Page 43 of Blood Sugar

“How’s the new baker? Why isn’t she here?”

Rowen barked a laugh. “Fine. She’s great.”

“But she’s not working tonight?”

“No.” His response was sharp, edged with barbs.

“Fine, I’ll leave you alone. Maybe take a break and pull that stick out of your ass,” she huffed.

Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the wall, listening for footsteps. The bell at the bakery entrance chimed as she exited.

Cautiously, I pushed the door open and stepped into the kitchen. Rowen stood in the middle, one hand scrubbing at his face while the other one clutched my bra and panties tightly behind his back.

“I’ll take those,” I said softly.

Blinking, he looked from my face down to his arm now hanging relaxed at his side. “Yeah, sorry.”

Limbs stiff, I stepped into my panties and pulled them up my legs. There was no way to easily get my bra back on, so I carried it to my purse and tucked it in.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Five minutes earlier and she would have seen my head between your legs,” he muttered. “I’m not convinced she didn’t hear you. You weren’t exactly quiet.”

“I’m sorry about that,” I said, feeling my cheeks heat.

Silence stretched a beat. This was so damn awkward.

“So you didn’t want your sister to…?” I trailed off, biting my lip. I had no idea how to finish that sentence—see us together? Know you were eating me out on the kitchen counter? The answer was an obvious “No.”

Rowen’s hand went to the back of his neck. “Yeah, I don’t know how I would have explained that.”

My heart dropped. So we would act like a couple in front of his clients and friends, but his sister couldn’t know. It sounded like introducing me to his family as more than an employee wasn’t something he wanted.

I’d barely warmed up to the idea of being his girlfriend, and now it was ruined. Rowen’s brows furrowed like he was confused, and for the first time, the urge to be cruel to him welled up.

How dare he kiss me like that, touch me like that, and then act ashamed?

I wasn’t being fair, and I knew it. I kissed him with no expectation of a relationship. We were just enjoying ourselves. But then he had to act like a couple and get my hopes up. All of these emotions tangled in my chest, aching.

My skin prickled, a flush crawling up my neck.

“Look, I know it’s early, but I should get going. Especially since tomorrow will be a long night with the festival and stuff.”

Rowen’s lips parted, but he didn’t speak.

“So, I’ll see you at the festival,” I concluded, needing his confirmation.

His shoulders rose and fell with a sigh. “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow. Go get some rest.”

Stiffly, I stepped forward, wanting to hug him or kiss his cheek goodbye, but the way his eyes roved around his bakery like he couldn’t believe what we’d just done in the space stopped me in my tracks.

“Goodnight, Rowen. See you soon.”

I barely remembered the drive back to the motel. The image of Rowen’s stricken expression when I’d emerged from the hallway was seared into my brain. His words echoed over and over. “I don’t know how I would have explained that.”

Good enough to eat, not good enough to meet his sister. Got it.

Gravel crunched under my tires as I pulled into the motel parking lot. Already the sky was lightening as the sun peeked over the mountains. It was later than I’d realized.