan stood at the edge of the bed with his fists clenched. “She left! Because of you, Chad!”
Crap. What the hell was Linda up to now?
Jo sat up in bed. “She left? In the middle of a snowstorm? That’s strange.”
“She didn’t even read a book to me.” He lost his battle with his tears, and it shot an arrow through Chad’s heart.
Jo held out her arms. “I’m so sorry, Ryan. Come here.”
Ryan circled the bed and crawled into Jo’s arms. “Can I sleep with you guys, Jo?”
“Of course you can.” Jo settled in with Ryan snuggled against her chest. The lucky guy.
Chad tucked his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. What was Linda up to? The snow had to have shut down flights for the evening. Would she stay in town and make more trouble or leave and stay out of their lives for another few months?
10
THE WEAK REVENGE. THE STRONG FORGIVE. INTELLIGENCE IGNORES.
Jo’s cell beeped incessantly beside her on Chad’s nightstand. She hit the snooze button and tucked her phone beside her pillow. Just ten more minutes. Then she’d venture out in the cold and snow. When the alarm rudely rang again, she turned it off and then rolled to her back. Ryan was still sandwiched between her and Chad, but he was curled up against his father now instead of her.
It was so cute, it melted her heart. She leaned over and laid soft kisses on both of their foreheads.
Poor Ryan. He didn’t deserve a mother like Linda, who’d abandon him like that. Twice now.
She quietly slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom to get ready. Chad’s huge shower had multiple heads and was like a spa experience. She closed her eyes and relished the warm water massaging her whole body. She could seriously get used to a shower like that every day.
After she was dressed and ready, she went to the kitchen and made coffee, and then pitchers of smoothies for everyone, wishing she could still be all warm and snug in bed, taking a snow day like the rest of them probably would. But she’d have customers lined up as soon as she opened, wanting their caffeine and treats to help them face another long workday.
After her car slogged through the plowed streets with relative ease because of the lack of traffic, she made a dash through the lightly falling snow to the café, locked the door behind her, and headed for the kitchen to get her baking started.
While she prepared the biscuits, croissants, and pies for the day, her mind kept wandering back to what Chad had said the night before. He’d made no promises about after he left and returned to San Diego, but for now, he’d be happy to end her celibate streak.
As she rolled and punched dough, she considered the pros and cons of sleeping with Chad. It’d be for the short term. They’d both know that. And it’d be good, that was a certainty. She’d never slept with anyone better in bed than Chad, but then, she hadn’t had much experience before him, so maybe that wasn’t true anymore. Maybe he wasn’t—
“Hey.” Shelby appeared and scared the crap out of Jo. “Why the big frown on your face?”
“Was I frowning?” Jo picked up a tray of biscuits and headed for the oven. It’d been behaving all week. If she were lucky, it’d last just until the renovations were done. Then she’d sell the damned thing for scrap metal. “Why are you here so early?”
Shelby pulled out a stool from under Jo’s workstation and sat. “Because Nick wouldn’t let me drive in the snow. I figured some of the employees would have a hard time getting here. He said if I was coming in to help you today, I needed to ride in early with him. I swear, he’s gotten even bossier since I’ve been pregnant. Who’d ever think that was even possible?” Shelby picked up one of the cooling croissants and devoured it in two bites.