CHAPTER FIVE

TAYLOR

She walked toward me, her syrupy sweet smile telling me I was in big trouble. “You know what? You’re right. It’s not what this was. You and I had a good time, and that’s all. Thanks for the orgasm, Taylor. I’ll see you around.”

I reached for her, needing to pull her into my arms so I could kiss the sass right out of her, but she jerked away.

“No. I’m going home. Like I should have done last night.”

“Come on, Becca. Give me a chance to prove it to you.”

“The only thing you’ve proven was that you’re the player I suspected you were from the start.” Tugging open the door, she shook her head. “I’m not interested in that. I’m not someone you can toy with. Goodbye, Taylor.”

She left me standing there, the echoes of her voice ringing in my mind, the sweetness of her perfume lingering in the air.

I pressed my palm to the doorframe and let her leave, determined to win her over and show her we’d be good together. One way or another.

“Fuck it,” I muttered before running after her.

I caught the little blonde firecracker as she waited for the elevator. Her huff of annoyance would have made me laugh if I wasn’t on the verge of losing any hope of something with her.

“Did you forget something?” She didn’t even look at me.

“Aye, I did.”

Twisting in my direction, she arched one brow. “What’s that?”

“You.”

“I already told you goodbye. You didn’t forget anything.”

“Becca, I’m sorry. I don’t want this to be the end. You... you’re not like others—”

“If you say I’m not like other girls, I’m going to kick you in the shin.”

A bark of laughter escaped before I could stop it. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?”

“I threaten to assault you, and you think that’s sexy?”

“You challenge me.”

“You deserve it.”

God, this woman. I wanted to shake her and kiss her silly all at the same time.

“Aye, you’re not wrong.” The elevator arrived, announcing my time was up with a ding.

The door slid open, and she walked into the car. Fuck. I couldn’t let her go yet. I held the door in place, keeping it from closing. “Don’t leave like this. Let me see you again. Let me show you I’m not a waste of your time.”

I saw it the moment she let her guard down. She bit that sexy full bottom lip and took a slow breath.

“Maybe.”

“Not good enough.”

Her lips formed a little out of surprise. “Excuse me?”

“I want another go. I want a date.”

“Nope. Not yet.”

“You said yet. So you’re saying there’s a chance.”

She grinned. “Maybe.”

I hated that word.

“Fine. I’ll take it.”

The elevator tried to close on me again, but I held fast.

“Taylor, I need to go.”

“I’m not giving up on you, Tink. That’s a promise.”

Pink bloomed on her cheeks. “We’ll see.”

Satisfied, I backed away and let her leave. But this time instead of a sinking feeling, I was filled with possibility and hope. I had a chance to make her mine. All I had to do was not fuck it up.

Easy.

BECCA

I spent the next three days reliving the morning with Taylor in my mind. Wondering what he was doing, if he’d fully recovered if he was going to call.

I hated it. I was not this person. This silly girl who waited on a man to make her feel important. And yet, here I was, checking my phone every few minutes. Desperate to hear from him.

Was it the toe-curling orgasm?

Probably. But also, I just wanted to hear his voice and let that deep rumbling laughter wash over me because I liked him a lot. I wasn’t ashamed to admit it. I liked him more than I’d liked anyone, maybe ever.

“Becca, the timer has been going off! The cupcakes are probably dry and overbaked!”

Scarlett ran into the kitchen and pulled out the tray of cupcakes, which were, indeed, dry as a bone.

I sighed. “Sorry, I was distracted.”

“I noticed. What’s gotten into you?”

I wanted to say Taylor’s tongue and fingers, but instead, I shrugged and stood up straighter, brushing invisible crumbs off my apron. “I just didn’t sleep well. A lot on my mind.”

“Well, do you think you could put us making these cupcakes in your mind? We need thirty-five more monarch butterflies made out of gum paste, and unless you want to do that, I’m going to be busy.”

I didn’t want to do that. Sugar art was not my forte. Scarlett would hand-paint and mold the beautiful, delicate butterflies without any trouble.

I, on the other hand, would have a terrible time of it. She handled the finer details. I handled the rest. It was a good partnership, and it worked. But only when I held up my end of the bargain.

“I got it. Don’t worry.”

She gave me a look I would have reserved for our older sister rather than her, the baby of the family, but Scarlett always took care of everyone. Clara, ourtheiends the most together out of the two of us. And I thought part of that was due to necessity.

Growing up as we had without parents for most of our lives, reliant on Clara to take care of us, we’d had to become self-sufficient.

My phone chirped from the counter, and I flinched as my heart took up a frantic pace.

“God, are you expecting a call or something? You just freaked the heck out.”

“No.”

“What is going on with you?” She narrowed her gaze. “Are you dating someone?”

“Maybe. Kind of. Not really. I don’t know.”

“Rebecca Anne, tell me.”

I sighed heavily. “I went out with one of the guys on Clara’s team?” I said it as a question, hoping that would soften the blow.

“Wait, a hockey player for the Cyclones?”

“Yeah. We met on the ferry a few weeks ago and kind of hit it off.”

“Does he know?”

“What?”

“You know what. That your sister is the owner’s wife.”

“Yes, he knows. He doesn’t care. And neither do I. I’m not affiliated with the team. I don’t work for them. As far as we’re concerned, we’re just two strangers who met on the ferry. That’s it.”