Craving More (7 page)

Jett
snorted while popping the trunk, “Not a rental.” He swung the door open making
Sam jump back a step. Slamming the door shut he walked to the back of the car
grabbing out the two bags of groceries Sam asked him to pick up. He shoved one
in Sam’s direction. “It really is my car. I needed something reliable and good
on gas. It’s my grown-up car.”

Sam
shook his head in mock disgust taking the bag and turning toward the house.
“It’s boring is what it is, you always were the slightly more sensible one.”
Sam looked at him over his shoulder, good-natured laughter shining in his eyes.
“Good to see you Murph.”

“It’s
good to see you too, man.” He chuckled, a sense of contentment and home
settling in his soul. He didn’t know if it was seeing his friend again, a man
who was like a brother to him. Or if it was being back on the property, close
to the woman he was beginning to think held his future.

“You
didn’t have any problems finding the place did you? It’s a bit out of the way.”

Jett
followed behind Sam, taking the time to reign in his tiger
who
was dying to get out and find his mate. Once he felt more under control he
answered his friend. “Nah, no problem at all. I’ve actually been here once or
twice. And it’s only on the edge of town, not in Timbuktu. You can’t miss the
pink and white
Sweet Confections
sign
pointing the way.”

A
light breeze kicked up bringing with it the scent of jasmine. His tiger perked
up again, checking the surroundings for his feline friend. Counting backwards
from ten Jett worked to calm the beast down. He cleared his throat stifling the
growl that was working its way to the surface. “So this is your sister’s place?
I’ve only ever seen the bakery at the bottom of the driveway.”

“Yep,
this is it. You never mentioned going to the bakery before. You must have seen
my sister there then. I can’t think of a time when she isn’t working.”

“Uh,
I might have caught a glimpse. Like I said, I only went a couple of
times.”
  

Sam
turned and stared at him. His eyebrow cocked and a look of suspicion crossing
over his features. “Actually you said once or twice.”

“Once,
twice, a couple times. What does it matter? The cupcakes were delicious.
Someone brought them into work. They brought back memories of college and those
boxes you used to get.” Jett shrugged and did his best to smooth over his slip
like it wasn’t a big deal. He wasn’t quite ready for Sam to know he was
interested in more than the cupcakes. He knew he would have to talk to him
sooner or later. A decision he had come to in the middle of his sleepless
night, but knowing and doing were two different things.

Sam
seemed satisfied with his explanation enough to turn and keep walking.
“Anyways, she built up quite the business from what she's told me. I just wish
it wasn't right next to her home though. It can’t be safe having everyone know
where you live. I plan on doing whatever it takes to convince her to open a
shop in town. Then I can start my business next to hers and scoop up all of her
sugar addicted customers.” Sam chuckled before opening the door.

The
aroma of baking bread hit Jett the second he crossed the threshold. As he
walked further into the house an undertone of jasmine drifted over him. He
wrinkled his nose, like his big cat would, pulling the scent in.
Corrine
. It was the same whiff he got
outside but stronger. He remembered it well. He could still smell her on his
skin hours after he left her place earlier. He spent the majority of the
morning dreaming of her. Her taste. Her feel. Her scent. It was intoxicating.
Catnip for the tiger lurking within.
It was only interrupted
when he caught an undertone of roses. It was faint but he could still detect
it. The scent was forever ingrained in his senses. He hated it with his entire
being.

Releasing
a deep breath, he took tiny sips of air, relieved when jasmine filled his
lungs. He took a deep breath as Sam’s words sunk it. “Wait, you’re starting a
business here in Cascade? Does that mean you’re moving here?” Jett didn’t know
if he was happy his friend would be near by or annoyed that Sam would be moving
to town. All of his plans to play it cool and feel Sam out about dating his
sister went up in smoke.

He
needed to ease into the relationship. See where everyone stood and make sure he
wasn’t getting in bed with another psycho. Though deep in his heart he knew
Corrine wasn’t but his brain was taking a little longer to get on board.

Walking
into the kitchen Jett stopped dead in his tracks. The woman he dreamed about
during the night stood with her back to them kneading dough on a marble
counter. She swayed back and forth shaking her ass, humming under her breath.
He could see the cord of a headphone snaking out of her ear.

Wearing
a pair of tan Capri pants that hugged her beautiful curves and a light pink
top, she was the picture of comfort and ease. Her hair was pulled back into a
braid, no doubt to keep it out of her way as she worked.

Visions
of walking up behind her to nuzzle her neck while wrapping his arms around her
waist as she worked danced in his head. He could practically hear the family of
his future playing around them.

An
initial panic tried to set in but his tiger wouldn’t let it. The tiger knew
what the human was still too scared to admit; he was home. It was too
overwhelming for the human to deal with. Jett was completely unable to move,
encased in fear and hope, and no idea what to do. It was the second time in
less than a day that she’d brought him to this point. Complete brain and body
failure.

Sam
walked into the kitchen to the counter opposite his sister. Setting his bag
down, he pulled everything from it and looked up to see Jett standing
stock-still staring at the back of Corrine.

He
looked back and forth between the unsuspecting parties, both oblivious to their
surroundings. Jett looked dumbstruck. Like he’d never seen a woman before.
Which Sam knew was completely untrue. They’d both had their fair share of
run-ins with the opposite sex.

Sam
turned his attention to his sister who was lost in her own little world with
music plugged into her ears and beating the snot out of the dough ball in her
hands. Ever since he called Jett up, Corrine had been in the kitchen baking up
a storm. She claimed to be experimenting with new recipes but he knew she only
got like this when something was bothering her or she was nervous as hell.

He
knew something was off when he got to the house this morning. He vaguely
recalled scenting something on her.
A scent that belonged to
the man staring at her back.
 

What the fuck!
Realization and shock rippled through him. He didn’t
know if he should beat the shit out of Jett or be happy that two people he
cared about were somehow involved with each other.

His
gaze swung between Jett and Corrine a couple more times. A slow grin kicked up
the corner of his mouth. He couldn’t wait to see what happened.

This
was just the thing to help him forget the nagging emptiness that had been
plaguing him for the past few months. For the moment, he’d just hang out with
his sister and his best friend. Relax and watch the show.

Sam
drew his mind back to the present focusing on his friend again. “So Murph, how
do you like living here?”

Jett
shook his head and looked over at him. He slid the bag across the counter as he
spoke. “I like it. The new job is great and I like the small town feel without
it feeling too small. Plus, the scenery is fantastic.”

Sam
saw Jett’s gaze move back to his sister as he said the last part.

Interesting.

Corrine
had yet to notice they were in the kitchen with her. Sam couldn’t decide if he
should alert her to the fact or see if she would ever figure it out.

A
minute later the decision was taken out of his hands. She picked up the ball of
dough, raised it in the air and slammed it down onto the counter. Letting out a
whoop she picked the poor battered ball up and spun around. She saw Jett
standing there and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Sam
was laughing so hard he failed to notice Corrine whipping her head toward him.
Before he could react she nailed him in the chest with the dough hard enough to
knock the air from him. The dough plopped to the ground as he doubled over to catch
his breath.

“You
ass!” she yelled before growling and stomping off into the laundry room
connected to the kitchen.

A
few seconds passed before he could stand up straight. Jett was still standing
in the same spot, a look of shock plastered across his face.

“And
that, my friend, was my sister Corrine. As you can tell, she loves me dearly.”
He started to laugh again.

“I
heard that you jackass. I only love you cause we’re related and Mom would beat
my butt if she heard otherwise.”

Corrine
walked back into the kitchen with a shirt in her hand. She tossed it on the
counter next to him and moved back to the spot she vacated moments ago crossing
her arms and glared.

Sam
ignored the clean shirt she brought him, brushing at the flour splattered
across the one he was wearing. With his free hand he motioned to Jett.

“Corrine
this is Jett Murphy, college roommate and good friend. Murph this is my
little
sister, Corrine Hart.”

Jett
glanced at Corrine, her face an unreadable blank mask, and then shifted his
attention to her brother who was absorbed in cleaning his shirt.

“Thanks
but I guessed that. I have seen about a million pictures of her and feel like I
already know her based on all of those stories you used to tell.” Stories and
reality were two different things and he wanted to get to know her up close and
personal. Find out what reality was like.

“Oh
man, if you think you know me based on what my brother has said then I doubt
you know me at all. There’s no telling if he told you the truth. I know how he
is,” she said.

Sam
finally looked up at his sister. “Hey now. I didn’t tell anything embarrassing.
At least I don’t think I did.” He bent down and scooped up the dough, tossing
it to Corrine who caught it neatly. “You dropped something.”
 

Jett
leaned his hip against the counter and watched the siblings interact. They were
a lot like him and his sisters, Jessie and Jamie. Biting at each other
playfully. He could easily tell how much they cared for each other.

“Whatever.”
Turning around Corrine grabbed a trashcan sitting nearby and chucked the ruined
dough in. “It’s nice to meet you Jett. Or should I call you Murph like my
brother does?”

Jett
couldn’t understand why she kept her back to him. Maybe she was regretting last
night and couldn’t face him.
Shit.
He
wished she would turn around and look him in the face.

“It’s
nice to meet you officially. I’ve caught a glimpse or two of you at the bakery.
Your sweets taste delicious.” Without meaning to his voice dipped. Thinking of
sweets reminded him of licking her skin, the honey taste filling his mouth. He
quickly cleared his mind and gathered his senses. “You can call me Jett. I
haven’t gone by Murph since college.”

“Too
grown up for that now?” Sam asked. His eyebrow raised, a queer look on his
face.

Damn
it! He was beginning to think Sam was feeling the undercurrent in the room.
Jett vibrated with the need to get close to Corrine but with his friend
standing practically between them, it was impossible—unless he wanted to
put on a show and put his intention of courting Corrine out there. That was the
last thing he wanted to do, or thought he wanted to do. Seeing her again had
need coursing through his body. Without knowing what was going on in her head
he knew it would be better to stay back and stick to his plan. Scope everything
out; see how Sam felt about him seeing his sister. See if Corrine still wanted
him. Maybe she couldn’t face him now because she felt the same. Maybe she
wanted him as much as he wanted her and having Sam in the room was stopping
her.

“Murph?”

“What?
No. I only grew up a little. Though I have to admit, whenever someone calls me
Murph, I’m immediately thrust back into our college football, beer-chugging
days. For some odd reason they like you to be a bit more professional than that
at work.”

A
snort echoed in the room. Corrine was shaking her head, sending her braid
brushing side-to-side caressing her back. Jett’s gaze fell to her curves. The
need to grab and never let go arrested him. Small tremors shook his hands as he
attempted to keep himself under control.

Suddenly
Sam clapped his hands together, the loud noise causing Jett and Corrine both to
jump. “I’m gonna get the grill going so we can get the food on. You got it
handled in here right Rini?” Sam sidled up next to Corrine and planted a kiss
on her cheek.

Corrine
shooed him away. “Of course. Why don’t you grab some beers and put them in the
cooler I put out back. I’ll finish cleaning up and be out in a bit. I need to
call MJ real quick and see how things are going. That should give you guys a
little time to catch up without having to gloss over the gory details.”