Cooking Up Trouble (18 page)

T
he bakery had lines of customers on Friday, and every person wanted to talk about Ian. The news had spread through Mill Pond faster than a flash flood.

“That girl was going to marry him and still see her other fella,” Iris Clinger hissed, scandalized. “And the poor boy believed every word she told him. If she wasn't ready to settle down, she should have said so.”

Leona chimed in. “One of my regular perm customers saw her in Columbus with someone.”

The whole day darted from one bit of gossip to the next until, by the time Tessa turned the shop sign to CLOSED, she and Grams both had headaches.

Tessa started to the kitchen. “Want a couple of aspirin before you leave? I could use some.”

“Don't mind if I do.” Grams followed her and poured them each a glass of water. When Tessa tapped two pills out for her, Grams sighed. “This has been one sucky week, hasn't it?”

“I've had better.” Tomorrow could very well be more of the same.

“Want to come to my place for supper tonight? Miguel always makes plenty of food. We're having enchiladas.”

“Oh, Grams, you're the best. You know that, right? But I'd rather hide out and feel sorry for myself.”

“Can't say that I blame you.” Grams gave her a sideways look. “Of course, all this fuss means that Ian's free. Have you thought of that?”

“This mess will probably make things worse between us. He won't trust women again for a while.”

Grams patted her arm. “You've waited this long, kid. Give the boy a little space and see what he does. Ian's worth it.”

“You know how it goes, I was there when he hit bottom, and that stains everything. We'll never have what we did before. In his mind, I'll be forever connected to the Lily debacle.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. He might need a shoulder to cry on, and you have strong shoulders, kiddo.”

“Yeah, that's me—Miss Dependability. Rebounds don't work. I'd just be a step to the next woman.” Tessa grimaced at her bitter tone. “Sorry. I'm in a mood.”

“You know what?” Grams looked at the empty glass cases. They'd regularly refilled them during the day, so the cooler was empty, too. “I think everyone in town came to buy baked goods today. We've sold out. I say we don't open tomorrow. We take Saturday off and let the gossip die down.”

Tessa stared. “I've never taken a Saturday off.”

“Then it's about time you did. I'll spread the word in town. I'll tell everyone you have a case of the faints.”

“The faints?”

“When a frail female's emotions have been overloaded. I'll tell everyone you're devastated that Lily stole your true love in Columbus.”

“Aaron? Grams!” But Tessa was laughing. She didn't want to face more people tomorrow, more questions. She shrugged. “Let's do it. I could use a break. So could you.”

“Atta girl! I knew you had a little bit of naughty in you.” Grams started for the door. “I'll see you next Thursday.”

Tessa felt like a rebel as she turned on music and finished cleaning the shop. She went to the computer in her office and put up a message on the shop's Facebook page:

 

Closed this Saturday due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

Then she laughed at herself, locked up, and walked to the lake. She was sitting on its shoreline, gazing at the water, when her cell phone rang.

“Where are you? The bakery's closed, isn't it?”

Tessa frowned. She knew that voice. “Lily?”

“Yeah, I know, the last person you want to hear from. But I'm sitting on your porch, and I've told Ian I'm here. I'm not going to his place to get my things. We'd end up rehashing everything. So you'd better get here, or I swear, I'll hurt him.”

“You're small. He's big.”

“Not
that
kind of hurt, but I know every button of his to push. And I'll do it if I have to.”

Could this day get any better?
“I was already in the middle of this once.”

“Well, you still are, aren't you? So get here.”

Lily thought she could play hardball with her.
Well, bring it on!
“I'm on my way.” But it wasn't to referee. The girl didn't have the balls to face Ian alone, but that wasn't Tessa's problem. The minute she rounded the front porch, though, there was the sound of tires crunching in the driveway. Oh, damn. This was going to get ugly.

Tessa curled her hands into fists. Ian slammed his car door and stomped toward them. If he breathed fire, it wouldn't surprise her. He looked mad enough. Lily stood near the door, her expression mutinous. Tessa didn't stop to talk to either of them, just unlocked the door, and motioned them inside.

Lily stalked through the front room, past the kitchen, and into the sunroom. Ian took a chair across the room from her. Tessa pulled a wicker rocker halfway between them and to the side, out of the line of fire.

Lily started. “This is all your fault, Ian. You weren't honest with yourself. Or me.”

If Ian's expression could grow darker, it did. Tessa expected smoke to come out his ears. “And how did I cause this?” His voice was low, menacing.

Lily squared her shoulders. “When we first met, I told you that I wanted to travel and play my entire life.”

“You were an otter.” His words were clipped. “You meant to play in the water and eat seafood forever. I remember.”

She blinked and brushed at her eyes. “See? That's the thing about you. You're so damned wonderful.”

He glowered. “Apparently, not wonderful enough.”

“But you are! That's the thing. And I'm wonderful, too. We're just not right for each other.”

He sighed. “I don't really want to go through all this again. I'll just hire someone to pack up all your things and send them to whatever address you give me.”

She glared. “I'm not living with Aaron. We had dinner together.”

“Fine. I'll send them to your apartment.”

She blinked back tears. “Please. Don't hate me, Ian. I wanted to be what you wanted. I really did, but I can't.”

“I get it.” His voice was rough. “You could have been honest, though.”

Lily took a deep breath. “The truth is, you love Tessa. You don't want to admit it, but you do. Don't blow it because of stupid pride.”

He didn't answer, and Lily pushed herself to her feet. She looked at Tessa. “If he ever gets over himself, have a great life together. You're perfect for him.” Then Lily walked to the door and let herself out.

Tessa sat for a minute, not sure what to do.

Then Ian stood, too. He ran a hand through his black hair, still furious. “I have to go. I'm sorry. I'm a mess. I need to think.”

Tessa nodded. She understood, and she'd been right. Lily wasn't going to bring them together. She was going to hammer the last nail in their coffin.

T
essa slept in on Saturday, something she hadn't done in years. Then she took a long shower, pulled on her robe again instead of getting dressed, and looked at herself in the bedroom mirror. Pitiful. It would be nice if water could wash misery down the drain, but it didn't. She trudged to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. Staring out the window, she couldn't say what she saw. Her life felt blank, empty.

Someone pounded on the door, and she grimaced. If some customer thought she'd go to the barn and dig out a frozen dessert for him, he was mistaken. She whipped the door open and stared. Ian stood there. Stubble covered his chin. His dark hair looked mussed. His shirt was buttoned on a diagonal, one buttonhole off.

She blinked, unsure what to say. Finally, she motioned toward the kitchen. “I have coffee. Want some?”

“No.”

She studied his expression. He looked all wound up, ready to burst. “What do you want?”

“I want you.”

She stared. “Excuse me?”

“When I found out about Lily, part of me felt betrayed. But the other part of me kept thinking,
good, now I don't have to marry her. I can have Tessa.
“

“Me?”

“Lily was right. I've never wanted anything more in my whole life.”

“But Lily . . .”

“Made me laugh, we had great times together. And then I met you.”

Her heart started hammering in her chest. Her ears buzzed. She was having a hard time concentrating. “You were going to marry her.”

He nodded. “Because I asked her and she said yes. But we were both wrong, both of us. We were so stupid.”

Tessa tugged at her hair, pulling it behind her ears. He reached out to touch it. Then their gazes locked, and Ian pushed through the door, slammed it behind him, and crushed her to the wall, his lips grinding against hers.

A well of hunger yawned open, and she met his passion with her own.

When his hand slid beneath her light, summer robe to cradle her breast, she gasped and tensed. Her entire body quivered with need. His thumb teased her nipple, and fire shot through her veins, quickening her senses. Every pore prayed for a caress.

She tilted her head, offering her throat to him. As he nibbled his way up and down her neck, her insides shivered. She started undoing his shirt buttons. Was his skin as smooth and firm as she'd fantasized it to be? A groan escaped her. He was all that and more. She couldn't stop touching.

He bent his head, and his lips grazed the tops of her breasts. She sucked in a breath and arched her back. He ran his tongue over her nipple. Shock waves of want jettisoned through her. When was the last time she'd enjoyed a man's touch? A flood of desire washed away her control, and she tugged at the belt on her robe, pushing the fabric out of his way. One hand held a breast while his mouth claimed the other. A moan ripped from her throat, and she thrust her hips forward. She ripped at his shirt until he shrugged out of it, then her fingers moved to the zipper on his jeans. He undid those and let them drop to the floor. His undershorts followed, and she cupped his ass in her hands. Firm. Rounded. Heaven.

His fingers lowered, exploring the hollows of her abdomen, then moving to her hips, her inner thighs, and then finding warmth and wetness. Her breath stilled. She swore the blood stopped pumping through her veins. Her entire being focused on the movement of his fingers and her pent-up need. Desire built inside her, stoked by want, passion, sensations that refused to be denied. And then he stopped.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at him. He kicked his shoes and pants aside, lifted her in his arms, and stalked to her bedroom. He lowered her on the mattress and sprawled over her, his knees between her legs. And then his head lowered and he nipped at her breasts, his hands roamed her body, and his fingers found her place of need. When her hips came off the bed, he entered her, and their desire found a rhythm. Thrust for thrust, they matched each other. Tessa's skin burned, the heat rising within her. She gripped Ian's shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. She bit her bottom lip and moaned. Then every part of her tensed, ready. They came at the same time.

When the shivers left her, she bit her bottom lip. “Oh, boy.”

Ian laughed. “I've had better responses.”

“What have we done?”

“We've made it official. I want you. Marry me.”

She gaped.

He lowered his lips, and his kisses skimmed her eyes, her cheeks. “I love every inch of you. I love your stubborn chin.” He stopped to kiss there. “I love your long throat.” He kissed that, too. “Your creamy breasts.” More kisses. “Your beautiful body, your strong thighs, your . . .”

She didn't hear the rest. But when they finished, she knew she was loved.

He rolled off of her and nestled close to her side. “Marry me, Tessa.” He'd made her miserable, spending time with Lily. She should put up some kind of battle, not cave in so easily, but she sighed. “Oh, what the hell?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “It's official then. Let's make it fast.”

“No big wedding?”

“Do you want one?”

“No.”

“Then the justice of the peace as soon as the paperwork's official.”

She nodded. That's all she had the energy to do. All of her senses were concentrating on Ian's body, next to hers. This time, to celebrate, they took their time, each determined to be thorough. Most of Saturday passed as they made up for lost time, but when they finished, they were no longer good friends or neighbors. They were one.

T
essa and Kayla finished adding the last touches to tiny cream puffs to make them look like swans. Then Tessa gathered up the meringue kiss cookies, bite-sized tarts, and truffles they'd made to add to the delivery boxes.

“I'll be back in a little bit.” Tessa left Kayla to start the Boston Cream pies for the lodge's supper menu. She drove to Ian's to find him waiting for her. He hugged her shoulders before he grabbed the top few boxes to carry to the kitchen.

“What did you bring today?” He lifted a lid.

She opened the rest of the boxes to show him, and he grinned his approval. “Did you make any extra for the owner?”

“I saved a few for us tonight.”

His chocolate-brown eyes glittered. “You still haven't told me what we're having for supper.”

“It's a surprise.”

His eyebrows rose. “What's the appropriate menu for finding true love? Tuna casserole? Hamburger and beans?”

She pressed herself against him. “I went with lobsters.”

His expression turned mushy. “That good, huh?”

“Memorable.”

He tipped her chin upward and bent his head. His kiss left her breathless. “I never thought I'd get this lucky.”

“I'll keep reminding you of that.”

He pulled her closer. “You don't need to.”

Luther swept into the room and grimaced. “Enough already. Save it for the bungalow. I need you to okay the new flower beds out front.”

Ian laughed and released her. “Work calls. I'll see you later tonight.”

Tessa gave Luther a wave and started back to her place. She chuckled as she parked by the barn. Luther had better enjoy himself while he could. Soon, he'd be getting up all hours of the night with a baby.

A baby. She tilted her head, considering the possibility, but then pushed it aside. A smile curved her lips. She and Ian had lots of time.